National Board Dental

Examination, Part II
2018 Guide

Read this Guide before submitting an application to test.

At the time of application, you will be required to acknowledge

that you have read and understood this Guide and the policies
and procedures contained within.

Print this Guide for your records.

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Chicago, Illinois 60611-2637
NBDE Part I I Guide ©2018 Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations 800.232.1694
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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

OVERVIEW
About this Guide ......................................................................................................................2
Dental Licensure and the National Board Dental Examinations (NBDE) ..................................2
Purpose of the National Board Dental Examinations ...............................................................3
Recognition of the NBDE Certification .....................................................................................3
The Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) ..................................................3
Ethical Conduct and the Licensure Process for Dentists ..........................................................4
EXAMINATION CONTENT AND PREPARATION MATERIALS
Examination Specifications ......................................................................................................5
Sample Item Formats ..............................................................................................................9
Patient Box ............................................................................................................................10
Examination Preparation .......................................................................................................10
Confidentiality of Examination Materials ................................................................................11
SCORE INFORMATION
Scoring of Examination ..........................................................................................................12
Results Reporting ..................................................................................................................12
Results Reports .....................................................................................................................12
Results Audits .......................................................................................................................13
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
Dental Student – Accredited U.S./Canadian Dental School ...................................................13
Dental Student – Nonaccredited Dental School .....................................................................14
Former Dental Student ..........................................................................................................14
Dentist – Graduate of Accredited U.S./Canadian Dental School ............................................ 14
Dentist – Graduate of Nonaccredited Dental School .............................................................15
Eligibility for Re-examination .................................................................................................16
EXAMINATION INFORMATION
Test Centers ..........................................................................................................................16
Examination Fees ..................................................................................................................17
Examination Schedule ...........................................................................................................17
Obtain a DENTPIN® and Apply for Examination ...................................................................18
Privacy and Security ..............................................................................................................20
Schedule a Testing Appointment ...........................................................................................20
Reschedule or Cancel a Testing Appointment .......................................................................21
Testing Accommodations ......................................................................................................22
Request for Testing Accommodations and Appropriate Documentation ................................ 23
Unacceptable Forms of Documentation .................................................................................25
EXAMINATION RULES AND REGULATIONS
Rules of Conduct ...................................................................................................................25
Test Center Procedures.........................................................................................................27
Examination Regulations and Prohibited Conduct .................................................................29
EXAMINATION RULES AND REGULATIONS
Examination Misconduct ........................................................................................................32
Irregularities and Appeals ......................................................................................................33
Arbitration Requirement .........................................................................................................35

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© 2018 Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations
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 OVERVIEW

You are required to read this document before you apply to take the examination.
At the time of application, you will be required to confirm that you have read this
document, understood its contents, and agree to the policies and procedures contained
herein.
Changes in the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part II might occur after publication
of this Guide, and will be posted on the National Board Guides page at ADA.org/NBDE. You will
be subject to the policies and procedures in effect at the time of your test administration.

This document is the official candidate guide for the National Board
Dental Examination (NBDE) Part II. It provides information about
About this Guide application and examination procedures, program policies,
examination content, and scoring.

Licensure of dentists in the United States is the responsibility of an

individual state, district, or jurisdiction. A license issued by one such
authority is applicable only within the geographic confines of that
particular jurisdiction. Agencies in state government that administer
dental licensure under laws adopted by state legislatures typically
are called state boards of dentistry. A list of state boards can be
found at www.dentalboards.org.

Specific dental licensure requirements vary among jurisdictions, but

all jurisdictions have three basic requirements: an educational
requirement, a written examination requirement, and a clinical
examination requirement. All jurisdictions accept graduation from a
dental school accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation
(CODA) as fulfilling the educational requirement. Most jurisdictions
also accept graduation from a Canadian dental school accredited by
the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC).
Dental Licensure
The National Board Dental Examinations (NBDE) Program is
and the National intended to fulfill the written examination requirement, but
Board Dental acceptance of NBDE results is completely at the discretion of the
Examinations individual state. A state can place any limit on acceptance of NBDE
(NBDE) results that it deems appropriate. For example, some states accept
NBDE results only if earned within the last 10 years.

The Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) is

responsible for the development and administration of the NBDE and
the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE). This 15-
member Commission includes appointees from dental schools,
dental practice, state dental examining boards, dental hygiene,
dental students, and the public. The Department of Testing Services
is a shared resource of the American Dental Association that
implements the National Board Examinations.
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 Clinical examination requirements are handled separately by state
boards of dentistry.

The purpose of the NBDE Parts I and II is to assist state boards in

Purpose of the determining the qualifications of dentists who seek licensure to
National Board practice dentistry. The examinations assess the ability to understand
Dental important information from the biomedical and dental sciences, and
the ability to apply such information in a problem-solving context.
Examinations
State boards use the information provided by the NBDE Program to
help protect the public health.

Currently, all United States licensing jurisdictions recognize NBDE

Recognition of results. These jurisdictions include all 50 states, the District of
NBDE Certification Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands of the United
States.

While this guide covers NBDE Part II, it is important for candidates to
note that there is another examination on the horizon that will one
day replace NBDE Parts I and II. This examination—the Integrated
National Board Dental Examination (INBDE)—integrates the
biomedical, clinical, and behavioral sciences in its evaluation of
candidate dental skills. Similar to the NBDE, the INBDE is designed
to assist state boards of dentistry in making decisions about
candidates for dental licensure.
The Integrated
National Board To better prepare communities of interest, the Joint Commission has
Dental announced an implementation plan associated with the INBDE.
Examination Under this plan, the INBDE would be available no sooner than
(INBDE) August 1, 2020. The NBDE Part I would be discontinued on July 31,
2020, and the NBDE Part II would be discontinued on July 31, 2022.
No administrations of the latter two examinations would occur after
the aforementioned two dates. The dates provided above represent
estimates. Per the INBDE Implementation Plan, the Joint
Commission anticipates finalizing these dates in 2018.

More information, including fact sheets, up-to-date announcements,

and the INBDE Implementation Plan, is available under INBDE at
ADA.org/JCNDE.

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 The Integrated
National Board
Dental
Examination
(INBDE)
(continued)

Dentists play an important role in society by providing oral health

services that contribute to the health and well-being of individuals
and their communities. The dental profession requires its members
to behave ethically in the practice of dentistry at all times. This
obligation begins at the time of application to dental school and
continues through the educational process, the licensure process,
and the entirety of professional practice.

