Dental Handbook

Dental Boards
& Licensure
Information for the New Graduate
A resource to help you through the licensure process
American Student Dental Association
Table of Contents
Licensure: The Transition
The Dental Licensure Process Requirements
Clinical Testing Agencies
ADEX and ADLEX
Preparing for the ExamLocation and Expense
Clinical Testing Agency Membership
Curriculum Integrated Format
Patient Selection
Application Process
Handling the Details in Advance
Time ManagementBefore and During the Exam
10
Board Insurance and Loans
11
Checklist for Licensure Candidates
12
Exam Results Notification
12
Appeals
12
Impact on the Recent Graduate
15
If It Happens to You
16
Remediation
17
Keeping in Touch Through Provisional Membership
17
Advocating for Change
18
Licensure ChangeA Timeline
19
An Agenda for Change in the Clinical Licensure Examination Process
19
License Recognition: Dentists
20
ASDA Support
20
Dental School and Dental Society Support
20
Additional Resources
21
Clinical Testing Agencies Contact Information
21
State Board Contacts
25
State Dental Societies
27
Publication Evaluation Form
Disclaimer: This publication of the American Dental Association is offered as information only and does not constitute legal or other professional advice.
Persons reviewing these materials should consult with their own professional advisors for such advice.
INFORMATION FOR THE NEW GRADUATE
Licensure: The Transition

Dental licensure marks the transition between dental school
and dental practice. The licensure process, regulated by state
boards, validates the dental professions self-regulation and
protects the public.
Licensure has been a key issue for both the American Dental
Association (ADA) and the American Student Dental Association
(ASDA). Both organizations are committed to working in
2
cooperation with the American Association of Dental Examiners

and the clinical testing agencies to facilitate improvements
in the clinical licensure process. These agencies have met to
discuss different licensure topics including a common content
exam, the use of human subjects, remediation programs, and
pre-graduation exams.
This publication highlights the issues surrounding dental licensure
including the purpose and progress of clinical licensure. It also
summarizes the licensure process for students getting ready to
embark on this rite of passage.
American Dental Association : DENTAL BOARDS & LICENSURE
The Dental Licensure Process

In the United States, each state sets its own requirements for professional licensure. In addition to health professionals such as
dentists, physicians, nurses, and dental hygienists, etc., states also license realtors, attorneys and a myriad of other licensure
categories. Although each state has a dental board, its level of autonomy varies. Even the independent boards, which exercise
all licensing and disciplinary powers, are often functionally housed within other governmental departments. In rare cases board
members may be elected but are most frequently appointed by the states governor. Generally, standards for licensure are set
by statute and can be changed only by an action of the state legislature.
REQUIREMENTS
Although specific dental licensure requirements vary among
jurisdictions, nearly all states require that applicants for initial
dental licensure have graduated from an ADA-accredited dental
school, have passed the National Board Exams 1 and 2, and have
passed a clinical exam administered by the state or by a regional
testing agency.
States vary on the eligibility of an internationally trained dentist.
All states, except Minnesota (which has different options) require
that graduates of non-accredited ADA dental programs obtain
additional education to earn a D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree from an
ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADA-CDA) accredited
program, Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC)
accredited program, or a state dental board-approved education
program. The additional education required can be anywhere
from one to four years, depending upon the state.
In an effort to assist state boards in determining the qualifications of dentists who seek licensure, the Joint Commission on
National Dental Examinations developed the National Board
Dental Examinations. This Commission includes representatives
of dental schools, dental examiners, dental hygiene, dental
students, dentists and the public. There are two parts to the
National Boards: Part I, which is taken after the second year of
dental school, and Part II, taken during the final year of dental
school. Both parts are offered in a computerized format.
Although additional examinations may be required at the
state level, all licensing boards use the National Board Dental
Examinations to satisfy a major portion of their licensing
examination requirements. Approximately 90% of dental
students enrolled in accredited dental schools pass each
Part on the first attempt.
In 2007, the Joint Commission for National Dental Examinations
implemented a restructured Part I examination in which the
traditional Part I disciplines are intermingled throughout the
examination. While the restructured examination remains
a 400 multiple-choice examination, approximately 20% of
the items are grouped in interdisciplinary, clinically-focused
testlets and the remaining items continue to be independent
or discipline-based items. With a comprehensive or interdisciplinary
format, a single standard score is reported.
In addition to the National Board Exam, most states, plus the
District of Columbia require a written jurisprudence examination,
which tests the applicants knowledge of that states dental practice
act. The states that do not require a written jurisprudence exam
include: Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, New York Rhode Island,

Tennessee and Utah. (American Association of Dental Examiners
Composite 18th edition, January 2007)
National Board Dental Examination candidates who have not
passed after three attempts are required to wait 12 months
after their third attempt before they can reapply. After a one year
waiting period, a new cycle of three exam attempts will apply.
Once the educational and National Board Dental Examinations
requirements are met, the next step is to take the appropriate
clinical dental licensing examination. Clinical exams are developed
and administered by dental clinical testing agencies, and these
testing agencies administer exams at dental schools. Most states
participate in one or more regional examining boards, and a few
administer their own exams. The regional examining boards do
not have authority to license individuals and should not be
confused with the state boards of dentistry, which are the state
licensing authorities. Unlike the written examinations, which are
fairly standard, clinical exams may vary. Most candidates who do
not achieve licensure on their first attempt fail in some aspect of
the clinical exam.
Only four jurisdictions currently administer their own clinical
exams; the remaining boards contract that responsibility to one
of the five regional testing agencies.
CLINICAL TESTING AGENCIES

Until the late 1960s, clinical examinations were administered once
per year by individual state dental licensing boards. By 1967, these
boards began to realize that the clinical examinations could be
improved by increasing and standardizing examiners and by
making the examination available at a number of sites and on a
number of dates throughout the year. The Northeast Regional
Board of Dental Examiners was founded in 1969, and by 1976,
four regional dental examination agencies had been established.
In July 2005, a new testing agency was formed - the Council
of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA), which currently has five
member states (AL, LA, MS, NC, PR). Presently, all five regional
dental Examination agencies provide clinical examinations for
most states/jurisdictions. Discussions persist between the regional
dental examination agencies and the states that continue to
administer their own clinical examinations regarding the
expansion of the regional concept and the possibility of a
standardized examination.
ADEX and ADLEX

In 2005, the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) was established. ADEX consists of state and U.S. territory licensing
jurisdictions which are responsible for the ongoing development of the American Dental Licensing Examinations (ADLEX). The
ADLEX is available for use by the individual state and regional testing agencies on behalf of their member states. Currently, the
CRDTS and the NERB administer the ADLEX, while CITA, SRTA and WREB administer their own examinations. It is hoped that
ultimately all licensing authorities will accept the examination results from all state and regional testing agencies.
Preparing for the ExamLocation & Expense

Preparing for your state clinical licensing exam needs careful planning. Allowing enough time for the application process and
patient selection is imperative. Plus, exam fees and liability insurance can be costly, and for those who need to travel to the
exam, travel costs for both the candidate and the patients (who may also be paid) need to be considered. Below is an outline
of the various clinical licensing examinations with cost and travel implications. As sites and fees can change, be sure to contact
each state/region for the most up-to-date information.
STATE/REGION
FEES
TESTING LOCATION
FREQUENCY
CITA
www.citaexam.com
$1,400
Dental Schools:
Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi,
North Carolina, Puerto Rico
Contact CITA
CRDTS
www.crdts.org
$1,400
Dental Schools:
Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Creighton,
Nebraska, Marquette, Southern Illinois, Georgia,
South Carolina, Hawaii
February, March, April, June,

November
NERB
www.nerb.org
$1,400
Dental Schools:
Boston, Buffalo, Case Western, Columbia, Connecticut,
Detroit, Harvard, Howard, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland,
Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania,
Pittsburgh, SUNY-Stony Brook, Temple, Tufts, Virginia,
West Virginia
April, May, August, September,

October, December (7X/year)
SRTA
www.srta.org
Contact SRTA
Dental Schools:
Louisville, Virginia, Kentucky, Meharry, South Carolina,
Tennessee, West Virginia
March, April, May, June, October
WREB
www.wreb.org
$1,475 - $1,725
Dental Schools:
Case Western, Colorado, Virginia, Pacific, Loma Linda,
Oregon, Baylor, San Antonio, Houston, Oklahoma,
Washington, USC, Kentucky, Nova Southeastern,
Pittsburgh, Temple, Louisville, Arizona, New York,
Nevada, UCSF, Boston, Iowa, UCLA, Tufts, Creighton,
UMKC
January, February, March, April,

May/June, September, December
California
www.dbc.ca.gov
$606
Rotates between Los Angeles, San Francisco,

Loma Linda, Pacific, USC
Spring, Fall with 1-2 Exams in June
Delaware
www.dpr.delaware.gov
$300 - $400
Delaware Technical and Community College,

Wilmington DE
January, June
Florida
www.doh.state.fl.us
$1195
University of Florida and Nova Southeastern
June, August, December, March
Nevada
www.nvdentalboard.org
$1200
UNLV
January, July
U.S. Virgin Islands
$65
St. Thomas
June, November
Clinical Testing Agency Membership

NOTE: Some states accept results of examinations administered by testing agencies of which they are not a member. Please check with the individual state boards of dentistry for information about
which examinations are accepted in the state where licensure is sought.
COUNCIL OF INTERSTATE TESTING AGENCIES

www.citaexam.com
Alabama
Louisiana
Mississippi
North Carolina
Puerto Rico
CENTRAL REGIONAL DENTAL TESTING
SERVICES, INC. (CRDTS, ADLEX)
www.crdts.org
Colorado
Georgia
Hawaii
Illinois1
Iowa
Kansas
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
North Dakota
South Dakota
Washington2
Wisconsin
Wyoming3
NORTH EAST REGIONAL BOARD OF DENTAL

EXAMINERS, INC. (NERB, ADLEX)
www.nerb.org
WESTERN REGIONAL
EXAMINING BOARD (WREB)
www.wreb.org
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Indiana
Illinois1
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Vermont
West Virginia4
Alaska
Arizona
California6
Idaho
Montana
New Mexico
Oklahoma
Oregon
Texas
Utah
Washington2
Wyoming3
Missouri8
INDEPENDENT STATES THAT
ADMINISTER THEIR OWN CLINICAL
LICENSING EXAMINATIONS
SOUTHERN REGIONAL
TESTING AGENCY, INC. (SRTA)
www.srta.org
Arkansas
Kentucky
South Carolina7
Tennessee
West Virginia4
Virginia
Delaware
Florida
Nevada5
Virgin Islands
5
The information provided in this chart is subject to change frequently. This information is accurate as of September 2007. For the most up to date information, please contact your state board
(contact information included in this guide.)
1 Illinois is a member of both CRDTS and NERB. 2Washington is a member of WREB. Only the dental examination falls under CRDTS. 3Wyoming is a member of both CRDTS and WREB. 4West
Virginia is a member of both NERB and SRTA. 5Nevada also accepts results of the WREB examination. 6California legislation to join WREB addresses only the dental examination, not the dental
hygiene examination. Also administers its own examination. 7South Carolina is a member of both CRDTS and SRTA. 8Missouri is a member of both CRDTS and WREB.
Curriculum Integrated Format

