University of Liverpool Dental School Interview Questions – 2026 Entry (MMI Guide)

🎓 Introduction – Liverpool BDS and Your Interview

The University of Liverpool School of Dentistry offers a five‑year Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) with around 70 places each year, including a small number for international students.

Liverpool’s course is known for:

• 🦷 Early clinical exposure

• 🤝 Team‑based learning alongside dental therapy students

• 📊 Strong focus on professionalism, reflection and evidence‑based care

For 2026 entry, the interview is the decisive stage: once you are shortlisted, offers are based solely on your interview performance, provided you later meet your academic conditions.

This guide is based mainly on:

• The University of Liverpool School of Dentistry’s official 2026 entry admissions page (primary source).

• Data from FOI‑based statistics (Save My Exams).

• Reputable interview‑prep sites (BlackStone Tutors, TheUKCATPeople, BluePeanut, Medic Mind).

• Applicant comments on The Student Room (TSR).

• Dental Schools Council guidance (national overview of entry requirements and values).

🧭 How Liverpool Decides Who To Call For a Dentistry Interview

Liverpool uses a multi‑stage shortlisting process. For 2026 entry, this is described clearly on the official School of Dentistry website.

1️⃣ Stage One – Academic Screen

Liverpool first checks your academic profile:

• A‑level requirements: AAA in three A‑levels (including Chemistry and Biology), taken together at one sitting.

• GCSE requirements: at least 8 GCSEs, with minimum five at grade 7/A and three at 6/B, including English Language, Maths and Science. Vocational/Applied GCSEs (e.g. BTECs) are not accepted.

Only applicants who meet or are predicted to meet these minimum academic criteria move to the next stage – Liverpool does not then rank you on grades or run a “points‑based” GCSE/A‑level system.

2️⃣ Stage Two – UCAT + SJT + Non‑Academic Information Questionnaire

All applicants must sit the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test). Liverpool does not have a fixed UCAT cut‑off, but:

• Your total UCAT score is scored

• Your Situational Judgement Test (SJT) band is scored

• These are combined with a score for your Non‑Academic Information Questionnaire (NAQ)

Key points:

• 🧪 UCAT + SJT together contribute 40% of the shortlisting score

• ✏️ The Non‑Academic Information Questionnaire contributes 60%

• ❌ SJT Band 4 is effectively non‑competitive for Liverpool BDS

The Non‑Academic Information Questionnaire (sometimes called NAQ/NAIF by applicants) is emailed between 1 October and 15 November 2025, with two weeks to return it. If you don’t submit it on time, your application is rejected as incomplete.

A TSR parent summarised recent practice as: Liverpool sends a non‑academic form to those who meet academic criteria and then “look at the NAIF in conjunction with UCAT to determine interview”, with offers made based on interview performance.

3️⃣ Stage Three – Top‑Scoring Applicants Invited to Interview

Once UCAT, SJT and NAQ are scored and combined, the top‑scoring applicants are invited to interview. Interviews then act as the sole determinant of offers, as long as you later meet your academic conditions.

🎤 How Liverpool Interviews For 2026 Entry

For 2026 entry, the official Liverpool page confirms that Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) are used for the BDS A200 course:

“Multiple Mini Interviews (MMIs) are held from mid‑January through to the end of February.”

In recent years, reputable interview‑prep sites and applicants have reported:

• Liverpool uses an MMI with around 10–12 stations

• Interviews often run for about 70–80 minutes in total

• Stations are typically ~7 minutes long, sometimes with 1 minute of reading time before you speak

BluePeanut’s 2026 dentistry interview guide also notes that Liverpool uses MMIs, usually running from January into March, and has recently delivered them online with a relatively large number of stations.

Important: Liverpool may tweak the exact format (number of stations, online vs in‑person) each year, so always read your official interview email carefully for the final structure.

🧩 What Is The Liverpool Dentistry Interview Style?