The American Dental Association’s Principles of Ethics and Code of

Professional Conduct defines and explains the expectations for
ethical conduct in the following way:
Ethical Conduct
and the Licensure “The dental profession holds a special position of trust within
Process for society. Consequently, society affords the profession certain
Dentists privileges that are not available to members of the public-at-
large. In return, the profession makes a commitment to
society that its members will adhere to high ethical standards
of conduct. These standards are embodied in the ADA
Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct (ADA
Code). The ADA Code is, in effect, a written expression of
the obligations arising from the implied contract between the
dental profession and society.”

Members of the profession voluntarily abide by the ADA Code in the

interest of protecting patients and maintaining the trust of society.

NBDE applicants are expected to abide by these ethical standards

and to read, understand, and comply with the Examination

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 Regulations and Rules of Conduct guiding the examinations. The
obligation to abide by the ethical standards of the profession
includes a commitment to honesty, truthfulness, full disclosure,
accuracy, fairness, and integrity in completing the examination
application, in the examination process itself, and in applying for
licensure.

The purpose of the NBDE program is to provide dental boards with

information as to whether a candidate possesses the necessary
cognitive skills to safely practice entry-level dentistry. Accordingly,
all candidates are expected to pass the NBDE on their own merit
without assistance, and are expected to maintain confidentiality with
respect to examination content. Members of the public who entrust
dentists with their well-being expect that they are trustworthy and
Ethical Conduct competent individuals.
and the
Licensure Process Behavior that results in misconduct or irregularity in the licensure
for Dentists examination process is a very serious matter. Violations of the
(continued) NBDE Rules of Conduct or Examination Regulations could
result in civil liability, voiding of examination results or other
appropriate penalty. Under certain circumstances, misconduct or
irregularity in the examination process could be reported to the
relevant licensing authority. A candidate who acts unethically
risks potential delay, denial, suspension, or loss of licensure.

The JCNDE, the state boards of dentistry, and the profession at

large expect strong ethical behavior in all candidates for licensure.
The JCNDE annually publishes policies and procedures applicable
to misconduct and irregularities in the NBDE application and
examination process. This information is available in later sections of
this document. The JCNDE expects all candidates to carefully read
and understand this information and their obligations as candidates
for National Board Examination certification. Questions regarding
these policies should be directed to the JCNDE.

EXAMINATION CONTENT

The NBDE Part II is a comprehensive examination consisting of 500

items. For each discipline, approximately 80% of the items are
stand-alone, while approximately 20% are interdisciplinary and case-
Examination based. A case consists of a patient scenario, patient history, and a
Specifications set of discipline-based items relevant to the scenario.

NBDE items are developed by test construction teams composed of

subject-matter experts in accordance with examination specifications
approved by the JCNDE.

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 The Universal/National System for tooth notation that has been
adopted by the American Dental Association is used on all National
Examination Board Dental and Dental Hygiene Examinations. This system is a
Specifications sequential tooth numbering system, designating the permanent
(continued) dentition (numbers 1-32), and the primary dentition (letters A-T).

The exam items that comprise the discipline-based component are

derived from the following disciplines:
1. Endodontics
2. Operative Dentistry
Exam 3. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/ Pain Control
Specifications 4. Oral Diagnosis
Discipline-Based 5. Orthodontics/Pediatric Dentistry
Component 6. Patient Management
(400 items) 7. Periodontics
8. Pharmacology
9. Prosthodontics

The case-based component of the NBDE Part II presents items

dealing with actual patients. The patient cases are developed to
include the following approximate distribution: adult patients – 70%;
child patients – 30%. A minimum of 15% of Case-Based exam
questions will address the medical management of compromised
adults and children. A compromised patient is defined as a person
whose health status requires modification of standard treatment.

Each case presentation in the examination consists of:

1. synopsis of a patient's health and social histories,
2. patient dental charting,
Exam 3. diagnostic radiographs, and
Specifications 4. clinical photographs of the patient (when necessary).
Case-Based
Component Each case contains from 10 to 15 questions about various aspects of
(100 items) this patient’s dental care. These questions-- totaling 100 across all
cases-- might derive from any of the biomedical sciences and clinical
disciplines, including Patient Management. The proportion stemming
from any particular discipline depends upon the nature of the case
itself. For example, the case of an elderly adult might be based upon
Maxillofacial Surgery/Pain Control, Prosthodontics, and Operative
Dentistry, whereas a child’s case might derive from Orthodontics,
Pediatric Dentistry, and Patient Management.

In responding to case-based items, the candidate must:

1. interpret the findings and information provided.

2. identify problems and make diagnoses.
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 3. select materials, technique, and armamentarium.
Case-Based 4. apply treatment.
Component 5. evaluate progress and complications.
(continued) 6. establish procedures for prevention and maintenance.

ENDODONTICS * (31 items)

Topic Number of Items
Clinical Diagnosis, Case Selection, Treatment Planning, and Patient Management 19
Basic Endodontic Treatment Procedures 7
Procedural Complications 1
Traumatic Injuries 1
Adjunctive Endodontic Therapy 1
Post-Treatment Evaluation 2
*The American Association of Endodontists’ Glossary of Endodontic Terms is used in reference to endodontic
pathoses. The endodontics diagnostic terminology adopted by AAE as described in the December 2009 Journal of
Endodontics [Volume 35, Number 12, p.1634], is incorporated in the NBDE Part II.
Examination forms for the NBDE Part II rely exclusively on the following endodontic terms, adopted by
the American Association of Endodontists (AAE) in 2009.

OPERATIVE DENTISTRY (44 items)

Dental Caries 8
Examination, Diagnosis, & Treatment Planning 27
General Operative Procedures 3

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Preparation of Cavities 3
Restoration of Prepared Cavities 3
ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGERY/PAIN CONTROL (47 items)
Surgery 15
Anxiety and Pain Control 3
Medical Assessment and Emergency Care 19
Treatment Plan 6
Diagnosis 4
ORAL DIAGNOSIS (45 items)
Oral Pathology 35
Oral Radiology 10
ORTHODONTICS/PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY (52 items)
Individual Tooth Pathology 15
Supporting Tissue Pathology 8
Dentofacial Variations 9
Behavior 10
Systemic Pathology 10
PATIENT MANAGEMENT (51 items)
Communication and Interpersonal Skills 9
Anxiety and Pain Control 5
Health Behavior Change 3
Disabled and Medically Compromised 5
Epidemiology 8
Prevention of Oral Diseases 1
Evaluation of Dental Literature 5
Infection Control 2
Materials and Equipment Safety 1
Professional Responsibility/Liability 12
PERIODONTICS (48)
Diagnosis 7
Etiology 4
Pathogenesis 1
Treatment Planning 8
Prognosis 1
Therapy 20
Prevention and Maintenance 7
PHARMACOLOGY (31)
General Principles 6
Central Nervous System 4
Autonomic 2
Cardiovascular 2
Local Anesthetics 3
Chemotherapy 5
Endocrines/Immunosuppressants 2
Analgesics 5
Antihistamines and Autocoids 2

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 PROSTHODONTICS (51)
General Considerations 22
Complete and Removable Partial Denture Prosthodontics 10
Fixed Partial Prosthodontics 19
A multiple-choice examination item consists of a stem,
which poses a problem, followed by a list of possible
answers. The stem of an examination item is usually
Sample Item Formats either a question or an incomplete statement. For NBDE
purposes, an item must have at least three and not more
than five possible responses. Only one of the responses
listed is considered the correct or best option.