Examinations are currently administered in a Traditional Format and the Curriculum Integrated Format (CIF). The Traditional
Format is administered to candidates who have either graduated, or are within forty-five days of graduation of dental school.
All four parts of the examination are administered within a few days under the Traditional Format. The Curriculum Integrated
Format is administered to senior dental students of record beginning with the simulated examinations early in the senior year
and the Restorative and Periodontal examinations early in the second semester of the senior year. It allows dental students to
take their examinations in sections spread out across their last year of dental school, instead of taking all four parts (usually
during the same week) at the very end of senior year. Candidate scores are reported to their dental school administration for
the purpose of student remediation. Students are permitted to take the simulated patient examinations three times and the
patient-based examinations twice prior to the graduation.
The CIF process begins in the fall, when candidates take simulated
(manikin) clinical examinations. Due to the timing of this integrated
testing, students often have three more opportunities to pass before
graduation. Additionally, there's the possibility of remediation for
those students who don't pass, while still in school.
Feedback has been positive, with students citing that they are more
relaxed and generally more prepared because of the timeframe.
Students can be eligible for licensure by the time of graduation,
which means that they can begin planning their transition out
of dental school weeks earlier than those whose exams

are near graduation and have to wait eight weeks for scores.
The ADA House of Delegates approved Res. 1H-2007
providing a definition for CIF that provides clarification
for what the Association believes the curriculum
integrated format examination should entail.
Currently, CITA, NERB and CRDTS utilize CIF
in their clinical licensing exams.
Patient Selection
Selecting an appropriate patient is a key factor in the clinical licensure examination process. Throughout the exam process,
you will be evaluated on your ability to identify the criteria and recognize conditions in your patient.
LETS EXAMINE THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO:

Candidate X spent all day screening patients for his upcoming
clinical board exam. He found a total of three patientstwo
he felt comfortable treating; one who was questionable. The
candidate asked a faculty member if he thought the questionable
patient met the exam criteria. The faculty member acknowledged
that he did. The candidate was relievedhe had secured three
patients for his clinical board exam. After gaining their consent,
the candidate explained to his patients that he would make their
travel and lodging arrangements for the exam. He provided them
with the address of the exam site and briefed them on when they
should arrive.
On the first day of the exam, Candidate Xs perio patient didnt
show up as scheduled, and his amalgam patient was rejected. What
could Candidate X have done differently to prevent this situation?
THE ANSWER:
6
Taking the time to study the published patient criteria, communicating vital information to patients, and using common sense
are three essential elements when preparing for the boards.
Study the exam patient criteria and make sure your patients meet
all the conditions. If you are not sure whether or not your patient
meets the criteria, its likely that the patient doesnt. Look for
virgin lesions that definitely penetrate to the DEJ. Beware
of lesions that have a significant shadow beyond the DEJ. A
small notch or wedge (only one-third penetration), may not
be acceptable.
Choose patients with conditions you feel comfortable treating.
Meeting only the minimum criteria can result in patients being
rejected. Also, dont rely on others, even faculty members, to
select or qualify your patients. Board examiners will determine
the final acceptability of your patient. Having a back-up patient
who is readily available is a very good idea.
Communicate essential information to your patients to alleviate

confusion. Explain in detail the procedures you will be performing,
what the examiners will be checking and how many examiners
will be reviewing the graded procedure. Be sure to explain that
the examiners are not at liberty to comment on the quality of
treatment, and therefore, may avoid questions or conversation.
Be sure your patients know your name, candidate number, the
name of your assistant and exactly when and where to meet you.
If necessary, arrange transportation for your patients to the school.
Inform your patients of the overall time commitment and clinic
conditions prior to exam day. Suggest that they bring some
reading materials since there are often long waits in the examining
area. Inform them that the clinic floor and examining area can
get chilly and they may need to bring a sweater or jacket. Finally,
offer your patients something to eat and/or drink throughout the
day to make sure theyre comfortable.
Before you begin your exam, remember to express your
appreciation and remind your patients that their behavior
is important to your professional future. Let them know that
their participation makes it possible for dentistry to maintain
high standards of competency.
Finally, remember that communicating crucial information to
your patient can be just as critical as the patient selection process.
Application Process
Properly completing the application forms takes some time and effort. The key is to plan ahead. Rushing the application
process can result in having your application returned to you, thus slowing down the application processing time. To avoid
making common (and costly) mistakes on your application, follow these guidelines:
APPLY EARLY.
SUBMIT THE REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.
Exam sites often fill up prior to the application deadline.

To increase your chances of receiving the exam location
and date of your choice, apply early.
You may be asked to provide supporting documents for your

exam application, such as photographs, proof of graduation and
proof of malpractice insurance. Failure to submit all of the required
documents may delay the processing time needed for your
application. Keep in mind that it often takes six weeks or more
for malpractice insurance providers to issue proof of insurance.
OBTAIN AN APPLICATION FORM DIRECTLY

FROM THE EXAMINING AGENCY.
Contact the examining agency well in advance of the exam date
to ensure that you have ample time to complete and submit the
application (see page 21 contact list). Most exams have a deadline
for accepting applications - usually a minimum of six weeks prior
to the exam date. Most regional exams now have applications
online, so check the agencys Web site.
READ THE ENTIRE APPLICATION PRIOR

TO COMPLETING IT.
Applications usually specify whether any additional information
is required and how to thoroughly complete the forms. Dont
leave sections of the application unanswered! Be sure to contact
the testing agency if you have questions about the application
form or the information you need to provide.
ALLOCATE TIME FOR COMPLETING

THE APPLICATION FORMS.
Schedule enough time to thoroughly read and fill out the
application for your exam. You are less likely to omit sections
or make mistakes if you can focus on your application without
distractions.
CALL IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

Call your examining agency with any questions while you are
completing the application. Dont assume anything!
CAREFULLY REVIEW THE CANCELLATION POLICY.

Most exams require applicants to forfeit part or all of the exam
fee if the candidate cancels his or her exam. Be sure to thoroughly
investigate the cancellation policy before registering.
REVIEW YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION.

Once you have filled out your application, put it aside for a few
days and then give it a final review before mailing it. In addition,
you may want to call upon a trusted friend to review your
application. These are more reasons to allow yourself ample
time to complete the application process.
With some planning, effort and time, you can eliminate the
possibility of making mistakes on your clinical licensure exam
application and ensure that the process is a smooth one.
Handling the Details...In Advance

Youve studied your way through dental school and the National Board Dental Examinations. Now its time for your clinical exam.
Whats the best way to get ready for this ever-important day? The best advice is, of course: Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Below are
some suggestions on how to do just that.
Readand rereadthe candidates guide before the exam. This
is your most important avenue to successknow it in your sleep!
Underline important sections; make notes; define areas you
are unsure of; list questions to ask chief examiner at orientations
and/or during the exam; keep your manual with you at all times
during the exam.
Write a flow chart for each procedure. Your candidates guide
will detail what you need for each step of the examuse it to
create a schedule for yourself. Include approximate time guidelines
you hope to keep and a list of instruments that your patient must
bring to the examining area at each check-in. Print a copy for
yourself and your assistant (if you choose to use an assistant).
Make it the duty of the assistant to keep an eye on the flow chart
to keep you on time and to double check that your patient is
sent to the examiners at the right times and with the correct
equipment. Take time to practice the routine of the exam.
Details make a difference.
8
Ask yourself questions about cavity preparation and restoration.

When do I plan to start? How much time should I allow? Based
on the condition of my patient, what possible scenarios might
occur and how would I handle them? What paperwork and
instruments are required for the check-in procedure? What
do I need to submit for the preparation grade? Is my patient
required to wear a rubber dam? What do I need to look for
after the grading (such as the examiners initials)?
List your questions and answers in a step-by-step format to
avoid frantically searching through the candidates guide
during the exam.
Creating a schedule will also help you plan and prepare in quiet
surroundings (rather than putting it all together during the exam)
and allow you to have the information you need at your fingertips.
If the testing agency sends you patient forms prior to the
exam, make copies and practice completing them. On the
copies, complete the patient information and familiarize yourself
with facts the testing agency requires. If the official patient forms
can be completed prior to the exam, take advantage of this
opportunity to save valuable time on exam day. Avoid filling out
any official forms, however, until your patient selection has been
confirmed and youve verified your patients information.
Prepare supplies and equipment in advance. Double-check
which materials the school or examining agency will supply. If
you want or need special materials, plan to bring them along.
(Dont rely on the testing site to have what you need.) If you
are renting school equipment, make your rental arrangements
ahead of time. If you plan to bring your own equipment, verify
that it is functioning properly before exam day.
Before the exam, empty your cart of unnecessary supplies.

Buy or borrow a set-up tray for each procedure you will perform
during the exam. Set up each tray with all the items you will or
may need for each procedure, starting with the one you will
perform first. Make a list of equipment items that need to be
added to each tray. (This will allow your assistant to come in each
day and pull out complete tray set-ups and add missing items
from the list that have been sterilized from previous set-ups.)
If using a commercial lab, confirm the reliability of the lab and
make arrangements early to have your work done. If in doubt
about the labs qualifications, contact another lab or plan to do
your own lab work. If you plan to use a school lab, know its hours
of operation.
If applicable and permitted, pre-punch rubber dams for each
patient and make sure they fit well. Make sure your dam is
centered and free of creases during the exam. If applicable and
you have the option, try to cut your gold early. This allows extra
time to take a new impression and make a new inlay if the first
one does not fit properly.
Thoroughly check your patient before the exam to determine
whether any changes have occurred since your last screening.
Does the patient have more or less calculus than a few weeks
ago? Has the patient developed any medical conditions that
would disqualify him or her? Is the patient still ready and willing
to attend the exam? Make sure you dont have any unexpected
surprises on exam day.
Take care of the logistics ahead of time. Confirm meeting location
and time, hotel, travel and meal arrangements for you and your
patient. Be sure to plan a lunch break for both of you find out
if the school has a cafeteria or if youll need to make other plans.
Bring snacks to eat during the day to maintain your energy.
Plan to eat a good breakfast the morning of the exam. Although
you will be nervous, it is critical that you eat a well-balanced
breakfast to maintain your energy throughout the morning.
Wear comfortable shoes and professional clothing.
If you are allowed to use a chair-side assistant (and you choose
to do so), select a reliable one!
Have a back-up plan in case your assistant is unable to attend
the exam.
If the examining agency offers a tour of the testing site prior

to the exam, take advantage of this opportunity. You can never
be too familiar with the facilities.
Plan for the unexpected! As the saying goes, Failing to plan
is planning to fail. Before the exam, think through different
scenarios you could encounter and how you would handle each
one. What will you do if your patient fails to show up or if the
weather causes a delay in your travel plans? What if the caries are
deeper than expected, your selected treatment is not accepted by
the examiners, or a cusp fractures while you are performing the
gold restoration? Develop a plan of action for these potential
situations. Realize that even the best planning cannot guarantee
a perfect exam, but anticipating possible situations ahead of time
is a good strategy for tackling the unexpected!
Positive attitude! - Encouraging Words from a Dental Examiner:

Enter the process with a positive attitude. Realize that you
belong there. You have just completed a course of study that
has deemed you competent. Now demonstrate your competence
with confidence!
Time ManagementBefore and During the Exam

Its no secretsuccessfully completing dental school requires effective time management skills. These skills can also help make
your clinical board examination a successful experience. Before that ever-important day arrives, take note of the following tips
to optimize your time.
Create a to do list. First decide what needs to be done
between now and the date of your exam. (Be sure to write this
down, so you wont have to rely on memory alone.) Creating a
list with clear, simple tasks helps keep you focused.
Determine your priorities. Identify which items are priorities
based on their deadline for completion. Realistically decide how
much time you will need to devote to each task, and remember:
do first things first.
Develop an action plan. Once you have prioritized your tasks,
outline the steps you must take to complete them. This helps you
progress from simply thinking about the test to taking action.
How will you go about recruiting patients? How should you be
spending your time when you are not in class or in the lab? The
action plan will serve as your road map. Creating a plan of action
is one way to manage your time so that it doesnt manage you.
Develop a schedule for exam day. Detail your schedule as much
as possible to avoid unnecessary anxiety on the big day. Find out
how much time is allotted for each portion of the exam and use
any extra time constructively.
If your exam is an open block schedule, you will need to allot

time for the different procedures appropriately. Estimate how
long each procedure will take, then plan carefully so you can
begin work on another patient as soon as you finish the first.
Tell your patient when to arrive based on your planned schedule.
Make a check list for each day. What time do you need to be at
the school? What time should your patient arrive? What supplies
and equipment must you bring? What supplies do you need to
obtain from the school supply window before beginning the
procedure? List all the forms and instruments that must be
submitted with your patient.
Bring a watch. Even though there may be a clock in the exam
room, youll appreciate having your own watch as time draws
to a close.
Effectively managing your time will increase your chances of
feeling prepared and bringing you one step closer to receiving
your license.
If procedures are assigned in timed blocks, plan how you will work
within that time frame. Plan for setting up the unit, checking the
medical history, anesthetizing the patient, etc. Structure your day
so that you arrive at the test site with time to spare.
Board Insurance and Loan Availability

CITIBANK
The CitiAssist Health Professions Residency Loan is available to
you from your second through final year of study, and up to six
months after graduation. Borrow up to $12,000 to help you cover
board review courses, residency interviewing, and relocations
expenses. Citibank is the only student loan program endorsed
by ADA Member AdvantageSM. For more information, please
contact Citibank at 866-863-6758 or studentloan.com/ada.
ADA Member Advantage is a service mark of the American Dental Association. ADA Member
Advantage is a program brought to you by ADA Business Enterprises, Inc., the for-profit subsidiary
of the American Dental Association.
STUDENT PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY

When you perform clinical services during your dental training
and take your clinical board exams, you should consider the need
to protect yourself financially. Most licensing jurisdictions require
proof of liability/malpractice insurance. ASDA/ADA members are
eligible to purchase the Professional Protector Plan for Students
board exam coverage and dental equipment coverage.
PROFESSIONAL PROTECTOR PLAN FOR STUDENTS

10
Endorsed by the American Student Dental Association, the

Professional Protector Plan for Students covers you for your legal
obligations arising from the professional services you perform or
fail to perform during your dental training, and from the services
you render during your state or regional board examinations.
You may also wish to protect your professional instruments, dental
textbooks, and equipment from loss anywhere within the United
States including its territories and possessions, Puerto Rico and
Canada. Please call 800-237-2021, extension 4282 or visit
www.protectorplan.com/ppp/students for additional information.
LIST OF INSURERS BY STATE

In addition, since dentists' options for purchasing professional
liability insurance vary by state, the ADA Council on Insurance
maintains lists of all insurers known to be offering policies to
dentists for each state. For a copy of the list for your state,
including the policy recommended by your state dental society,
call the Council on Insurance at 800-621-8099, ext. 2620.
Checklist for Licensure Candidates
Select Patients
Do patients meet all criteria?
Make sure patients are familiar with exam process and
time commitment.
Research where and when you want to take the exam.

Especially important for students whose state accepts more
than one state/regional exam and/or whose school offers a
pre-graduation exam.
What date and location is best for you and your patients?
Make travel and lodging arrangements for you and

your patients.
Obtain malpractice/liability insurance.
Complete and mail application, making sure to include all

supporting documents.
Know your candidates guide!
Research and take advantage of dental school and dental

society programs to help you prepare and study for your exam.
11
Mock boards, lunch & learns
Confirm patient participation

Be sure patients know all logistics of exam
(i.e. location, time, etc.)
Plan to meet with your patients immediately before exam
to ensure promptness.
Prepare supplies and equipment for exam day.
Exam Results Notification

There is a wide variability in the time it takes for a candidate to receive notification of his or her status. It may take as little
as three weeks or as long as eight weeks. The information provided also varies. Candidates who do not pass the exam often
indicate that the notice they receive does not give them enough information to understand what they did wrong or to determine
if an appeal would be appropriate. There is also a wide variation among the pass-fail rates for the various testing agencies.
Appeals
Clinical exam candidates are provided an opportunity to appeal
their results. Although there are limited data available on
candidates success on appeal, anecdotes from new dentists
who did appeal are not encouraging. The length of time it takes
to complete an appeal can also be problematicit may take
as long as 90 days from the receipt of the appeal request.
Therefore, if the appeal is lengthy or not successful, candidates
have prolonged the time it takes to begin their practice.
Often, candidates cannot pursue a dual strategy of applying for

reexamination and appealing their exam failure concurrently. For
some testing agencies, registering for reexamination terminates
the appeal process. This can serve to further discourage licensure
candidates from filing an appeal.
Impact on the Recent Graduate

12
When it comes to licensure, the recent graduate faces a daunting task. Even dentists who plan to practice in the state in which
they received their dental education find that their faculty may not be knowledgeable about the licensure examination. For the
graduates who plan to practice in another state, there is even more uncertainty that being a good student will lead to successful
completion of the exam. It is not uncommon for recent graduates to take the licensure examination for multiple states in order
to enhance the likelihood for success.
This uncertainty also leads to a difficulty in entering professional relationships. For those entering associateships or employment
arrangements, all negotiations are contingent upon the successful completion of the exam. New dentists who are acquiring
practices or launching a new practice know that their financing and future career success hinges on licensure.
Plus, most new graduates are aware that up to one-third of new dentists relocate within their first ten years of practiceso
there is a possibility that they will have to face this all again in the near future! For dual career couples, especially where both
members are dentists, these difficulties are only compounded.
THE IMPACT OF FAILURE

Failure to achieve dental licensure can be devastating. Socially, as
those who make it move on with their lives, those who do not,
are left in limbo. Psychologically, those who fail can begin to feel
like failures. And financially, well-laid plans must be put on hold
and alternative employment options are slim.
As noted earlier on page 4, the cost for taking the exam includes
the application and fees, which range from $50 to over $1,000
plus travel costs for both you and your selected patients. Imagine
having to pay for this expense twice, and without having been
employed. It's important to note the frequency at which your
region or state offers the exam so you can be prepared physically,
psychologically, and financially.
A CANDIDATE'S STORY: FAILING THE CLINICAL EXAM Robert Leland, DMD - Tufts, Class of 2001
Come Spring of 2001, I had all of my requirements completed
for graduation, was working as a dental hygienist and looking
forward to moving on to practicing as a GP.
I had prepared well for the NERB exam. I had all of my patients
lined-up for the day of the exam. I had each patient verified by
multiple members of the dental school faculty as to their validity
for the exam. I was feeling confident.
The day of the live-patient portion of the exam arrived and
thankfully all of my patients showed-up, never a certainty when
it comes to these exams. (I suppose it always helps that dental
students basically have to pay the patients to sit for the exam.)
The day went smoothly. I didnt pulp-out on the restorations.
I had plenty of time to scale and root plane twelve surfaces of
clinical/radiographic calculus. I was done with the NERBs once
and for all. (To be honest I was most concerned with the manikin
portion of the exam. On paper, it seems to be the easiest section
on which the student can lose points toward failure.)
I graduated and moved on to the real world. I had elected to
forego a GPR or AEGD program in lieu of moving on to a private
practice. The dentist-owner of the practice had taken me under
his wing after college and had proven to be an excellent mentor
over my four years in dental school. He was willing to work with
me as I transitioned into becoming his full-time associate. He was
very much looking forward to his summer break where he could
leave a lot of the office responsibilities to his new associate come
July when NERB results came out and I could apply for my license.
It was not to be.
The NERB results came in while I was working full-time for
hygienist compensation in my new office. I was spending some
time as a hygienist (as Massachusetts law allows, I took the NERB
perio section in my 3rd year and was able to obtain a hygiene
license). I was meeting the patients of the practice and learning
all the aspects of running a dental office. As interesting as that
time was, I was ready to practice as a dentist.
I failed the perio portion of the NERB.
What a blow. Here I was, working as a hygienist for the past two
years and I failed the NERB because of incorrect patient selection.
It wasnt really spelled out in the results section of the exam, but
apparently my periodontal patient didnt have the right amount
of calculus. If thats the case, you fail. I had two periodontists and
a current NERB examiner look at my patient before the exam.
How could this be? Well, it was. Plans were on hold.
Thankfully, my mentor/boss was, though disappointed, pretty
good about this set-back. He didnt quite understand how
someone who finished requirements early, honored both sections
of the boards and finished in the top 20% of his class could fail,
but we moved-on. Now I had to retake the perio section.
The next NERB exam in our area was in August. But, the problem
was that once you graduated, you couldnt see patients at the
school. There also wasnt a formal program to help to find
patients for the exam. I was on my own.
I had first thought to have a patient from the practice where I
worked sit for the exam. This is tough to do for a couple of reasons.
First, patients in private practice are there for the quality of care
they receive there, and generally wouldnt qualify for the NERB
because the practice is actively working with them to maintain
their periodontal health. Except for perhaps new patients to the
practice, the private practice patients are not going to have
enough calculus to qualify for the NERBs. Second, private
practice patients in the area come for convenience and location
and are not going to make the trip to sit for this exam to have
six of their teeth cleaned. Generally, patients in my practice are
nice, but not that flexible.
My alternate plan was to hangout at the dental school and beg.
I had a number of friends in the classes the year behind me who
were very accommodating and agreed to let me exam some of
their periodontally compromised patients. The toughest part,
though, is that our school closes the end of July, so I had a
limited number of clinic days to do my search.
13
In the end, I was able to find a patient who I thought marginally

fit the qualifications (I had less confidence in her eligibility than
I did in my previous patient). What else was I going to do?
I took the exam and felt pretty good about it. I was amazed to
see how many of my peers were there retaking portions of the
exam with me.peers who I knew had top skills and never would
have expected to see there.
I passed the section the second time around, and have moved on
with my career. I guess looking back on that summer, it wasnt
the end of the world. It helped to have a supportive situation
around me. The toughest part was the temporary blow to my
confidence. It just didnt seem right that all other indications in
my dental school career indicated that I was ready to practice
dentistry, but the variability in the live-patient portion got me.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 14
IMPACY ON THE RECENT GRADUATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13
A CANDIDATE'S STORY: FAILING THE CLINICAL EXAM Anonymous