Understanding MMIs (Multiple Mini Interviews)

An MMI is a series of short stations, rather than one long panel interview. At each station you might:

• Answer questions (e.g. about motivation or ethics)

• Discuss a scenario or article

• Take part in a role‑play (for example, explaining something to a “patient”)

• Perform or explain a simple task that shows manual dexterity or communication

Liverpool’s MMI aims to assess the values highlighted by both the School of Dentistry and the Dental Schools Council: communication, professionalism, empathy, teamwork, ethical awareness, motivation and insight into dentistry.

Interview‑prep sites who analyse Liverpool’s process say their stations commonly assess:

• Motivation and commitment to Dentistry

• Knowledge and insight into the profession, especially via work experience

• Evidence of a caring attitude and NHS values

• Responsibility, integrity and professionalism

• Ethical reasoning and understanding of the General Dental Council (GDC) principles

• Personal attributes (resilience, reflection, stress management, teamwork)

• Communication, including how you adapt explanations for patients

🗓️ When Are Liverpool Dentistry Interviews Held?

From the official 2026 entry page:

• MMIs are held from mid‑January to the end of February.

Recent applicant comments support this:

• For 2025 entry, some TSR users reported their interviews took place on 12 and 14 February.

• A Liverpool student rep has previously explained that interviews are scheduled after the UCAS deadline once applications have been assessed, so exact dates can vary depending on numbers and processing time.

For 2026 entry, you should plan for January–February interviews, with Liverpool confirming your exact date by email.

📚 What Topics Are Covered In A Liverpool Dental School Interview?

Based on Liverpool’s official criteria and compiled reports from UKCATPeople, BlackStone, Medfully and others, common Liverpool dentistry MMI themes include:

🦷 Motivation & “Why Dentistry?”

• Why dentistry and not medicine or another healthcare profession?

• What appeals most and least about a dentist’s job?

• Why the University of Liverpool specifically?

👀 Insight into Dentistry & Work Experience

• What you observed during dental work experience

• Roles of different members of the dental team

• Realistic understanding of challenges in dentistry (NHS pressures, difficult patients, demanding workload)

💙 Caring Attitude & NHS Values

• Compassion, respect and putting patients first

• Working in a team and dealing with conflict

• Understanding of the NHS Constitution values

⚖️ Ethics & Professionalism

• Confidentiality, consent and capacity

• Managing concerns about a colleague’s behaviour

• Balancing patient autonomy with best interests

• Awareness of the GDC “Standards for the dental team”

🗣️ Communication & Role‑play

• Explaining a procedure in simple terms

• Breaking down instructions (e.g. oral hygiene advice)

• Handling a worried or upset patient or parent

🧵 Manual Dexterity & Fine Motor Skills

• Discussing hobbies that use your hands (drawing, sewing, musical instruments, crafts)

• Occasionally demonstrating or explaining a simple practical task

🌍 NHS, Public Health & Local Area

• Oral health inequalities, especially in Liverpool and the North West

• Access to NHS dentistry and current news stories

• Prevention and health promotion in dentistry

🧠 Personal Qualities & Reflection

• Resilience and coping with stress

• Times you’ve shown leadership, teamwork or initiative

• Reflecting honestly on strengths and weaknesses

You are not expected to have specialist clinical knowledge, but basic understanding of common dental diseases (e.g. decay, gum disease, links to general health) is helpful.

📊 How Competitive Is Liverpool Dentistry? (Interviews & Offers)

Places Available

• Liverpool states that there are approximately 70 places for the A200 BDS course each year, with up to 4 for international students.

Applications, Interviews and Offers

FOI‑based data summarised by Save My Exams show the recent competitiveness of Liverpool BDS:

• 2024/25 cycle:

  • 1,777 applications

  • 104 offers

  • Acceptance (offer) rate ≈ 5.85%

• 2023/24 cycle:

  • 1,363 applications

  • 130 offers

  • Acceptance rate ≈ 9.5%

• 2022/23 cycle:

  • 1,144 applications

  • 125 offers

  • Acceptance rate ≈ 10.9%

BlackStone Tutors also note that Liverpool typically receives around 700+ applicants per year, interviews roughly 330 and makes around 160 offers, implying that about half of interviewed candidates may receive an offer in some cycles.