Some examples of examination item formats are:

Completion: Completion-type items require the correct Paired True-False: The only portion of a paired true-
completion of a concept or idea. false examination item that varies is the stem. The stem
consists of two sentences on the same topic.
The area of the tooth that is the most sensitive to cavity
preparation is the In health, bone is constantly undergoing resorption and
formation.
A. dentin.
B. enamel. In periodontitis, only bone resorption occurs.
C. cementum.
D. cementoenamel junction. A. Both statements are true.
E. dentoenamel junction. B. Both statements are false.
C. The first statement is true, the second is false.
D. The first statement is false, the second is true.
Question: Question-type items communicate a problem Cause and Effect: The only portion of a cause-and-
or set of circumstances. effect test item that varies is the stem. The stem
consists of a statement and a reason. These are written
Which of the following has the potential for undergoing as a single sentence and are connected by the word
spontaneous malignant transformation? “because.”

A. Osteomalacia A traumatic injury can cause the pulp space to calcify,

B. Albright's syndrome because the accident can trigger odontoclasts into
C. Paget's disease of bone accelerated activity.
D. Osteogenesis imperfecta
E. Von Recklinghausen disease of bone A. Both the statement and the reason are
correct and related.
Negative: A negative item is characterized by a word B. Both the statement and the reason are
such as EXCEPT or NOT in the stem. These key words correct but NOT related.
are capitalized to help candidates determine the correct C. The statement is correct, but the reason is
answer. NOT.
D. The statement is NOT correct, but the
Each of the following drugs is appropriate for the reason is correct.
treatment of cardiac arrhythmia EXCEPT one. Which E. NEITHER the statement NOR the reason
one is the EXCEPTION? is correct.

A. Phenytoin
B. Lidocaine
C. Quinidine
D. Propranolol
E. Epinephrine

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 Some of the questions in this test involve a Patient Box. The Patient
Box presents information available to the dentist at the time of the
visit. Always consider information presented in the Patient Box when
answering questions. If no information is presented in a given area
of the Patient Box, assume the information is either unknown or is
not available. For example, if no allergies are listed, assume the
patient has no known allergies at the time of visit. Be sure to pay
close attention to all provided patient information. For some
questions, a Patient Box will be presented with case material, while
other questions will not include this material.

Patient Box

The JCNDE recommends that candidates use textbooks and

lecture notes as primary sources for study. Although some
previous questions from the NBDEs are periodically released, the
JCNDE believes they are best used to familiarize candidates with
item formats. The JCNDE does not guarantee that the information in
released NBDE materials is accurate, current, or relevant. Released
materials may no longer be consistent with the current exam
Examination specifications, content emphasis, item formatting guidelines, and
Preparation examination structure. Due to the dynamic nature of dental practice
and the biomedical sciences, these materials may be outdated.
Candidates are cautioned not to limit preparation for the examination
to the review of released items.

To purchase copies of released items, contact the American Student

Dental Association (ASDA) at 800.621.8099 (x 2795), 312.440.2795,
or www.asdanet.org. Official released items contain the ADA
copyright insignia at the bottom of the document pages.

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 The JCNDE does not endorse or recommend any specific teaching
aids (e.g. review courses) that are identified as NBDE preparation
materials.

Tutorial

At the Prometric test center, you will be given an opportunity to take

a brief optional tutorial before beginning the actual examination. The
tutorial provides the opportunity to become familiar with the steps
involved in proceeding through the examination.

Examination Test Drive

Preparation
(continued) Additionally, you can become familiar with the testing
experience through Prometric's Test Drive. In 30 minutes, you
can experience an overview of the testing experience you will
encounter on the actual testing day. During the overview, you can
participate in:
• the scheduling and registration process
• the complete check-in process
• introduction to test center staff and surroundings
• a live 15-minute sample test (generic test not NBDE Part II)
demonstrating the testing process
• full preparation for the real examination

Visit Prometric’s Test Drive at Prometric.com for further details and

pricing.

Current exam items represent confidential examination

material. Obtaining, using, or distributing current exam items is
strictly prohibited, regardless of the method employed (whether
by memorization, recording, copying, or other means). This
prohibition includes the discussion, distribution, and online
posting of remembered exam questions or answers, in whole or
in part.

Use or sharing of current exam items violates the Examination

Confidentiality of Regulations of this testing program. Such activities could
Testing Materials provide an unfair advantage to individuals and threaten the
validity and credibility of examination results. Because all
examinations are copyrighted property, these activities also
violate federal copyright laws.

The Department of Testing Services investigates all reports and

allegations of candidates’ alleged generation, misuse, or
sharing of current examination materials, and will pursue
formal action against candidates who violate the Examination

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 Regulations or federal copyright law. Violations could result in
the voiding of exam results or institution of legal action.

RESULTS INFORMATION

Scale scores range from 49 to 99, with a score of 75 representing

the minimum passing score (regardless of the particular examination
form completed by the candidate). Because the NBDE Part II is a
criterion-referenced examination, the minimum passing score is
determined by experts through standard-setting activities.
Examination passing standards are reviewed and updated by
subject matter experts and the Joint Commission on a periodic
basis, so the passing standard in place continues to reflect the level
Scoring of of cognitive skills required to safely practice. When standards are
Examination updated, a corresponding modification is made to the score scale, so
that a score of 75 continues to reflect the minimum passing score.

A candidate’s total score is computed using the total number of

correct answers selected by the candidate. The total score is then
converted to a scale score, which adjusts for any minor differences
in difficulty across NBDE Part II forms.

The NBDE Part II is a pass/fail exam; results will be reported only as

“pass” for candidates who achieve passing scores. For remediation
purposes, candidates who fail the examination will receive
information about how they performed in each of the major
Results Reporting disciplines covered on the exam. With respect to candidates who
tested prior to 2012, numerical scores for prior attempts will still be
reported.