I failed the restorative portion of the NERB exam administered
in March 2006. I had patients from my own pool of patients who
I had established relationships with as well as back-ups who all
showed up. I felt admittedly nervous, but from what I had heard,
as long as I did what I was trained to do, I would pass. I chose to
prepare and restore the anterior CIII composite first. I performed
the procedure as I had been trained, but after submitting my
patient for final check, I was told to temporize the tooth and
dismiss the patient with a failing grade for that portion. I was able
to proceed with the periodontal portion of the exam during the
afternoon, but I had to send away all three of my other patients
without treatment or compensation for their time. The test was a
blow to my esteem, and in my opinion, reflected poorly on the
students and the school since what I had been trained to do was
apparently clinically substandard. The testing agency is not
required to provide feedback so I will never know what aspect of
my performance was inadequate. As a learning experience, this
day had been a complete waste of time. Conversely, I have since
retaken the restorative portion of the exam and scored a 99 but
without feedback, and I will never know in what way the Board
considered this attempt so drastically different from the first.
14
In the long run, the extra $700 to retake the one portion of the
exam (on top of the original $1600) wasn't an unbearable burden,
but it certainly created some difficulty. It was $700 that my family
couldn't use to move to our new practice location, spend on
prenatal medical care for our coming baby, or subsist on while
starting my new job as an associate. The stress of making life
decisions (if or where to move, how to recover if I failed a second
time, and how to adjust my expectations of new employment)
could not have had a price attached. The biggest impact was that
my state license was held up while I awaited the results of the

retake. I was unemployable for all the months between graduation
and licensure.
On the day of the retake, I felt even less prepared than on my first
attempt. The only restorative procedures I had done in the previous
two months were on the typodont in practice for this event. My
clinical time had been spent completing crown and bridge cases
and looking for new board patients. I found suitable patients
from junior students who still had restorative patients in their
pool. During the exam, I remarked to myself a number of times
how odd it was to see students who I considered extremely
competent and were in fact at the top of our class, retaking the
exam. For these students in our class, retaking the exam and
passing had become a necessity for matriculation into the postgraduate orthodontic, oral surgery, and pediatric residencies that
had accepted them. The sheer volume of students retaking the
exam also shocked me; nearly 1 in 4 students who took the NERB
at our school had to retake at least one section over. Who was
deficient? The students? The school's faculty? The admissions
boards at these competitive post-graduate programs? Or had the
examining agency failed competent students, and if so, had they
allowed students who pose a threat to the public pass?
My future employer had been sympathetic to my cause and had
made tremendous adjustments to the office and patient schedule
during this interim unemployment phase of my career. This was a
great consolation to my family and me. I have been encouraged
to see that in private practice, most fellow dentists want to see
their young colleagues succeed, which was contrary to the feeling
I had after failing the NERB regional exam.
A CANDIDATE'S STORY: THE PGY-1 OPTION Chris Salierno, DDS SUNY Stony Brook, Class 2005
As a second year dental student, I sat as a patient for the NERB
exam. Unfortunately, the candidate failed for a rather controversial
reason. This incident led me to investigate licensure exams and
their alternatives.
Since I was a student In New York, I had another pathway to
licensure: PGY-1. The prior year I attended a General Practice
Residency on Long Island. I improved my skills in endo, perio,
restorative, fixed prosthodontics and fields of dentistry that are
not tested on clinical exams such as implantology, removable
prosthodontics and oral surgery. I also saved a substantial sum
of money by not having to pay fees for the examination, patients
and assistants. It comforted me to know that I didn't delay
treatment on patients for my own benefit, nor did I perform
said treatment under a one-shot high-stakes scenario.
The PGY-1 option is not for everyone, however. If you plan on

practicing immediately after graduation, this may not be the
pathway for you. In addition, you would not be able to moonlight during the year since you are not licensed. Finally, the most
significant drawback is portability. I knew I wanted to stay in New
York, so this was an easy choice for me. However, if I ever want
to move to another state, I may have to take a licensing exam.
Portability is a tricky issue. There is no clinical licensure examination
that is truly national. As it currently stands, any exam you take
will not license you in certain states. So my advice is to consider
the states in which you are likely to practice and research which
pathways to licensure they accept.
If It Happens to You
Failing your licensing exam may seem like the end of the world, but noting the failure rates shows you that you are not alone.
You may need to wait three months, six months, or even one year to retake the exam, depending upon your licensing jurisdiction.
In the interim, you will probably have two concerns: first, achieving
licensure; and second; making a living now that your entry to
dental practice has been delayed.
be an effective ground for appeal. For more information regarding

the appeals process, please contact the testing agency or your
state dental board.
Your first task in achieving licensure is to review the information

provided by the testing agency regarding your areas of failure.
Think about your experience during the exam. If you had a problem
with a patient, or were aware that the section did not go well,
your score probably did not surprise you. Decide if you need
further work in that aspect of clinical care. If so, you may wish to
consult with a clinical instructor. Or, if your dental school offers a
remediation program, it could be wise to take advantage of it.
Retaking the exam or filing an appeal may not be your only

option. Some jurisdictions accept more than one regional exam.
For scheduling convenience or a new experience, you may wish
to travel, if necessary, to take a different exam.
For new graduates who planned to relocate in order to practice,

or for those whose dental school does not offer a remediation
program, it may be possible to participate in a remediation
program at an appropriate dental school. Many remediation
programs are open to non-alumni. See the Dental Schools
with Remediation Programs listing on page 16.
You must also make a decision regarding the appeal. In many
cases, you can request that your test be re-scored to make sure
that there was no error. However, you should be aware that the
testing agencies are not likely to over-ride the evaluation of the
examiners. Occasionally, new graduates report that the testing
process was not according to the approved procedure. This may
In addition, you may wish to contact the state dental society for the
name of your state new dentist committee chairman. Often, new
dentist committees set a goal of assisting recent graduates with
the state licensure process, and may have practical advice to offer.
The state or local dental society can also be helpful regarding
your options for employment during the interim. Volunteers or
staff may know of dentists in your area who may be willing to
have you assist them in their office. Although you can't practice
dentistry, you could still learn much from the practice environment.
The state Dental Practice Act may allow you to serve in a hygiene,
dental assistant or dental lab capacity. Your state dental society
should have more information.
15
Remediation
Although most candidates who fail their licensure examination on the first try are eventually successful (usually within the
first year), the vast majority pass on their next attempt without assistance. Few resources for preparing for re-examination
are available through the state boards, and remediation is seen to be the purview of the dental school.
The Office of Student Affairs conducted a short survey of program directors at the 56 dental schools regarding the availability of remediation.
Of the 44 dental schools that responded to the survey, 19 indicated that some type of remediation is offered through the dental school.
Outlined below are the responses. Availability of remediation programs is not widely publicized. It is not unusual for faculty at a
particular school to be unaware of the program, and the most common way students/recent graduates find out about the program
is to inquire.
DENTAL SCHOOLS WITH REMEDIATION PROGRAMS

CLINICAL
EXAM
16
Arizona School of Dentistry

Baylor College of Dentistry
Creighton University
Howard University
Loma Linda University
Louisiana State University
Marquette University
Medical College of Georgia
Medical University of South Carolina
Ohio State University
Southern Illinois University
University of California at Los Angeles
University of Illinois
University of Kentucky
University of Missouri-Kansas City
University of Nebraska
University of North Carolina
University of Texas San Antonio
West Virginia University
PART
I
PART
II
WRITTEN
OTHER
sit in classes
Source: 2007 Remediation Programs in Dental Schools Update
meet informally
ALUMNI
NONALUMNI
Keeping in Touch Through Provisional Membership

Earning your license and establishing a practice is a big transition for recent graduates. Thats why the American Dental Association
allows dentists who are licensed but have not yet begun to practice to continue their membership at no cost after graduation.
Candidates must apply for provisional membership within 12

months of graduation and eligibility will terminate December 31
of the second full calendar year following the year in which the
degree was awarded.
Provisional membership dues are $0 for the membership year

following dental school graduation; year two dues are 25%, year
three 50%, year four 75% and year five pay 100% of dues.
For more information visit www.ada.org/goto/member.
Advocating for Change

Clinical licensure, which falls under state board of dentistry purview, has been a hot topic, both for new dental school graduates
and for licensed dentists who wish to relocate. It is of paramount importance to protect the public from poor practitioners, but
it is also important to have a clinical licensure system that is fair to dentists and free from unnecessary barriers.
Concerns about the dental licensure system really began to heat
up in the 1990s, when many new graduates were having difficulty
making a successful transition to dental practice because of high
levels of failure of the licensure exams. In 1994, the Journal of the
American Dental Association reported failures ranging from 50
percent to more than 80 percent were noted at certain exam sites
in the Western, Southern, and Northeastern regional boards.
The report added a shocking 80 percent or greater failure rate
(was) noted at two of the Central Regional Dental Testing Services
schools. A little more than a year later, the picture was not much
brighter: JADA reported more than 1,000 of 1995s dental graduates
failed their initial licensing test.
In 1996, the American Dental Association began an initiative
to spur discussion among all the communities of interest, with
the hope of finding common ground and facilitating a licensure
process that was fair and candidate-friendly, while continuing
to protect the public. From 1996 to 2000, the American Dental
Association hosted a series of meetings on the subject of licensure.
Participants included the regional and unaligned state testing
agencies, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA),
the American Association of Dental Examiners (AADE), and the
American Student Dental Association (ASDA). The ADA Committee
on the New Dentist was also an active participant. It was agreed
that uniform entry-level clinical licensure examinations was a goal
shared by all of the participating organizations.
The March 1997 meeting was notable for the development of
the 12-point Agenda for Change, which was accepted by the
ADA, ADEA, AADE and ASDA, and addressed topics such as
standardization of written and clinical examinations, a more
candidate-friendly licensure process, and the use of human

patients in the exam. (The full text of the Agenda follows.)
The Agenda for Change set the agenda for much further action
on the clinical licensure front. The regional testing agencies and
AADE have addressed examination calibration and have established
guidelines for common content in the clinical examination process.
At the same time, the ADA and ASDA have been active in encouraging state dental boards to accept more than one clinical exam,
recognizing that if every state accepted every test, it would greatly
enhance the licensure experience for new graduates. The majority
of states accept the results of more than one testing agency.
An alternative pathway to initial licensure was established by the
state of New York in 2003: completion of a residency. The New
York State Dental Association was very active in supporting
legislation to offer completion of a residency program at least
one year in length (PGY-1) in an accredited postdoctoral program
in lieu of the clinical licensure examination as a pathway to licensure
in the state. The 2003 ADA House of Delegates amended its
Policy on Dental Licensure and Guidelines on Dental Licensure to
state that the clinical examination requirement for initial licensure
could be met by successful completion of a postgraduate program
in general dentistry or in an ADA recognized specialty, at least one
year in length, that contains competency assessments, which is
accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. In 2007,
the completion of a postgraduate residency program in New York
was mandated. The state of New York no longer accepts clinical
examination as a pathway to licensure. California (advanced general
dentistry only), Connecticut, Minnesota and Washington (currently
a pilot program) offer the option of a PGY-1 as an alternative
17
ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
pathway to licensure. Washington has a PGY-1, but it is unique

in that the residency must be completed in a low income clinic.
PGY-1 is welcomed by most, unless a dentist is considering moving
to another state. At that point, the dentist will have to seek licensure
from a different state before gaining the eligibility to practice
there. For this reason, the PGY-1 may not work for everyone.
Although mutual recognition the concept that various exams
all do a good job of evaluating a candidates suitability for dental
licensure has become well-accepted, especially from a practical
standpoint, many have advocated for the development of a
single clinical licensure examination that would be accepted by
all dental boards across the country. In April 2004, the ADA
Council on Dental Education and Licensure endorsed the concept
that a dental student who has graduated from an accredited
program, should be able to take a single clinical examination that
would have national acceptance. At its June 2004 meeting, the
American Association of Dental Examiners passed a resolution
calling for the development of a national uniform dental clinical
examination administered by state and regional testing agencies.
The ADA House of Delegates in 2004 took action to support the
development of a single exam and to monitor the process.
18
AADE convened the American Dental Licensing Examination