Why the difference?

• FOI tables show applications and offers, not interviews.

• External sites estimate interview numbers and may refer to specific years or home applicants only.

The overall picture for you as an applicant:

• Roughly 1,100–1,800 applicants in recent years

• About 70 places, so 15–25 applicants per place

• Interview performance is crucial – but if you reach interview, you stand a much better chance (perhaps around 1 in 2 to 1 in 3 being offered in some years).

🔍 Extensive Example Liverpool‑Style MMI Stations & Questions

Below is a large bank of Liverpool‑style MMI station ideas and questions. Many are paraphrased or adapted from question lists compiled for Liverpool specifically (UKCATPeople, BlackStone, Medfully), plus some additional examples created in the same style.

These are not official questions, but they reflect common patterns reported by recent applicants.

🦷 1. Motivation for Dentistry & “Why Liverpool?”

Possible station themes: standard interview station or short conversation with an interviewer.

Example questions:

• What led you to choose Dentistry over Medicine or another healthcare career?

• What have you done to test whether Dentistry is the right path for you?

• What aspects of a dentist’s day‑to‑day work do you think you will enjoy the most?

• What aspects do you expect to find most challenging, and how will you cope with them?

• Why have you applied to the University of Liverpool School of Dentistry specifically?

• What do you know about the structure of Liverpool’s BDS course and its early clinical exposure?

• How do you see yourself contributing to the dental school community and the wider city?

👀 2. Insight Into Dentistry & Work Experience

Likely to be a recurring Liverpool theme.

Example questions:

• Tell us about your most significant work experience or volunteering in a dental setting.

• What did you learn about the roles of different members of the dental team (e.g. dental nurses, therapists, hygienists)?

• Describe a challenging situation you observed in a practice or clinic. How was it handled?

• What did your experiences show you about the pressures dentists face in the NHS?

• If you could change one thing about the dental service you saw, what would it be and why?

💙 3. Caring Attitude & NHS Values

Station may be a mix of questions and scenario‑based discussion.

Example questions:

• Tell us about a time when you supported someone who was struggling.

• Which NHS value do you feel you demonstrate most strongly, and why?

• Describe a time you had to deal with a difficult or upset person. How did you respond?

• How would you handle a situation where a patient complains about waiting times?

⚖️ 4. Ethics & Professionalism

Liverpool is known to include an ethics‑style station.

Example scenarios/questions (you may be asked to discuss or role‑play):

• Explain how the four pillars of medical ethics (autonomy, beneficence, non‑maleficence, justice) apply in dentistry.

• You discover that a colleague regularly arrives late and seems to rush procedures. What concerns might this raise, and what would you do?

• A patient insists on having healthy teeth removed for cosmetic reasons. How would you approach this request?

• Your friend on the BDS course has started missing clinics and arriving smelling of alcohol. How would you support them, and who might you involve?

• What is the role of the General Dental Council (GDC), and why is it important?

🗣️ 5. Communication & Role‑Play Stations

Liverpool MMIs often feature role‑play style tasks.

You might be asked to:

• Explain a simple everyday task (e.g. tying shoelaces, making a cup of tea) to someone who cannot see what you’re doing.

• Explain how to improve brushing and flossing routine to a teenager who is not very motivated.

• Comfort a nervous patient before an extraction, using calm and clear language.

• Apologise and respond to a patient who feels they have been kept waiting too long.

Focus on:

• Clear structure

• Checking understanding (“Does that make sense so far?”)

• Empathy (“I can see that this has been worrying you…”)

✋ 6. Manual Dexterity & Hobbies

Often assessed through discussion, occasionally with a simple task.

Example prompts:

• Tell us about a hobby that has helped you develop fine motor skills (e.g. art, sewing, musical instruments, crafts).