The status of “pass” is reported for candidates who achieve a scale

score of 75 or higher. The status of “fail” is reported for candidates
who achieve a scale score below 75.

National Board Examination results are made available

approximately three to four weeks after the examination. Results can
be viewed online by logging in to the My Account Summary page.

To retrieve results online, go to the DENTPIN homepage

ADA.org/DENTPIN and click on the My Account link on the left side
of the page. Proceed by clicking on the “My Account Summary” link
on the My DENTPIN Account page. Log in using your DENTPIN and
password.
Results Reports
By signing the application, a candidate enrolled in an accredited
dental school (or who has graduated within the last five years) gives
express permission to provide results to the dean of the dental
school and his or her designee(s). Results are provided to others if
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 permission is granted in the form of a results report request from the
candidate. If misconduct has occurred in a past administration, your
results report may contain information concerning the incident (see
Examination Irregularities and Misconduct).
After receiving your results report, you may request that additional
reports be sent to other entities. You should confirm the accuracy of
your results report request. Processing of additional requests is
generally done on a daily basis. You can track the progress of your
request by logging in to My Account on ADA.org/DENTPIN.
Results Reports
(continued) Fees are nonrefundable and nontransferable.

A results report request can be made at ADA.org/JCNDE. The

Department of Testing Services will provide a history of your most
recent and previous results for the NBDE Part I and Part II to state
boards of dentistry and additional recipients.

As a routine part of the overall validation process, responses from

the NBDE Part II are audited for accuracy before results are
distributed. However, you can request to have your examination
responses audited or rechecked for accuracy; to request an audit of
Results Audits your results, you must login with your DENTPIN and follow the audit
request instructions. There is an additional charge for this service
(see the Examination Fees section of this Guide). Audits require
approximately six to eight weeks to complete and must be requested
within 30 days of the reporting date on the official report of results.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

The JCNDE does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability,
sexual orientation, or marital status.

A candidate is eligible for the NBDE Part II only after successful completion of the NBDE
Part I. Exceptions to this provision are granted only at the written request of a dental licensing
board. In case of an exception, the candidate's results are reported, but no National Board
Examination certificate is issued. The candidate must not have failed the NBDE Part I within
the past five years. Such a request must be presented on the letterhead of the board of
dentistry and must indicate that NBDE Part II results will be a determinant in the initial or
continued licensure of the candidate.

To participate in the NBDE Part II, a candidate must qualify through one of the following
provisions:
Dental Student – A student in a dental education program accredited by the
Accredited Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) is eligible for
U.S./Canadian examination when the dean of the dental school (or a designee)
Dental School verifies that the student is prepared in all NBDE Part II disciplines.

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 Visit CODA’s website for a listing of accredited dental programs on
ADA.org/CODA.

A dental student attending a nonaccredited dental school can also

be eligible for examination. If the dental school is not CODA
accredited, certification must be provided by the school on the
Certification of Eligibility (PDF) form at ADA.org/JCNDE in order to
confirm that the candidate is an active student. The completed
certification form must include the seal of the university and the
Dental Student – signature of the dean or the registrar. A report from Educational
Nonaccredited Credential Evaluators Inc. (ECE) must also be provided for the
Dental School verification of educational credentials obtained from nonaccredited
dental schools (schools not accredited by the CODA or the
Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada – CDAC).
Information on ECE reports can be found below in the eligibility
requirements for dentists who have graduated from a nonaccredited
school.

A former dental student who has completed courses in preparation

for NBDE Part II, but is no longer enrolled in the same dental school
is eligible for examination only if admitted or conditionally admitted to
Former Dental another CODA-accredited dental school. Conditionally admitted is
defined as admission contingent upon successful completion of the
Student
NBDE Part II. Verification must be in the form of a letter from the
dean of the CODA-accredited dental school.

A dentist who is an active, life, or retired member of the American

Dental Association at the time the application is eligible for
examination without further documentation.

An affiliate member or a nonmember must submit verification that he

or she is a dentist. Such verification must be in the form of a letter of
recommendation from one of the following:
1. The secretary of a board of dentistry of a United States
licensing jurisdiction in which the individual is licensed or
eligible for licensure as a dentist.
Dentist – Graduate 2. The dean or registrar of an accredited dental school from
of Accredited which the dentist graduated. Graduates of nonaccredited
U.S./Canadian dental schools must have evidence of graduation verified and
Dental School submitted as described under Nonaccredited Dental School
Graduate.
3. The dean, director, or registrar of an accredited dental school
at which the dentist studied or is studying at the post-
graduate level.

Dentists who were deemed eligible to take NBDE Part I only

because they were being considered for admission with advanced
standing to an accredited dental school must submit a letter of
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 recommendation from one of the three sources listed above, unless
they were admitted to an accredited dental school. The letter should
state the school that granted the D.D.S. or D.M.D. degree, the
degree achieved, and when it was granted.
The following provisions are required for the verification of
educational credentials obtained from nonaccredited dental
schools—schools not accredited by the CODA or the Commission
on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC).

You must have official dental school transcripts verified by

Educational Credential Evaluators Inc. (ECE).

If you do not have a DENTPIN®, you must register for one through
the DENTPIN® homepage prior to submitting an ECE report. The
Department of Testing Services will discard ECE reports that cannot
be matched to a DENTPIN® using candidate supplied name and
date of birth.

ECE prepares evaluation reports that identify U.S. equivalents of

educational qualifications earned in other countries.
Educational Credential Evaluators Inc.
P.O. Box 514070
Milwaukee, WI 53202-3470
Dentist – Graduate 414.289.3400 or www.ece.org
of a
Nonaccredited 1. Contact Educational Credential Evaluators, Inc.
Dental School (ECE) and request a General Report. The ECE
evaluation report request will describe what
documents are required, the manner in which to
submit them to ECE, and the applicable fee. To
request an evaluation report, visit www.ece.org,
select “Evaluation Report,” and request that a
General Report be sent to the Department of
Testing Services.

2. Only official reports electronically transmitted from

ECE to the Department of Testing Services will be
accepted. Personal copies are not acceptable.

3. The Department of Testing Services will not

process an examination application until the ECE
Evaluation Report is received.

4. The name on the ECE report must match the

name on your application exactly. Any name
changes must be accompanied by legal
documentation.

If you submitted a satisfactory ECE report for the NBDE Part I, you
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 do not need to resubmit another ECE report for the NBDE Part II.
Candidates who have passed the NBDE Part II may not retake the
examination unless required by a state board or relevant regulatory
agency.

Candidates who have not passed may apply for re-examination. An

examination attempt is defined as any examination administration
where the candidate has been seated at a computer at a test center,
and electronically agreed to the confidentiality statement to start the
Eligibility for examination.
Re-examination
Candidates must wait a minimum of 90 days between test
attempts.