Committee (ADLEC) to develop the exam, subsequently incorporating as the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX). ADEX
is now an independent agency responsible for the development
of a clinical licensure examination that will be administered by
the existing state and regional testing agencies. As of November
2005, 42 states agreed to participate, and the ADEX exam was
administered by CRDTS and NERB. Independent states are
evaluating the exams available and making decisions on which
exam(s) will be accepted in their states. SRTA, WREB and CITA
continue to administer their existing examinations.
To date, there is still a move toward one common exam,
making mobility easier for dentists and their families seeking
new opportunities in different states.
DENTAL LICENSURE CHANGE A TIMELINE

1994
JADA: Many new graduates were having difficulty making a successful transition to dental practice because of high levels of failure of
the licensure exams. Failures ranging from 50% to more than 80% were noted at certain exam sites.
1995
JADA: more than 1,000 of 1995 dental graduates failed their initial licensing test.
1996-2000
ADA hosted a series of meetings on the subject of dental licensure.
March 1997
12-point Agenda for Change was developed and accepted by the ADA, ADEA, AADE and ASDA
2003
New York PGY-1. The state of New York adopts law to allow the option of completing a residency program of at least one year in
length (PGY-1) in an accredited postdoctoral program in lieu of the clinical licensure examination as a pathway to licensure in the state.
2003
ADA HOD amended its Policy on Dental Licensure and Guidelines on Dental Licensure to state that the clinical examination requirement
for initial licensure could be met by successful completion of a postdoctoral program in general dentistry or in an ADA recognized
speciality, at least one year in length.
April 2004
ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure endorsed the concept that a dental student who has graduated from an accredited
program should be able to take a single clinical examination that would have national acceptance.
June 2004
American Association of Dental Examiners passed a resolution calling for the development of a national uniform dental clinical
examination administered by state and regional testing agencies.
October 2004 ADA HOD approved Res. 23H-2004, directing the appointment of a National Clinical Licensing Examination Consensus Committee to
advance the development of a common national examination.
2005
American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) was established, which is responsible for the ongoing development of the American
Dental Licensing Examinations (ADLEX), a national exam that is available for use by individual state and regional testing agencies
on behalf of their member states.
July 2005
The Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA) was formed making it the first testing agency to be formed since the original four
regional dental examination agencies were founded between 1969-1976.
2007
Completion of residency program mandated in NY. The state of New York no longer accepts clinical examinations as a pathway to licensure.
2007
California (advanced general dentistry only), Connecticut and Minnesota also offer the option of PGY-1. Washington is in the process
of conducting a pilot program on PGY-1.
October 2007
ADA House of Delegates passed Res. 1H 2007 providing a definition for Curriculum Integrated Format (CIF).
An Agenda for Change in the Clinical Licensure Examination Process

AN AGENDA FOR CHANGE IN THE CLINICAL LICENSURE EXAMINATION PROCESS
Objectives developed at the invitational conference for dental clinical testing agencies, March 4, 1997
The American Dental Association should work in cooperation with the clinical testing agencies, the licensing jurisdictions,
the American Association of Dental Examiners, the American Association of Dental Schools and the American Student
Dental Association to facilitate improvements in the clinical licensure process. It is recognized that testing agencies or their
constituencies may have statutory limitations that preclude their adoption of some changes, but all agencies are urged to
address these objectives to the extent possible within such limitations. In pursuing these objectives, the Association should
ensure that each testing agency retains its independent right to make changes to its examination to meet the needs of its
constituents. These communities should address the following objectives:
1) Promote the interaction of all testing agencies and boards of

examiners to explore the concept of more uniform content
and methodology in licensure examinations.
2) Develop and promote the acceptance of guidelines for
administration of a common content clinical examination
and standardized examiner calibration.
3) Encourage testing agencies to work with dental school
faculties to help and participate in calibration activities.
4) Minimize the use of human subjects in clinical licensure
examinations, but where human subjects are used, ensure
that the safety and protection of the patient is of paramount
importance and that patients are procured in an ethical
manner.
5) Develop and promote policies and procedures to make clinical
licensure examinations more candidate-friendly
6) Encourage the development of publications, orientation
sessions and other methods to better communicate to
candidates information regarding clinical examination
logistics.
7) Minimize the time needed to notify candidates of

examination results.
8) Improve and standardize to the extent possible the testing
agencies' appeals process.
9) Urge the American Association of Dental Schools to
encourage all dental schools to offer remediation programs
for candidates who fail the clinical licensure examinations.
10) Promote further study of the pre-graduation examinations
by the clinical testing agencies and encourage the testing
agencies and dental schools to work together to offer the
pre-graduation examinations to the extent possible.
11) Promote the acceptance by all licensing jurisdictions of the
National Board Dental Examination in lieu of a separate
written examination on oral diagnosis and treatment planning.
12) Address the profession's concerns regarding the failure rates
on clinical examinations, by collecting statistical data on
examination results within the limits imposed by the need
to protect confidentiality.
License Recognition: Dentists

Dental boards in 46 states plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico grant licenses to dentists, currently licensed and in
active, continuous practice for a specified period of time (typically 5 years) in another jurisdiction, without further theoretical
and clinical examination. 1The license recognition system, often referred to as licensure by credentials, may also be referred to
as licensure by reciprocity, endorsement, or criteria.
In granting licensure by credentials, the Board of Dentistry makes
a determination that the applicant is currently licensed in a state
that has equivalent licensure standards. Technically, licensure by
reciprocity refers to a situation in which a jurisdiction has statutory
authority to grant licensure recognition only to licensees of states
that grant similar recognition to licensees from the receiving
jurisdiction. Such decisions may be based on agreements between
state boards. These states are indicated by an asterisk (*).
The dental boards in the jurisdictions listed below will grant
license recognition to dentists.
Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado,

Connecticut, DC*, Georgia6, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine5, Maryland, Massachusetts*,
Michigan, Minnesota3, Mississippi*, Missouri, Montana,
Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey*, New Mexico, New
York, North Carolina6, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Oklahoma,
Pennsylvania*, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina,
South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia,
Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.
19
LICENSE RECOGNITION: DENTISTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19
Four states and the U.S. Virgin Islands do not currently grant
licensure by credentials: Delaware, Florida, Hawaii2, Nevada7.
For information concerning a states current practices and
specific criteria for license recognition, dentists are strongly
urged to contact the dental board of the state in which license
recognition is sought.
1 This licensure by credentials requirement of active, continuous practice for a specified period of
time, should not be confused with the authority that state dental boards possess in granting initial
licensure. For initial licensure, state law permits boards to accept the examination results of a
regional dental clinical testing agency for a period of time (again generally 5 years) whether or
not the applicant is licensed or has practiced in another state. The only requirement is that the
state will accept the results of that regional exam.
2 Hawaii in 2004 passed a community service license law which allows dentists with proper
credentials to come to Hawaii to work in federally qualified health centers, native Hawaiian
health centers and post-secondary dental training programs ONLY.
3 Minnesota in addition to the traditional licensure by credential law, a "guest licensure" law
was enacted in 2002 that allows the dental board to expedite the issuance of a limited license
to dentists from adjoining states to facilitate access to care.
4 Maryland requires applicants for licensure by credentials to successfully complete the Northeast
Regional Examining Board's Dental Simulated Clinical Exercise (DSCE).
5 Maine has authority to license Canadian Dentists by Credentials as of 2004.
6 Georgia & North Carolina require credentialed dentists to establish active practices within a
certain time period.
7Nevada passed a licensure by credential law in 2001 that sunset at the end of June 2006. NV will
only issue a license after the applicant for dental or dental hygiene licensure passes the NV clinical
board exam or has passed the WREB exam within the past 5 years.
American Dental Association; Department of State Government Affairs; 07-licensure by
credentials-dentists; September 27, 2007
The ADA House of Delegates strongly supports freedom of

movement through licensure by credentials. A 2002 resolution
amended the ADA Guidelines for Licensure to eliminate the
requirement for a minimum of five years in practice in order to be
eligible for licensure by credentials, simply stating that a dentist
should be in active practice or dental education immediately prior
to applying for licensure by credentials. A second resolution
addressed the issue of specialty licensure, specifying that specialists
who move to another state and wish to practice their specialty
should be waived from taking that state's general dental practice
examination. The number of licensing jurisdictions that offer
licensure by credentials has increased dramatically in the last
few years.
ASDA Support
20
In 2007, ASDAs Council on Licensure developed a document that contains a listing of each exam accepted by each state. Because
of the rapidly changing licensure reform environment, the council will periodically update this document, which is posted on the
ASDA Web site, but it is advised that students also check directly with their state for the most up-to-date information. In 2007,
ASDA also added a licensure section on the ASDA Web site that contains resources and links dedicated to the subject of licensure.
Visit www.asdanet.org for more information.
Dental School and Dental Society Support

Many dental schools and dental societies offer support before, during, and after the clinical boards. In addition to the remediation
programs available at many of the dental schools, some schools offer pre-graduation exams and mock boards to help in your
preparation. The University of Minnesota even guarantees support and clinical facilities to their students who fail clinical boards.
Some dental societies offer programs to help you prepare for your exam such as seminars, which give tips on taking the boards
and board review luncheons. In addition, to help make the examination process as pleasant as possible, many dental societies
offer lunch/refreshments at the boards, survival kits at the boards, as well as massages. The New York State Dental Association
even offers FREE malpractice insurance for New York senior dental students. Contact your dental school and/or state dental
society for programs and services in your area. State society contact information can be found in the appendix.
Additional Resources
ADA.org
www.ADA.org/goto/licensure
ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure
800-621-8099, ext. 2698
ADA Office of Student Affairs
800-621-8099, ext. 7470
www.ADA.org/goto/student
ADA Committee on the New Dentist