• How do these activities show patience and attention to detail?

• Why do you think manual dexterity is important in Dentistry?

• You are given paper and asked to fold a simple origami shape while explaining your steps. How would you structure your instructions?

🌍 7. NHS, Public Health & Local Area (Liverpool)

Liverpool interviewers may explore your understanding of oral health in the region and wider NHS issues.

Example questions:

• What do you know about oral health challenges in Liverpool and the North West?

• How can socioeconomic factors influence dental disease?

• What current issues are affecting NHS dentistry in the UK?

• How has COVID‑19 (or recent NHS pressures) changed dental services?

• What role does prevention play in modern dentistry?

🧠 8. Personal Qualities, Resilience & Reflection

These stations assess maturity and self‑awareness.

Example questions:

• Tell us about a time when you faced a major setback. How did you respond and what did you learn?

• What are your main strengths and weaknesses, and how have you worked on them?

• How do you cope with stress, especially during exam periods?

• Describe a time you worked in a team with conflicting opinions. What did you do?

• How would your teachers and friends describe you? Give examples to support this.

📈 9. Knowledge & Awareness of Dentistry

You are not expected to be a mini‑dentist, but a basic awareness of dental science and its links to general health can be tested.

Example questions:

• How can poor oral health affect general health (e.g. heart disease, diabetes)?

• What is dental caries and how can it be prevented?

• Why is smoking harmful for oral health?

• Explain to a patient why regular check‑ups are important even if they feel fine.

🧮 10. Data Interpretation / Situational Reasoning

Sometimes used to assess logical thinking and communication.

Example station ideas:

• You’re shown a simple bar chart of decay rates in different age groups. Explain it to a patient and suggest one public health intervention.

• You’re given a short written case about a clinic’s missed appointments. What issues can you spot, and what solutions might help?

⏰ When Are Offers Released For Liverpool Dentistry?

For 2026 entry, the official School of Dentistry page states that:

• All applicants will be notified of the decision by the end of March 2026.

UKCATPeople’s Liverpool guide similarly advises that applicants are normally told the outcome of their application by 31 March.

In practice, TSR threads for recent cycles show:

• Interviews in mid‑February

• Offers often arriving from late February into March, with some applicants firming Liverpool very quickly after receiving an offer.

Remember that all UK universities must meet the general UCAS decision deadline, so even if your offer comes later in March, that is still within the normal window.

💡 Top Tips For The University of Liverpool Dental Interview (2026 Entry)

Here are Liverpool‑specific tips, drawing on the official criteria, Dental Schools Council guidance and recent applicant/interview‑prep advice.

🟦 1. Treat the Non‑Academic Questionnaire as “MMI Prep Part 1”

• The NAQ heavily influences whether you get an interview (60% of shortlisting score).

• Use it to show depth, not just list activities – reflect on what you learnt, not just what you did.

• Make sure your examples match what Liverpool says they look for: caring attitude, insight into dentistry, commitment, NHS values, reflection.

🟢 2. Know Liverpool’s Course Inside Out

At least one question is very likely to explore “Why Liverpool?”

• Review the Liverpool BDS course pages – especially the collaborative learning core, early patient contact and emphasis on reflection and authentic assessment.

• Be ready to explain why this structure suits your learning style.

• Link Liverpool’s strengths to your experiences (e.g. teamwork in sports/music, interest in evidence‑based practice).

🟣 3. Build Flexible “STAR” Examples

Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for many MMI questions:

• S – brief context

• T – your role or objective

• A – what you actually did

• R – what happened and what you learnt

Prepare a handful of strong examples for:

• Teamwork

• Leadership

• Communication challenges

• Dealing with conflict

• Resilience / coping with setbacks

You can then adapt them across different stations.

🟠 4. Practise Role‑Plays Out Loud

Liverpool MMIs are known for communication and role‑play stations.

• Practise explaining everyday things (how to brush teeth properly, how to get to a place, how to use a device).

• Ask a friend or family member to play a nervous patient or worried parent.