Candidates are encouraged to seek formal remediation before re-

examination.

Under the JCNDE’s Five Years/Five Attempts Eligibility Rule,

candidates must pass the examination within a) five years of
their first attempt or b) five examination attempts, whichever
comes first. Subsequent to the fifth year or fifth attempt,
candidates may test once every 12 months after their most
recent examination attempt.

The Five Years/Five Attempts Eligibility Rule applies to examination

attempts occurring on or after January 1, 2012. Examination
attempts occurring prior to this date are not considered under this
regulation.

TESTING INFORMATION

The NBDE Part II is administered by Prometric Inc. at Prometric test

centers in the United States, its territories (including Guam, Puerto
Rico and the Virgin Islands), and in Canada.

Test Centers After your application has been processed, you will receive an email
with testing appointment scheduling instructions. You can visit
Prometric.com or call 800.688.5804 to schedule a testing
appointment. The Prometric contact center will NOT schedule an
appointment with a candidate before receiving authorization from the
Department of Testing Services. Additionally, local test centers
cannot schedule, reschedule, or cancel appointments.

EXAMINATION FEES

Fees are not refundable and not transferable. All fees are in U.S. dollars. The following
indicates examination fees:
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 Fee Type Description Fee Amount
This fee includes official result reporting to you and the
NBDE Part II fee dean of the accredited dental school. Results are $480
reported electronically to dental schools through the
Department of Testing Services Hub.
NBDE Processing Fee This handling/processing fee is for candidates who are
for Nonaccredited students or graduates from a dental school that is not $200
Candidates accredited by CODA.
Results Report Fee This fee covers a single results report for a recipient $37 per report
(optional) NOT selected at the time of application.
The Department of Testing Services is willing to audit
Results Audit Fee your NBDE Part II results if your request is received $65
(optional) within 30 days of the official score report date on your
official results report.
National Board Candidates can order a full-size (8½" x 11") certificate To purchase a
Certificate with optional frames. National Board
Certificate you
must login with
your DENTPIN

Reschedule Fee

The fee to reschedule a testing appointment is determined by the amount of notice provided.
The fee schedule is as follows:

Number of Days Prior to Testing Appointment** Reschedule

Fee
1 to 5 business days prior to the testing appointment, and at least $100
24 hours before the appointment is scheduled to begin.
6 to 30 business days prior to the testing appointment. $ 60
31+ business days prior to the testing appointment. $ 25
**Saturdays and Sundays are NOT business days

EXAMINATION SCHEDULE

The following table provides the NBDE Part II administration schedule. The total administration
time is 12 hours and 30 minutes, including tutorials, scheduled breaks, and a survey. For a
content outline of the examination, see the Examination Specifications in this Guide.

National Board Dental Examination Part II

Day 1
Tutorial 15 minutes (optional)
Discipline-based, stand-alone items (100) Morning Session:
15-minute scheduled break 3 hours 30 minutes plus
Discipline-based, stand-alone items (100) optional 15-minute scheduled
break
30-minute scheduled lunch break 30 minutes (optional)
Discipline-based, stand-alone items (100) Afternoon Session:
15-minute scheduled break
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Discipline-based, stand-alone items (100) 3 hours 30 minutes plus
optional 15-minute scheduled
break

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 Day 2
Tutorial 15 minutes (optional)
Three to five patient cases (approx. 50 items) Morning Session:
3 hours 30 minutes plus
15-minute scheduled break optional 15-minute scheduled
Three to five patient cases (approx. 50 items) break

Post-examination survey 15 minutes (optional)

Total Time 12 hours 30 minutes

Obtain a DENTPIN® and Apply for Examination

As part of the application process, you must provide a Dental
Personal Identification Number (DENTPIN®). If you have taken the
Dental Admission Test (DAT), the Advanced Dental Admission Test
(ADAT), the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part I or the
NBDE Part II, a DENTPIN® already exists for you.

The DENTPIN® is a unique personal identifier for individuals involved

with the U.S. dental education system and standardized testing
programs, such as the ADAT, DAT, American Dental Education
Association’s (ADEA) Associated American Dental Schools
What is a Application Service (ADEA AADSAS), Texas Medical & Dental
DENTPIN®? Schools Application Service (TMDSAS), ADEA Centralized
Application for Advanced Placement for International Dentists (ADEA
CAAPID), ADEA Postdoctoral Application Support Service (ADEA
PASS), the National Board Dental Examination and the National
Board Dental Hygiene Examination. These programs use the
DENTPIN® to uniquely identify individuals and for confidential and
secure reporting, transmission, and tracking of test results and
academic data.

Before proceeding with your application, obtain or retrieve your

DENTPIN® at ADA.org/DENTPIN.

You may submit an application on ADA.org/JCNDE. A new

application and fee must be submitted each time you wish to take an
examination. If you meet the eligibility requirements for testing, your
application will be processed. This processing takes place Monday
through Friday during normal business hours. The Department of
Testing Services will forward your eligibility information to Prometric
How to Apply for
after your application has been approved, and you will receive an
an Examination email with testing appointment scheduling instructions.

To allow adequate time for Prometric to receive your eligibility

file, please wait 24 hours after receipt of this e-mail before
attempting to schedule a testing appointment.
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 After your application has been processed, you will be eligible to test
for a six-month period. If you do not schedule a testing appointment
or take the NBDE Part II during this period, you will have to submit a
new application and fee to take the examination.

The eligibility period will not be extended and you will forfeit
your examination fee.

All information you provide on the application must be accurate. To

avoid complications in qualifying for licensure, you must enter your
name as it appears on your government-issued ID.

The name on your application and IDs must match exactly.

When including a middle name, either the full name or initial is

acceptable.

If the name on your NBDE Part II application and your IDs do

not match exactly, you will be denied permission to test. As a
result, you will forfeit your testing appointment and application
fee. You will be required to submit a new application.

Changes and corrections to your application (such as name, birth

date, etc.) must be completed at least five business days prior to
your testing appointment. You are responsible for identifying any
corrections and must notify the Department of Testing Services at
[email protected]. Name changes and birth date corrections require
Application Details completing a separate DENTPIN® Form, which is available under
“Update DENTPIN Information” on the DENTPIN page of
ADA.org/JCNDE. This form must be emailed to [email protected]
along with your DENTPIN® and any appropriate documentation,
such as a marriage certificate or court documents.

Candidates can make other changes, such as address changes,

through their DENTPIN accounts. Please see the Update DENTPIN
Information section of the ADA.org/JCNDE website or contact
[email protected] with questions.