800-621-8099, ext. 2779
www.ADA.org/goto/newdent
American Student Dental Association (ASDA)
800-621-8099, ext. 2795
www.asdanet.org
American Association of Dental Examiners
www.aadexam.org
Clinical Testing Agencies Contact Information

As contact information can change, please be sure to confirm contact information with appropriate testing agency.
Central Regional Testing Agency (CRDTS)
1725 SW Gage Boulevard
Topeka, KS 66604-3333
785-273-0380
e-mail: info@crdts.org
www.crdts.org
Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA)
15300 Weston Parkway, Suite 106
Cary, NC 27513
919-678-9792
fax: 919-678-9795
e-mail: info@citaexam.com
www.citaexam.com
Northeast Regional Board of

Dental Examiners (NERB)
8484 Georgia Avenue, Suite 900
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-563-3300
fax: 301-563-3307
e-mail: nerb@nerb.org
www.nerb.org
Southern Regional Testing Agency (SRTA)
4698 Honeygrove Road, Suite #2
Virginia Beach, VA 23455-5934
757-318-9082
fax: 757-437-4507
e-mail: khwhite@srta.org
www.srta.org
Western Regional Examining Board (WREB)

9201 N 25 th Ave, Suite #185
Phoenix, AZ 85021
602-944-3315
fax: 602-371-8131
generalinfo@wreb.org
www.wreb.org
Jurisdictions that administer their own
clinical dental exams: Delaware, Florida,
Nevada, Virgin Islands
State Board Contacts

ALABAMA
Board Administrator
Ms. Mary Ann Wilkinson
Administrative Secretary
State Board of Dental Examiners of Alabama
5346 Stadium Trace Pky, Ste, 112
Hoover, AL 35035
205/985-7267
FAX: 205/985-0674
E-Mail: bdcal@dentalboard.org
www.dentalboard.org
ARKANSAS
Board Administrator
Ms. Donna Cobb
Executive Director
Arkansas State Board of Dental Examiners
101 East Capitol, Ste. 111
Little Rock, AR 72201
501/682-2085
501/682-3543 FAX
E-Mail: asbde@arkansas.gov
www.asbde.org
CONNECTICUT
Board Administrator
Mr. Jeff Kardys
Board Liaison
Connecticut State Dental Commission
410 Capitol Ave.
P.O. Box 340308
Hartford, CT 06134-0308
860/509-7648
860/509-7553 FAX
www.dph.state.ct.us
ALASKA
Board Administrator
Ms. Brenda Donohue
Licensing Examiner
State of Alaska Board of Dental Examiners
P.O. Box 110806
Juneau, AK 99811-0806
907/465-2542
907/465-2974 FAX
E-Mail: Brenda_donohue@commerce.state.ak
www.commerce.state.ak.us/occ/pden.htm
CALIFORNIA
Board Administrator
Mr. Richard L. Wallinder, Jr.
Executive Officer
The Dental Board of California
1432 Howe Ave., #85
Sacramento, CA 95825
916/263-2317
916/263-2140 FAX
www.dca.ca.gov
DELAWARE
Board Administrator
Ms. Jennifer Myer
Administrative Assistant
Delaware State Board of Dental Examiners
861 Silver Lake Blvd
Cannon Bldg, Ste 203
Dover, DE 19904
302/744-4533
302/739-2711 FAX
e-mail: Jennifer.myer@state.de.us
www.professionallicensing.state.de.us.org
ARIZONA
Board Administrator
Ms. Julie N. Chapko
Executive Director
Arizona State Board of Dental Examiners
5060 N. 19th Ave. #406
Phoenix, AZ 85015
602/242-1492 ext.23
602/242-1445 FAX
www.azdentalboard.org
COLORADO
Board Administrator
Mr. Matt Azer
Program Administrator
Colorado State Board of Dental Examiners
1560 Broadway, Ste. 1310
Denver, CO 80202
303/894-7761
303/894-7764 FAX
E-Mail: DENTAL@DORA.STATE.CO.US
www.dora.state.co.us/DENTAL
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Board Administrator
Ms. Bonnie Rampersaud
Executive Director, Department of Health
District of Columbia Board of Dentistry
717 14th Street, NW, Ste. 600
Washington, DC 20005
202/724-7332
202/727-8471 FAX
www.dchealth.dc.gov
21
STATE BOARD CONTACTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21
FLORIDA
Board Administrator
Ms. Sue Foster
Executive Director
Florida Board of Dentistry
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C08
Tallahassee, FL 32399-3256
850/245-4474
850/922-5189 FAX
www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/dentistry
GEORGIA
Board Administrator
Ms. Anita Martin
Executive Director
Georgia Board of Dentistry
237 Coliseum Dr.
Macon, GA 31217-3858
478/207-1686
478/207-1699 FAX
www.sos.state.ga.us/plb/dentistry
22
HAWAII
Board Administrator
Mr. James Kobashigawa
Executive Officer
Hawaii State Board of Dental Examiners
P.O. Box 3469
Honolulu, HI 96801
808/586-2702
808/586-2689 FAX
E-Mail: james.k.kobashigawa@dcca.state.hi.us
www.hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/pvl
IDAHO
Board Administrator
Mr. Michael Sheeley
Administrator
Idaho State Board of Dentistry
P.O. Box 83720
Boise, ID 83720-0021
208/334-2369
208/334-3247 FAX
E-Mail: mike.sheeley@isbd.idaho.gov
www.idaho.gov/isbd
ILLINOIS
Board Administrator
Ms. Alicia Purchase
Administrator
Dept. of Professional Reg. & Education
320 W. Washington, 3rd Fl.
Springfield, IL 62786
217/782-8556
217/782-7645 FAX
www.idfpr.com
INDIANA
Board Administrator
Ms. Cindy Vaught
Board Director
Indiana Professional Licensing Agency
402 W. Washington, Rm. WO66
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317/234-2057
317/233-4236 FAX
E-Mail: smazo@pla.in.gov
www.in.gov.pla
MAINE
Board Administrator
Ms. Anita Merrow
Executive Secretary
Maine Board of Dental Examiners
143 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
207/287-3333
207/287-8140 FAX
E-mail: Anita.C.Merrow@maine.gov
www.mainedental.org
IOWA
Board Administrator
Mrs. Constance L. Price
Executive Director
Iowa Board of Dental Examiners
400 SW 8th St., Ste. D
Des Moines, IA 50309-4687
515/281-5157
515/281-7969 FAX
E-Mail: ibde@iowa.gov
www.state.ia.us/dentalboard
MARYLAND
Board Administrator
Mr. H. Robert Hergenroeder, Jr., Executive
Director
Maryland State Board of Dental Examiners
Benjamin Rush Bldg.
Spring Grove Hospital Center
Wade Ave./Tulip Drive
Baltimore, MD 21228
410/402-8518
410/402-8505 FAX
www.dhmh.state.md.us/dental
KANSAS
Board Administrator
Ms. Betty Wright
Executive Director
Kansas Dental Board
3601 SW 29th Street, Ste. 134
Topeka, KS 66614-2062
785/273-0780
785/273-7545 FAX
E-Mail: dental@ink.org
www.accesskansas.org/kdb
KENTUCKY
Board Administrator
Mr. Eric Clark
Executive Director
Kentucky Board of Dentistry
10101 Linn Station Rd. #540
Louisville, KY 40223
502/423-0573
502/423-1239 FAX
E-mail: eric.clark@ky.gov
www.dentistry.ky.gov
LOUISIANA
Board Administrator
C. Barry Ogden, Esq.
Executive Director
Louisiana State Board of Dentistry
One Canal Pl.
365 Canal St., Ste. 2680
New Orleans, LA 70130
504/568-8574
504/568-8598 FAX
E-mail: bogden@bellsouth.net
www.lsbd.org
MASSACHUSETTS
Board Administrator
Ms. Marcia Miller
Executive Director
Massachusetts Board of Dentistry
239 Causeway St, 2nd Fl., Ste 200
Boston, MA 02114
617/973-0973
617/973-0982 FAX
E-mail: marcia.s.miller@state.ma.us
www.mass.gov/dph/boards.dn
MICHIGAN
Board Administrator
Ms. Rae Ramsdell
Licensing Director
Department of Community Health
P.O. Box 30670
Lansing, MI 48909-8170
517/335-0918
517/373-2179 FAX
www.michigan.gov/healthlicense
MINNESOTA
Board Administrator
Mr. Marshall Shragg
Executive Director
Minnesota Board of Dentistry
2829 University Ave., SE, Ste. 450
Minneapolis, MN 55414
612/617-2257
612/617-2260 FAX
www.dentalboard.state.mn.us
MISSISSIPPI
Board Administrator
Ms. Leah Diane Howell
Executive Director
Mississippi State Board of Dental Examiners
600 East Amite St., Ste. 100
Jackson, MS 39201-2801
601/944-9622
601/944-9624 FAX
E-Mail: dental@msbde.state.ms.us
www.msbde.state.ms.us
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Board Administrator
Dr. Raymond J. Jarvis
Executive Secretary
New Hampshire Board of Dental Examiners
2 Industrial Park Dr.
Concord, NH 03301-8520
603/271-4561
603/271-6702 FAX
E-Mail: dentalboard@nhsa.state.nh.us
www.state.nh.us/dental
NORTH DAKOTA
Board Administrator
Ms. Rita Sommers
Executive Director
North Dakota Board of Dentistry
P.O. Box 7246
Bismarck, ND 58507-7246
701/258-8600
701/223-3079 FAX
E-mail: ndsbde@aptnd.com
www.nddentalboard.org
MISSOURI
Board Administrator
Ms. Sharlene Rimiller
Executive Director
Missouri Dental Board
P.O. Box 1367
Jefferson City, MO 65102-1367
573/751-0040
573/751-8216 FAX
E-mail: dental@pr.mo.gov
www.pr.mo.gov/dental.asp
NEW JERSEY
Board Administrator
Mr. Kevin B. Earle
Executive Director
New Jersey State Board of Dentistry
124 Halsey St., 6th Floor
P.O. Box 45005
Newark, NJ 07101
973/504-6405
973/273-8075 FAX
www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/medical.htm
OHIO
Board Administrator
Lili C. Reitz, Esq.
Executive Director
Ohio State Dental Board
77 S. High St., 18th Fl.
Columbus, OH 43215-6135
614/466-2580
614/752-8995 FAX
E-Mail: ohdental@mail.peps.state.oh.us
www.dental.dental.gov
MONTANA
Board Administrator
Ms. Sharon McCullough
Administrator
Montana Board of Dentistry
301 South Park
PO Box 200513
Helena, MT 59620-0513
406/841-2390
406/841-2305 FAX
E-Mail: dlibsdden@state.mt.us
www.mt.gov/dli/bsd
NEW MEXICO
Board Administrator
Ms. Liz Montoya
Administrator
New Mexico Board of Dental Health Care
2550 Cerrillos Rd., 2nd Floor
Santa Fe, NM 87505-5101
505/476-4680
505/476-4545FAX
E-Mail: DentalBoard@state.nm.us.
www.rld.state.nm.us/dental/index.html
OKLAHOMA
Board Administrator
Ms. Linda Campbell
Executive Director
Oklahoma Board of Dentistry
201 NE 38th Terrace #2
Oklahoma City, OK 73105
405/524-9037
405/524-2223 FAX
www.dentist.state.ok.us
NEBRASKA
Board Administrator
Ms. Becky Wisell
Section Administrator
Nebraska Board of Dentistry
P.O. Box 94986
Lincoln, NE 68509-4986
402/471-4915
402/471-3577 FAX
E-Mail: becky.wisell@hhss.ne.gov
www.hhs.state.ne.us
NEVADA
Board Administrator
Ms. Kathleen J. Kelly
Executive Director
Nevada Board of Dental Examiners
6010 S. Rainbow Blvd., Ste. A-1
Las Vegas, NV 89118
702/486-7044
702/486-7046 FAX
E-Mail: nsbde@nsbde.nv.gov
www.nvdentalboard.org
NEW YORK
Board Administrator
Dr. Milton L. Lawney
Executive Secretary
New York State Board of Dentistry
89 Washington Avenue
2nd Floor - West Wing
Albany, NY 12234-1000
518/474-3817 ext. 550
518/473-6995 FAX
E-Mail: dentbd@mail.nysed.gov
www.op.nysed.gov/proflist.htm
NORTH CAROLINA
Board Administrator
Mr. Bobby White, Esq.
Chief Operations Officer
North Carolina State Board of Dental
Examiners
15100 Weston Parkway, Ste 101
Cary, NC 27513-2129
919/678-8223 ext. 101
919/678-8472 FAX
E-Mail: info@ncdentalboard.org
www.ncdentalboard.org
OREGON
Board Administrator
Mr. Patrick D. Braatz
Executive Director
Oregon Board of Dentistry
1600 S.W. 4th Avenue, Ste. 770
Portland, OR 97201
971-676-3200
971-673-3202 FAX
www.oregon.gov/dentistry
PENNSYLVANIA
Board Administrator
Ms. Lisa Burns
Board Administrator
Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry
P.O. Box 2649
Harrisburg, PA 17105
717/783-7162
717/787-7769 FAX
E-Mail: st-dentistry@state.pa.us
www.dos.state.pa.us/dent
23
STATE BOARD CONTACTS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23
PUERTO RICO
Board Administrator
Ms. Magda Bouet
Director, Examining Boards
Puerto Rico Board of Dental Examiners
P.O. Box 10200
San Juan, PR 00908
787/725-7904 or 8161
787/725-7903 FAX
RHODE ISLAND
Board Administrator
Ms. Gail Guiliano
Administrative Officer
Rhode Island State Board
Three Capitol Hill, Rm. 205
Providence, RI 02908
401/222-2827
401/222-1272 FAX
www.health.ri.gov
24
SOUTH CAROLINA
Board Administrator
Mr. H. Rion Alvey
Administrator
South Carolina State Board of Dentistry
P.O. Box 11329
Columbia, SC 29211-1329
803/896-4599
803/896-4596 FAX
E-Mail: alveyh@llr.sc.gov
www.llr.state.sc.us/pol/dentistry
SOUTH DAKOTA
Board Administrator
Mr. Steve Willard
Executive Secretary
South Dakota State Board of Dentistry
P.O. Box 1037
106 W. Capitol
Pierre, SD 57501
605/224-1282
605/224-7426 FAX
www.state.sd.us/dcr/dentistry
TENNESSEE
Board Administrator
Ms. Dea Smith
Board Manager
Tennessee Board of Dentistry
425 5th Ave. North
1st Fl., Cordell Hull Bldg.
Nashville, TN 37247-1010
800/778-4123 ext. 25073
615/532-5369 FAX
www.tennessee.gov/health
TEXAS
Board Administrator
Dr. James Zukowski
Executive Director
Texas State Board of Dental Examiners
333 Guadalupe Twr. 3, Ste. 800
Austin, TX 78701
512/463-6400
512/463-7452 FAX
E-Mail: jzukowski@tsbde/state.tx.us
www.tsbde.state.tx.us
WASHINGTON
Board Administrator
Ms. Lisa R. Anderson
Program Manager
310 Isreal Road, SE
PO Box 47867
Tumwater, WA 98504
360/236-4863
360/664-9077 FAX
E-Mail: lisa.anderson@doh.wa.gov
www.doh.wa.gov
UTAH
Board Administrator
Mr. Daniel T. Jones
Bureau Manager
Utah Board of Dentists and Dental Hygienists
Div. of Occup. & Prof. Lic.
P.O. Box 146741
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6741
801/530-6767
801/530-6511 FAX
www.dopl.utah.gov
WEST VIRGINIA
Board Administrator
Mr. Marc L. Harman
Executive Secretary
PO Box 1447
Crab Orchard WV 25827-1447
304/252-8266
304/253-9454 FAX
E-Mail: wvbde@charterinternet.com
www.wvdentalboard.org
VERMONT
Board Administrator
Ms. Diane W. Lafaille
Executive Secretary
Vermont Board of Dental Examiners
Office of the Secretary of State
26 Terrace St., Drawer 09
Montpelier, VT 05609-1106
802/828-2390
802/828-2465 FAX
E-Mail: dlafaill@sec.state.vt.us
www.vtprofessionals.org
VIRGINIA
Board Administrator
Ms. Sandra K. Reen
Executive Director
Virginia Board of Dentistry
6603 W. Broad St., 5th Fl.
Richmond, VA 23230-1712
804/662-9906
804/662-7246 FAX
E-Mail: sandra.reen@dhp.virginia.gov
www.dhp.state.va.us
WISCONSIN
Board Administrator
Mr. Thomas Ryan
Bureau Director
Wisconsin Dentistry Examining Board
P.O. Box 8935
1400 E. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI 53708
608/266-8098
608/267-3816 FAX
www.drl.state.wi.us
WYOMING
Board Administrator
Ms. Debra Bridges
Executive Director
Occupational Licensing Officer
Wyoming Board of Dental Examiners
2020 Carey Ave., Ste. 201
Cheyenne, WY 82002
307/777-6529
307/777-3508 FAX
www.boards.state.wy.us/dental
VIRGIN ISLANDS
Board Administrator
Ms. Lydia Scott
Executive Assistant
Virgin Islands Board of Dental Examiners
48 Sugar Estate
St. Thomas, VI 00802
340/774-0117
340/777-4001 FAX
Source: Clinical testing agency information from the American Association of Dental Examiners web site (www.aadexam.org), as of October 2007.
Contact information may change. Please visit the Web site for the most up-to-date information.
State Dental Societies

