Most postdoctoral dental programs, from GPR and AEGD to orthodontics and pediatric dentistry, fill their first-year positions through the Dental Match, and you interview before you rank. For positions beginning in 2027, Phase I rank lists are due November 16, 2026, and Phase II (oral surgery and pediatric dentistry) rank lists are due January 13, 2027. Here are the dates, the rules for what you can say, and what named programs say about their interview days.
From National Matching Services, ADEA PASS, and programs’ own pagesPositions beginning in 2027Checked October 28, 2026
Practice with a mock interviewOne-on-one on Zoom with Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP.
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The 2027 Dental Match
The Dental Match is run by National Matching Services. Applications go through a separate service, usually ADEA PASS, whose 2026-27 cycle runs from May 13, 2026 to February 12, 2027 (ADEA).
| Phase | Programs | Rank list deadline | Results |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase I | Orthodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, anesthesiology, AEGD, U.S. GPR, and Canadian GPR | November 16, 2026 | November 23, 2026 |
| Phase II | Oral and maxillofacial surgery and pediatric dentistry | January 13, 2027 | January 20, 2027 |
Source: National Matching Services. NMS says, “Each program sets its own policies and procedures for scheduling and conducting interviews, so you should check with each program directly regarding its procedures,” and “All interviews must be completed prior to the Rank Order List deadline.” Some programs use NMS Interview, where “you will receive interview invitations by email and can then self-schedule into available timeslots online” (NMS). You must be registered for the Match to use it.
What you can and can’t say
The Match rules limit how you talk about rankings (NMS):
- “You may freely discuss any matter with a residency and both you and the residency may express a high level of interest in each other.”
- You may tell a program you intend to rank it, but “neither the applicant nor the residency may ask or prompt the other side for this information.”
- “For example, it is prohibited to make statements like ‘I will rank you first’ or ‘You are at the top of my list’.”
- You “may not make any commitments to, or require any commitments from, any participating residency prior to the release of the Match results.”
So if an interviewer asks where they fall on your list, you don’t have to answer. Saying you are very interested in the program is allowed.
Interview formats at named programs
| Program | Format | What their page says |
|---|---|---|
| UVM Medical Center (GPR) | Hybrid: in person or virtual, fall 2026 | “We are offering the option of in-person or virtual interviews.” The day includes a program overview, and “Applicants will interview with the PD and 4-6 faculty and staff members.” Applicants also talk with current residents. Source |
| Massachusetts General Hospital (GPR) | Virtual | Its ADEA PASS listing, updated September 10, 2026, says “Interviews will be held virtually.” Source |
| St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network (GPR) | Fridays, August through October | Its ADEA PASS listing, updated September 2, 2026, gives the interview schedule as “Every Friday August through October.” Source |
| Carilion Clinic (Pediatric Dentistry) | In person, November 13 or 16, 2026 | Applicants considered for the program “must participate in a personal interview.” “All interviews will be held in person in 2026.” Source |
At the GPR programs above, interviews start as early as August, well before the November rank deadline, so apply early. Use any time you get with current residents, as at UVM, to learn what the year is really like. A program’s ADEA PASS listing may show its interview schedule, so check there and on the program’s own site.
Dental residency interview questions to practice
Programs rarely publish their questions. These are my practice prompts, not questions any program has published:
- Why a GPR (or AEGD, or this specialty), and why now?
- Walk us through a case you’re proud of. What would you do differently?
- Tell us about a complication or a mistake in clinic. How did you handle it?
- Which procedures do you feel least prepared for, and how do you plan to build those skills?
- How do you handle a patient who is anxious or angry?
- Tell us about working with a dental assistant or a medical team. How do you handle disagreement?
- Where do you see yourself practicing in five years?
- Why our program?
How to prepare
- Register for the Match early. NMS recommends registering by October 1, 2026, and you need your Match Code Number on your applications.
- Have two or three cases ready. Know the diagnosis, the treatment plan, what went well, and what you’d change.
- Know the program. Read its PASS listing and website: hospital or clinic based, rotations, call, and patient population.
- Prepare questions for residents. Ask about case volume, supervision, and what they wish they had known.
- Follow the communication rules. Express interest freely, but don’t ask where you’ll be ranked.
- Do a mock interview, on video if any of your interviews are virtual.
Your interviewers will have your ADEA PASS application, including your personal statement. If you’re still revising it, Lauren Hammond, PhD, our personal statement editor, can help. Applying to dental school instead? See our dental school interview guide. For medical residency, see our residency interview guide.
For virtual interviews, see Zoom interview tips from Julie Cunningham, a licensed speech-language pathologist, on sounding clear and steady on camera.
Practice with a real interviewer before the real one. My wife, Julie Cunningham, MA, CCC-SLP, is a licensed speech-language pathologist who runs mock interviews on Zoom for dental residency applicants. She coaches every format: one-on-one, panel, MMI, and recorded video interviews such as Kira Talent. She works on how your answers come across: clear key words, pace, voice, filler words, organizing an answer so it has a point, staying steady when you're nervous, and how you look and sound on camera. It's $250 an hour.
Frequently asked questions
When are dental residency interviews?
Each program sets its own schedule, and all interviews must be done before the Match rank list deadline. For positions beginning in 2027, that is November 16, 2026 for Phase I programs, including GPR and AEGD, and January 13, 2027 for oral surgery and pediatric dentistry.
Are dental residency interviews virtual?
Some are. UVM Medical Center offers in-person or virtual GPR interviews, Massachusetts General Hospital lists virtual interviews, and Carilion Clinic’s pediatric dentistry program interviews in person.
Can I tell a program I will rank it first?
You may tell a program you intend to rank it, but the Match rules prohibit statements about rank position, such as I will rank you first, and neither side may ask the other for that information.
What is NMS Interview?
A scheduling tool in the National Matching Services system. Programs that use it email interview invitations, and you self-schedule into open timeslots online. You must be registered for the Dental Match to use it.
Related guides: Dental school, Pharmacy school, Pharmacy residency, Vet school, Optometry school, Podiatry school, and Chiropractic school. See all interview guides by program.
Every date and quotation on this page comes from National Matching Services, ADEA, or the program’s own page, linked where it appears. Last checked October 28, 2026.