During the application and examination process, you will be

required to identify yourself accurately. This includes your name,
DENTPIN®, address, year of birth, etc.

If it is determined that you deliberately falsified your name,

DENTPIN®, or personal data in the DENTPIN® system,
examination application, or at the test center, your results will
be voided, and your dental school will be notified. You might
have to wait two years before retesting, or you could be banned
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 from taking the NBDE.

The Joint Commission will maintain the privacy and security of

candidates’ personal information using industry standard methods.
The Department of Testing Services will collect and retain personal
information to the extent necessary to serve candidate needs,
administer the National Board Examinations, fulfill National Board
Examination program responsibilities (e.g., to maintain the integrity
of the test and detect and prevent unlawful activity), and fulfill legal
requirements. National Board Examination results shall be retained
indefinitely, along with testing records and necessary personal
information.

National Board Examination results will be released or reported to

state dental boards, education programs, or other entities upon
written candidate authorization or designation by electronic means
through the electronic application or score report request form.
Examination results could be released or reported in the absence of
Privacy and such authorization when Joint Commission policies indicate that
such notification is appropriate (e.g., notification of state dental
Security boards concerning an irregularity). Examination results will be
released to dental education programs to enable those programs to
understand student outcomes. For research and policymaking
purposes, examination results could be released—with personally
identifying information removed—to legitimately interested parties.
The Joint Commission shall make information on its privacy policies
available to all candidates and the public.

The ADA provides technical support for the National Board

Examination programs and uses data security procedures to protect
the integrity of personal and exam information. Security safeguards
include administrative, technical, and physical safeguards over data
and data processing systems. For information on policies relating to
your use of the ADA.org website, please refer to the Privacy Policy
available at www.ADA.org.

By registering for the examination, you consent to the collection,

processing, use, and transmission of your personal information for
purposes related to the NBDE program as outlined in this Guide.

After your application has been approved, the Department of Testing

Services will send an email to you with testing appointment
scheduling instructions. Concurrently, Prometric will also receive
Schedule a Testing notification of your eligibility for NBDE Part II testing. Prometric will
not schedule your appointment before receiving and processing
Appointment
authorization from the Department of Testing Services.

To allow adequate time for Prometric to receive your eligibility

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 information, please wait 24 hours after receipt of your eligibility
email before attempting to schedule a testing appointment.

After you receive eligibility, you may then call the Prometric contact
center at 800.688.5804 or visit Prometric.com to schedule a testing
appointment.
Schedule a Testing
Appointment You must schedule your NBDE Part II sessions on two consecutive
(continued)
days AND at the same test center, or your results cannot be scored.
Partial credit will not be awarded. If you do not test on consecutive
days and at the same test center, you will be required to retest at
your own expense.

If you wish to reschedule or cancel your testing appointment, you

must contact Prometric in advance of the testing appointment and
pay a fee directly to Prometric. Additional fees apply (see the
Examination Fees section of this Guide). Appointments must be
canceled or rescheduled by the business day prior to the test, at
least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled appointment.

To reschedule an appointment, call 800.688.5804 or visit

Prometric.com. The local test center cannot schedule, reschedule, or
cancel your appointment.

No Show Policy

If you do not appear for your scheduled testing appointment

and you do not cancel or reschedule your appointment in
Reschedule or
advance of the test date, you will forfeit all examination fees.
Cancel a Testing
Appointment: You will be required to submit a new application and pay the fee to
Emergencies, schedule a new appointment.
Testing Problems,
and No Show Be sure that you receive a confirmation notification when
Policy rescheduling your testing appointment. Retain a copy of this
confirmation for your records.

Emergencies on the Day of the Testing Appointment

If an emergency on the day of the testing appointment prevents

you from appearing for the appointment, you may submit a written
request for relief to the Department of Testing Services. This request
should include applicable documentation and be sent to
[email protected] within five business days of the
appointment.

Examples of emergencies and applicable documentation include, but

are not limited to, the following:

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 • Sudden illness on the exam day: Provide a doctor’s note or
hospital records confirming you were treated on the day of
the exam.
• Death in the family on the exam day: Provide a copy of an
obituary, prayer card, funeral service program, or death
certificate confirming that the relative passed away or
services were held on the day of the examination.

Testing appointments affected by emergencies occurring prior to the

Reschedule or day of the actual testing appointment should be handled through the
rescheduling and cancellation process with Prometric indicated
Cancel a Testing
above.
Appointment:
Emergencies, Testing Problems on the Day of the Testing Appointment
Testing Problems,
and No Show If you experience problems with testing conditions during
Policy administration of the exam, you must stop testing and notify
(continued) the test center administrator immediately.

Testing should not be resumed until the issue has been documented
and resolved by the test center administrator. Unresolved concerns
must be submitted in writing within five business days of the
testing appointment to [email protected].

Upon receipt of the information, the Department of Testing Services

will conduct an investigation and notify you of the outcome.
Candidates with documented, unresolved testing issues could be
offered the opportunity to retest within 30 days.

Scores cannot be canceled or adjusted under any circumstances.

The Department of Testing Services provides reasonable and

appropriate accommodations in accordance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act for individuals with documented disabilities or a
medical condition who demonstrate a need for accommodations or a
medical condition and request accommodations prior to testing.

An individual is considered to have a disability under the Americans

with Disabilities Act if he or she has a physical or mental impairment
Testing that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record
Accommodations of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.
Major life activities include seeing, hearing, speaking, walking,
breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself, and
working.

English as a second language, test anxiety, slow reading without an

identified underlying physical or mental deficit, or failure to achieve a
desired outcome are not generally covered by the Americans with
Disabilities Act.
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 Testing accommodations are offered to those with a qualified
disability or a medical condition in order to offer equal access to
testing. Candidates must request testing accommodations with each
application, but will not be required to submit additional
documentation for the same disability or condition with subsequent
re-examinations.
Testing
Accommodations Information concerning testing accommodations will not be shared
(continued) outside of the Department of Testing Services and the test center,
and will not be indicated on test scores reported to state boards,
advanced dental education programs or additional recipients.

In considering a request from a candidate with a disability, the Joint

Commission is guided by a focus on validity. Testing
accommodations are provided so all candidates have the opportunity
to demonstrate their knowledge and skills, and so that measurement
through testing can accurately reflect knowledge and skills, as
opposed to having measurement inappropriately reflect a disability.

The following documentation will be used to help determine whether

you qualify for accommodations under the Americans with
Disabilities Act, or whether you qualify for accommodations as a
result of a medical condition.