Alabama Dental Association
836 Washington Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334) 265-1684
(800) 489-2532
Fax: (334) 262-6218
contactus@aldaonline.org
www.aldaonline.org
Florida Dental Association

1111 E. Tennessee St., #102
Tallahassee, FL 32308-6913
(850) 681-3629
(800) 877-9922
Fax: (850) 561-0504
fda@floridadental.org
www.floridadental.org
Kentucky Dental Association

1920 Nelson Miller Pkwy
Louisville, KY 40223-2164
(502) 489-9121
(800) 292-1855
Fax: (502) 489-9124
info@kyda.org
www.kyda.org
Alaska Dental Society

9170 Jewel Lake Rd, #203
Anchorage, AK 99502
(907) 563-3003
(800) 478-4675*
Fax: (907) 563-3009
akdental@alaska.net
www.akdental.org
Georgia Dental Association

7000 Peachtree Dunwoody Rd., NE
Building 17, Suite 200
Atlanta, GA 30328
(404) 636-7553
(800) 432-4357*
Fax: (404) 633-3943
phillips@gadental.org
www.gadental.org
Louisiana Dental Association

7833 Office Park Blvd.
Baton Rouge, LA 70809
(225) 926-1986
(800) 388-6642
Fax: (225) 926-1886
info@ladental.org
www.ladental.org
Arizona Dental Association

3193 N. Drinkwater Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85251-6491
(480) 344-5777
(800) 866-2732
Fax: (480) 344-1442
azda@azda.org
www.azda.org
Arkansas State Dental Association
7480 Hwy 107
Sherwood, AR 72120
(501) 834-7650
(800) 501-2732
Fax: (501) 834-7657
ardental@comcast.net
www.dental-asda.org
California Dental Association
1201 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
(800) 232-7645*
Fax: (916) 443-2943
contactcda@cda.org
www.cda.org
Colorado Dental Association
3690 S. Yosemite, #100
Denver, CO 80237-1808
(303) 740-6900
(800) 343-3010
Fax: (303) 740-7989
info@cdaonline.org
www.cdaonline.org
Connecticut State Dental Association
835 W. Queen Street
Southington, CT 06489
(860) 378-1800
Fax: (860) 378-1807
cdingeldey@csda.com
www.csda.com
Delaware State Dental Society
The Christiana Executive Campus
200 Continental Drive, Ste. 111
Newark, DE 19713
(302) 368-7634
Fax: (302) 368-7669
dsds@dol.net
www.delawarestatedentalsociety.org
District of Columbia Dental Society
502 C Street N.E.
Washington, DC 20002-5810
(202) 547-7613
Fax: (202) 546-1482
info@dcdental.org
www.dcdental.com
Hawaii Dental Association

1345 S. Beretania St., #301
Honolulu, HI 96814
(808) 593-7956
(800) 359-6725
Fax: (808) 593-7636
hda@hawaiidentalassociation.net
www.hawaiidentalassociation.net
Idaho State Dental Association
1220 W. Hays Street
Boise, ID 83702
(208) 343-7543
(800) 932-8153*
Fax: (208) 343-0775
info@isdaweb.com
www.isdaweb.com
Illinois State Dental Society
1010 S. Second street
Springfield, IL 62704
(217) 525-1406
(800) 475-4737*
Fax: (217) 525-8872
info@isds.org
www.isds.org
Indiana Dental Association
P. O. Box 2467
Indianapolis, IN 46206
(317) 634-2610
(800) 562-5646
Fax: (317) 634-2612
doug@indental.org
www.indental.org
Iowa Dental Association
5530 W. Parkway
Suite 100
Johnston, IA 50131
(515) 986-5605
(800) 828-2181
Fax: (515) 986-5626
info@iowadental.org
www.iowadental.org
Kansas Dental Association
5200 S.W. Huntoon St.
Topeka, KS 66604-2398
(785) 272-7360
(800) 432-3583
Fax: (785) 272-2301
kevin@ksdental.org
www.ksdental.org
Maine Dental Association