• Focus on calm tone, simple language and regularly checking their understanding.

🔵 5. Don’t Over‑Rehearse Your Answers

Interview‑prep providers specifically warn that Liverpool examiners can spot memorised speeches.

• Practise structures, not scripts.

• Aim to sound natural and conversational, as you would with a real patient.

🟩 6. Stay Up‑to‑Date With NHS Dentistry Issues

You don’t need to know every statistic, but you should:

• Understand general pressures on NHS dentistry (access, funding, wait times).

• Be able to discuss oral health inequalities, especially in deprived areas.

• Have read some recent healthcare news stories and thought about your opinion on them.

🟧 7. Reflect On Your Work Experience (Don’t Just Describe It)

Liverpool places a strong emphasis on work experience and insight.

For each placement, ask yourself:

• What did I actually see (good and bad)?

• How did the dentist communicate with patients and staff?

• What skills were most important?

• What did this show me about whether I’m suited to Dentistry?

🟥 8. Understand Ethics & the GDC Standards

Make sure you can briefly explain:

• The four pillars of medical ethics

• Why patient autonomy matters

• The role of the GDC and fitness to practise

• The importance of raising concerns professionally

Practise talking through ethical scenarios step‑by‑step: identify the issues, consider different perspectives, propose a balanced solution.

🟪 9. Prepare for Online‑Style Logistics (If Interviews Remain Online)

If your MMI is online (as in recent cycles):

• Test your camera, microphone and internet beforehand.

• Have a quiet, well‑lit space and neutral background.

• Practise speaking to a camera while maintaining eye contact and positive body language.

⬛ 10. Learn From Each Practice Station

When you practise:

• Time yourself for 7 minutes per station with 1 minute reading.

• After each attempt, quickly note:

  • What went well (keep doing this)

  • What you would change next time

• This reflective habit is itself a key professional skill that interviewers value.

🗣️ Student Comments & Experiences (Liverpool Dentistry)

While universities don’t publish full interview details, student forums give some flavour of the process. Remember individual posts are anecdotal, but they can still be reassuring.

From recent Student Room threads:

• A parent explained that in one cycle, everyone who met academic criteria was sent the non‑academic form, and Liverpool strongly valued work experience, volunteering and activities outside school. UCAT and the form were then used together to decide interviews, with offers based on interview performance.

• In the 2024 entry thread, a Liverpool student rep noted that interviews are arranged after UCAS applications close, and exact timing depends on applicant numbers and assessment time – so some years see interview invites going out close to Christmas.

• For 2025 entry, offer‑holders in one thread mentioned interviews on 12 and 14 February, and that they “firmed immediately” after receiving offers – suggesting that offers followed fairly soon after the interview window.

These comments support the official picture:

• The non‑academic form and UCAT are crucial for shortlisting.

• Interviews cluster in mid‑January to late February.

• Offers are typically issued by the end of March, giving time to firm or hold your choices.

✅ Final Thoughts

The University of Liverpool Dental School is highly competitive, but its process is also structured and transparent:

• Meet the academic and UCAT expectations

• Take the Non‑Academic Information Questionnaire seriously

• Prepare thoroughly for a values‑based MMI focusing on insight, empathy, ethics and communication

If you use the information in this guide, practise regularly and approach the interview with a reflective, caring attitude, you will give yourself a real chance of joining Liverpool’s BDS programme in 2026.

You’ve got this. 🦷✨

📚 References (selected)

1. University of Liverpool School of Dentistry – A200 Bachelor of Dental Surgery 2026 Entry (Admissions Procedures and Interviews) – official course and admissions information. University of Liverpool

2. University of Liverpool School of Dentistry – General School pages and course overview. School of Dentistry

3. BluePeanut Medical – UK Dentistry Interviews 2026 (overview of formats, including Liverpool). Blue Peanut Medical

4. Dental Schools Council – Applying to Dentistry & Entry Requirements 2026 (national guidance and values). Dental Schools Council