The Department of Testing Services requires a complete evaluation

of the candidate as well as the completed and signed Testing
Accommodations Request Form available under Apply to Take the
NBDE on ADA.org/JCNDE. A health care professional appropriately
qualified to evaluate the disability or medical condition must conduct
the evaluation.
Request for
Testing If you have a documented disability recognized under the Americans
Accommodations with Disabilities Act or a medical condition and require testing
and Appropriate accommodations, you must submit the following prior to testing: an
Documentation application to test, the Testing Accommodations Request Form, and
the supporting documentation. Your submission is not complete until
you have provided all three components.

Procedures for submitting a request for testing accommodations are

as follows:

1. Select “Yes” from the dropdown on the NBDE Part II

application requesting testing accommodations. You must
submit an application for the examination, the testing
accommodations request form, and the supporting
documentation prior to testing. The process is not
complete until you have submitted all three components.
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 You can schedule a testing appointment after your testing
accommodations request has been approved. Testing
accommodations cannot be added to a previously
scheduled testing appointment. If you schedule your
testing appointment before the approval of testing
accommodations, you will be required to cancel the
appointment and pay a reschedule fee. You must receive
your eligibility email (with approved accommodations)
before you can schedule a testing appointment.

2. Submit the following documents to

[email protected]:

a. Testing Accommodations Request Form, which can be

found on the NBDE Part I and Part II General Information
page of the ADA.org/JCNDE website. It must be signed
and dated, and indicate the disability or medical condition
and the request for accommodations.
Request for Accommodations should align with the identified functional
Testing limitation so that the adjustment to the testing procedure is
Accommodations appropriate.
and Appropriate
Documentation b. Current evaluation report (from within the past five
(continued) years) from the appropriate health care professional. The
document must be on official letterhead and should
include the professional’s credentials, signature, address,
and telephone number. The report must indicate the
candidate’s name, date of birth, and date of evaluation.
The report should include:
• information concerning the specific diagnostic
procedures or tests administered. Diagnostic methods
used should be appropriate to the disability and in
alignment with current professional protocol.
the results of diagnostic procedures and tests, and a
comprehensive interpretation of the results.
• the specific diagnosis of the disability or medical
condition, with an accompanying description of the
candidate’s limitations due to the disability or medical
condition.
• a summary of the complete evaluation with
recommendations for the specific accommodations
and how they will reduce the impact of the identified
functional limitation.

c. Documentation of any previous accommodations

provided by educational institutions or other testing
agencies. If no prior accommodations were provided, the
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 licensed professional should include a detailed
explanation as to why no accommodations were given in
the past and why accommodations are needed now.

Please do not submit the following documents as they will not be

accepted:

1. Handwritten letters from health care professionals

Unacceptable 2. Handwritten patient records or notes from patient charts
Forms of 3. Diagnoses on prescription pads
Documentation 4. Self-evaluations
5. Research articles
6. Original documents; submit copies only
7. Previous correspondence to the JCNDE or the Department of
Testing Services
8. Correspondence from educational institutions or testing
agencies not directly addressed to the JCNDE

EXAMINATION RULES AND REGULATIONS

The JCNDE has established rules that govern the administration of

the National Board Examinations to ensure that examination results
accurately reflect candidates’ skills and that no candidate receives
an unfair advantage on the examination.

Examination Regulations and Rules of Conduct help preserve the

integrity of the examination process and provide standardized exam
administration conditions that facilitate accurate skills measurement.

Accessing examination content prior to testing, breaching the

confidentiality of examination content, or any attempt to subvert the
examination process represent violations of test regulations.
Conduct occurring before, during, or after testing that violates the
Examination Regulations and Rules of Conduct could result in
Rules of Conduct invalidation of examination results or other penalties.

You must be truthful in completing the application and must abide by

all instructions regarding examination conduct.

Failure to comply with the Examination Regulations and Rules

of Conduct could result in a determination of the presence of an
irregularity and your examination results could consequently
be voided. If your results are voided as a result of an
irregularity, you could be prohibited from testing or could face
civil or criminal prosecution.

By applying for a National Board Examination, you agree to abide by

the following Rules of Conduct:
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 1. You certify that you are the person who has registered for the
examination for the purpose of gaining National Board
Examination certification. You may not take the examination
for someone else, someone else may not take the
examination for you, nor may you take the exam for any
reason other than for the purpose of gaining admission to a
dental or health profession education program or for state
licensure. You may not take the examination to practice
or to obtain an advance review of the content.

2. Candidates are not allowed to complete an examination for

any reason other than National Board Examination
certification. If available information suggests a candidate
might be completing an examination for other purposes, the
Joint Commission could revoke the candidate’s eligibility, and
the candidate could be required to re-establish eligibility to
take the exam.

3. You will not give, receive, or obtain any form of unauthorized

assistance prior to the examination, during the examination
(e.g., in the testing room or when on a break), or subsequent
to the examination.

Rules of Conduct 4. You will maintain the confidentiality of the examination at all
(continued) times. You will not reproduce or attempt to reproduce
examination materials through memorization, recording,
copying, or other means. You will not provide information
about current examination content that might affect the
examination’s ability to accurately reflect candidates’ skills, or
that might provide an unfair advantage to other candidates.
For example, you will neither make use of nor participate
in the sharing or distribution of information regarding
examination content or answers (via electronic means or
otherwise).

5. You will not bring any unauthorized materials, as listed in the

Test Regulations and Prohibited Conduct section of this
Guide, into the secure testing area. All unauthorized
materials must be placed in your assigned locker and may
not be accessed while you are testing.

6. You will not remove materials in any form (written, printed,

recorded, or other) from the test center.

7. You will comply with test center policies and procedures. You
will not create a disturbance in the test center.

8. You will not tamper with the computer testing equipment and
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 facilities.

9. You will cooperate fully with any investigations of irregular

behavior. You agree to have your exam analyzed to detect
aberrancies.

10. The NBDE Part II is a secure examination protected by U.S.

copyright laws. Any unauthorized disclosure of the
examination’s contents could result in civil liability, criminal
penalties, voiding of examination results, or other appropriate
penalties.

You may not disclose any test content (in whole or in part)
before, during, or after the test to anyone, including but not
limited to family, friends, classmates, colleagues, or test
preparation organizations. This applies to any content
Rules of Conduct disclosed through discussions, emails, in writing, online (e.g.,
(continued)
blogs, social media, websites), or otherwise.

Candidates who receive unreleased test items should immediately

forward it to [email protected] without reviewing it. Candidates
who have been found to be in possession of such information—or to
have participated in the distribution of this information—could have
their examination results voided. Penalties could be imposed
subsequent to discovery and investigation of the original incident,
which could occur years after the incident itself.
You are encouraged to report activities that disclose information
about examination questions, so that the Department of Testing
Services can investigate and take any necessary action. Report
such activity to the Department of Testing Services at
[email protected].