P. O. Box 215
Manchester, ME 04351-0215
(207) 622-7900
(800) 369-8217
Fax: (207) 622-6210
info@medental.org
www.medental.org
Maryland State Dental Association
6410 Dobbin Road, Suite F
Columbia, MD 21045
(410) 964-2880
(800) 766-2880*
Fax: (410) 964-0583
mddent@msda.com
www.msda.com
Massachusetts Dental Society
2 Willow St., #200
South Borough, MA 01745
(508) 480-9797
(800) 342-8747
Fax: (508) 480-0002
madental@massdental.org
www.massdental.org
Michigan Dental Association
230 Washington Square North, #208
Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 372-9070
(800) 589-2632*
Fax: (517) 372-0008
deason@michigandental.org
www.smilemichigan.org
Minnesota Dental Association
1335 Industrial Blvd, #200
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(612) 767-8400
(800) 950-3368
Fax: (612) 767-8500
info@mndental.org
www.mndental.org
Mississippi Dental Association
2630 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39216
(601) 982-0442
Fax: (601) 366-3050
office@msdental.org
www.msdental.org
25
STATE DENTAL SOCIETIES CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25
Missouri Dental Association

3340 American Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65110-4900
(573) 634-3436
(800) 688-1907
Fax: (573) 635-0764
vicki@modental.org
www.modental.org
North Dakota Dental Association

P. O. Box 1332
Bismarck, ND 58502
(701) 223-8870
(800) 795-8870
Fax: (701) 223-0855
ndda@midconetwork.com
www.nddental.com
Tennessee Dental Association

660 Bakers Bridge Ave., St. 300
Franklin, TN 37067-1686
(615) 628-0208
(800) 824-9722*
Fax: (615) 628-0214
tda@tenndental.org
www.tenndental.org
Montana Dental Association

P. O. Box 1154
17 1/2 S Last Chance Gulch
Helena, MT 59624
(406) 443-2061
(800) 257-4988*
Fax: (406) 443-1546
mda@mt.net
www.mtdental.com
Ohio Dental Association

1370 Dublin Road
Columbus, OH 43215
(614) 486-2700
(800) 282-1526
Fax: (614) 486-0381
dentist@oda.org
www.oda.org
Texas Dental Association

1946 South IH-35, Suite 400
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 443-3675
Fax: (512) 443-3031
tda@tda.org
www.tda.org
Nebraska Dental Association

3120 O Street
Lincoln, NE 68510
(402) 476-1704
(800) 234-3120*
Fax: (402) 476-2641
nda@alltel.net
www.nedental.org
Nevada Dental Association
8863 W. Flamingo Rd.
Las Vegas, NV 89147-8718
(702) 255-4211
(800) 962-6710
Fax: (702) 255-3302
nda@lasvegas.net
www.nvda.org
26
New Hampshire Dental Society

23 S State Street
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 225-5961
(800) 244-5961*
Fax: (603) 226-4880
nhds@nhds.org
www.nhds.org
New Jersey Dental Association
One Dental Plaza
P. O. Box 6020
North Brunswick, NJ 08902-6020
(732) 821-9400
(800) 831-6532*
Fax: (732) 821-1082
ameisel@njda.org
www.njda.org
New Mexico Dental Association
9201 Montgomery Blvd. N.E., Suite 601
Albuquerque, NM 87111
(505) 294-1368
(888) 589-6632
Fax: (505) 294-9958
mmoores@nmdental.org
www.nmdental.org
New York State Dental Association
121 State Street, 4th Floor
Albany, NY 12207-1622
(518) 465-0044
(800) 255-2100*
Fax: (518) 465-3219
info@nysdental.org
www.nysdental.org
North Carolina Dental Society
P. O. Box 4099
Cary, NC 27519
(919) 677-1396
(800) 662-8754
Fax: (919) 677-1397
ncds@ncdental.org
www.ncdental.org
Oklahoma Dental Association

317 NE 13th Street
Oklahoma City, OK 73104
(405) 848-8873
(800) 876-8890
Fax: (405) 848-8875
information@okda.org
www.okda.org
Oregon Dental Association
PO Box 3710
Wilsonville, OR 97070
(503) 218-2010
(800) 452-5628*
Fax: (503) 218-2009
bzepp@oregondental.org
www.oregondental.org
Pennsylvania Dental Association
P. O. Box 3341
Harrisburg, PA 17105
(717) 234-5941
(800) 223-0016
Fax: (717) 232-7169
ckc@padental.org
www.padental.org
Colegio de Cirujanos Dentistas
de Puerto Rico
Avenida Domenech, #200
Hato Rey, PR 00918
(787) 764-1969
Fax: (787) 763-6335
dentista@ccdpr.org
www.cpdpr.org
Rhode Island Dental Association
200 Centerville Road, Suite 7
Warwick, RI 02886
(401) 732-6833
Fax: (401) 732-9351
info@ridental.com
www.ridenal.com
South Carolina Dental Association
120 Stonemark Lane
Columbia, SC 29210
(803) 750-2277
(800) 327-2598
Fax: (803) 750-1644
lathamp@scda.org
www.scda.org
South Dakota Dental Association
P. O.Box 1194
804 N Euclid, Ste 103
Pierre, SD 57501-1194
(605) 224-9133
Fax: (605) 224-9168
info@sddental.org
www.sddental.org
* Intrastate calls only
Utah Dental Association

1151 E. 3900 S., #160
Salt Lake City, UT 84124
(801) 261-5315
(800) 662-6500
Fax: (801) 261-1235
uda@uda.org
www.uda.org
Vermont State Dental Society
100 Dorset Street, #18
South Burlington, VT 05403
(802) 864-0115
(800) 640-5099*
Fax: (802) 864-0116
info@vsds.org
www.vsds.org
Virgin Islands Dental Association
Med Arts Complex Suite 10
St. Thomas, VI 00802
(340) 777-5950
Virginia Dental Association
7525 Staples Mill Road
Richmond, VA 23228
(804) 261-1610
(800) 552-3886*
Fax: (804) 261-1660
info@vadental.org
www.vadental.org
Washington State Dental Association
Ste. #3800
1001 Fourth Ave.
Seattle, WA 98154
(206) 448-1914
(800) 448-3368*
Fax: (206) 443-9266
wsda@wsda.org
www.wsda.org
West Virginia Dental Association
2016 1/2 Kanawha Blvd. E
Charleston, WV 25311
(304) 344-5246
Fax: (304) 344-5316
wvrds@aol.com
www.wvdental.org
Wisconsin Dental Association
6737 W. Washington St. Ste 2360
West Allis, WI 53214
(414) 276-4520
(800) 364-7646
Fax: (414) 276-8431
dmcguire@wda.org
www.wda.org
Wyoming Dental Association
PO Box 40019
Casper, WY 82601
(307) 237-1186
(800) 244-0779
(Fax: (307) 237-1187
wyodental@bresnan.net
www.wyda.org
Publication Evaluation Form

Since licensure is a key concern for dental students and recent graduates, the American Student Dental Association (ASDA)
and the ADA Committee on the New Dentist (CND) are committed to providing resources and to serve as your advocate.
Dental Boards and Licensure Information for the New Graduate was developed to help you during the licensure process.
By sharing your licensure experience, the manual can be updated to assist future licensure candidates. Please note that
your evaluation form is confidential.
Thanks for your help!
Name of dental school:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1) What type of licensure support does your school offer?
5) Were you successful on your first licensure attempt?
Mock boards
Yes
Board prep courses
No
Remediation
Other
2) Did you take advantage of any services offered by your

state/local dental society?
If so, what program(s)?
6) How helpful was Dental Boards and Licensure Information

for the New Graduate?
Not helpful
7) Please rate the following sections of Dental Boards and

Licensure Information for the New Graduate.
Poor
3) How did you prepare for the licensure exam?
27
Very Helpful
Excellent
Licensure requirements
Participated in mock boards
Exam location and expense
National Board Examination reprints
Candidate checklist
Dental Decks
Remediation
Study groups
Info on if you fail
Board prep course
Licensure by credentials
Other
Support from the ADA, dental

schools, state/local society
4) Did you have problems securing patients?

Yes
No
Additional Comments:
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Name (optional):
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
ADA number (optional):

____________________________________________
Please return this evaluation form via mail or fax.

28
Thank you.
Office of Student Affairs
American Dental Association
211 East Chicago Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
Fax: 312-440-2883
Phone: 800-621-8099, ext. 7470
Email: studentaffairs@ada.org
Office of Student Affairs

211 East Chicago Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
312-440-7470
800-621-8099, ext. 7470
studentaffairs@ada.org
www.ada.org
American Student Dental Association
211 East Chicago Avenue

Suite 700
Chicago, IL 60611
312-440-2795
800-621-8099, ext. 2795
www.asdanet.org
2007 American Dental Association

All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.

Dental Handbook

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Dental Handbook

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Dental Boards

American Student Dental Association

Licensure: The Transition

The Dental Licensure Process Requirements

Clinical Testing Agencies

ADEX and ADLEX

Preparing for the ExamLocation and Expense

Clinical Testing Agency Membership

Curriculum Integrated Format

Handling the Details in Advance

Time ManagementBefore and During the Exam

Board Insurance and Loans

Checklist for Licensure Candidates

Exam Results Notification

Impact on the Recent Graduate

Keeping in Touch Through Provisional Membership

Advocating for Change

Licensure ChangeA Timeline

An Agenda for Change in the Clinical Licensure Examination Process

License Recognition: Dentists

Dental School and Dental Society Support

Clinical Testing Agencies Contact Information

State Board Contacts

State Dental Societies

Publication Evaluation Form

INFORMATION FOR THE NEW GRADUATE

Licensure: The Transition

cooperation with the American Association of Dental Examiners

American Dental Association : DENTAL BOARDS & LICENSURE

The Dental Licensure Process

include: Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, New York Rhode Island,

CLINICAL TESTING AGENCIES

INFORMATION FOR THE NEW GRADUATE

ADEX and ADLEX

Preparing for the ExamLocation & Expense

February, March, April, June,

April, May, August, September,

March, April, May, June, October

January, February, March, April,

Rotates between Los Angeles, San Francisco,

Spring, Fall with 1-2 Exams in June

Delaware Technical and Community College,

University of Florida and Nova Southeastern

June, August, December, March

U.S. Virgin Islands

American Dental Association : DENTAL BOARDS & LICENSURE

Clinical Testing Agency Membership

COUNCIL OF INTERSTATE TESTING AGENCIES

NORTH EAST REGIONAL BOARD OF DENTAL

Curriculum Integrated Format

of dental school weeks earlier than those whose exams

INFORMATION FOR THE NEW GRADUATE

LETS EXAMINE THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO:

American Dental Association : DENTAL BOARDS & LICENSURE

Communicate essential information to your patients to alleviate

SUBMIT THE REQUIRED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.

Exam sites often fill up prior to the application deadline.

You may be asked to provide supporting documents for your

OBTAIN AN APPLICATION FORM DIRECTLY

READ THE ENTIRE APPLICATION PRIOR

ALLOCATE TIME FOR COMPLETING

CALL IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS.

CAREFULLY REVIEW THE CANCELLATION POLICY.

REVIEW YOUR COMPLETED APPLICATION.