Report to the test center at least 30 minutes prior to your scheduled

appointment time. If you report late, you might not be allowed to take
the examination, depending on the time of arrival and schedule of
testing appointments. Prometric test center administrators will
determine whether there is sufficient time and space to administer
the examination.
Test Center If you arrive late and the test center cannot seat you, you will
Procedures forfeit your examination fee and you must submit a new
application and fee.

In cases of inclement weather, natural disaster, or other local

conditions that could cause unavoidable interruptions to testing,
Prometric will make reasonable efforts to notify you and reschedule
your testing appointment.

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 You are expected to understand and comply with the Prometric test
center regulations. You can review test center information at
Prometric.com.

When you arrive at the Prometric test center to take the

examination, two original, current (not expired) forms of
identification (ID – one primary and one secondary – will be
required.

An expired ID that is accompanied by temporary identification

or documentation that a new, valid ID has been requested WILL
NOT be accepted.

The primary ID must be a government-issued ID with your

photograph, name, and signature. Examples of acceptable primary
IDs are a driver's license, passport, or passport card. All IDs, with
the exception of passports, must be in English.

The secondary ID must contain your name and signature. Examples

of secondary IDs are a debit card, library card, or credit card, etc.

Test Center The name on your IDs must match exactly the name you entered on
Procedures your NBDE Part II application.
(continued)
If the names on your IDs and your NBDE Part II application do
not match exactly, you will be denied admission to testing, and
you will forfeit your scheduled testing appointment and the
application fee.

You will be required to submit a new application and fee to schedule

a new testing appointment.

If you are including a middle name, either the full name or initial is
acceptable.

If you have a name change, complete the DENTPIN® Request

Form, available at ADA.org/DENTPIN, and email the request for a
name correction to [email protected] with your DENTPIN®. It must
be received at least five business days prior to your examination
appointment. If you have any questions concerning types of
acceptable identification, please call the Department of Testing
Services at 800.232.1694.

The Prometric test center will electronically capture the identity of

each candidate with a fingerprint and a photograph, before
candidates can proceed with testing. This biometric data, which will
be retained for future administrations, allows candidates to return to
the testing area more quickly after breaks. Additionally, the test
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 center will use a detection wand to scan for electronic devices and
will visually inspect eyeglasses and hair accessories for cameras as
part of the check-in procedures. You can view the Prometric check-
in procedures at Prometric.com.

You will be observed at all times while testing. This observation will
include test center staff walking through the secure testing lab, as
well as video recording of your testing session. Test center staff are
required to report behavior that might be a violation of the rules and
regulations.

Test center staff are not authorized to answer questions regarding

examination content, examination software, or scoring.

Test Center The test administrator is responsible for the operation of the facility,
Procedures maintaining order, and administering the examinations according to
(continued) established procedures. The test center administrator is authorized
to dismiss you from a testing session for violating the rules or
regulations.

If you experience problems with testing conditions, you should stop

testing and notify the test administrator immediately. Do not
proceed with testing unless the problem is resolved. Unresolved
concerns should be submitted to [email protected] within
five business days of your testing appointment.
You will have an opportunity to become familiar with the operation of
the examination by taking a brief tutorial before beginning the actual
examination.

The Examination Regulations are in place to ensure that results can

be interpreted with confidence as an accurate reflection of candidate
skills. This is particularly important given the role of the examinations
in helping to protect the health of the public. Violations of the
Examination Regulations undermine the ability of the examination to
accurately assess candidates’ skills and fulfill the purpose of the
examination. As such, the Joint Commission treats violations
Examination extremely seriously.
Regulations
and Prohibited You must comply with the examination rules, regulations, and
Conduct procedures. These preserve the integrity of the examination process
and provide standard examination conditions that ensure no
candidate receives an unfair advantage on the examination.

It is your personal responsibility to understand and comply with

the Examination Regulations indicated in this Guide.

Test administrators at test center facilities work with a large number

of testing programs covering many fields and occupations. If you are
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 unsure of what would be considered appropriate and inappropriate
(i.e., prohibited) conduct during test administration, seek clarification
directly from the Joint Commission in advance of testing. The Joint
Commission bears no responsibility for inaccurate information
or permissions received from test center administrators. If a
candidate’s conduct violates the terms set forth in this Guide,
the Joint Commission will act to strictly enforce its policies and
procedures as indicated within this Guide.

No personal items are permitted in the secure testing area. Any

personal belongings brought to the test center must be stored in the
designated locker. Personal belongings might be inspected. Notes or
any materials accessed during testing or on an unscheduled break
could be confiscated.

Accessing personal belongings or your locker during an

unscheduled break violates the Examination Regulations. Test
administrators are not authorized to provide you with
permission to access personal belongings or your locker
during an unscheduled break.
Examination
Regulations Items that are prohibited from the secure testing area include, but
and Prohibited are not limited to, the following:
Conduct • Books, notes, study materials, scratch paper, tissues,
(continued) personal ear plugs, or markers not provided by the testing
center
• Dental instruments, models, or materials
• Slide rules, paper, calculating devices, rulers, or other
measuring devices
• Electronic devices, such as cell phones, recording devices,
iPods, tablets, and headsets or headphones
• Tote bag, purses, wallets, backpacks, briefcases
• Highlighters, pens, erasers, pencils, dictionaries, and
translators.
• Food, candy, gum, water, or other beverages
• Outerwear, such as coats, jackets, gloves, or head coverings
(except for religious purposes)
• Good luck charms, statues, religious and spiritual items, or
superstitious talismans
• Medicinal items, except those items approved in advance
under testing accommodations
• Watches (digital or analog) or timing devices (a timer is
provided on the computer screen during testing)
• Magnifying devices
• Jewelry, except for wedding and engagement rings.

The test center will provide two note boards and two low-odor fine tip
markers to use during the examination.
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 Used note boards will be replaced by test center staff upon
request. Scratch paper, pencils, or markers not furnished by the
testing center are not permitted. You may not write on the note
boards before the test begins or during scheduled breaks. The note
boards should not be folded, bent, or modified in any manner. You
may not use the markers on any surface other than the note boards.
You may not touch the monitor during testing. All items provided
must be returned to the test administrator before leaving the test
center.

You should not engage in conversation with others during testing or

while on an unscheduled break. You are strictly prohibited from
discussing the examination.

Test center administrators will report the activity of candidates who

take unscheduled breaks.

During an unscheduled break, you may NOT access personal

belongings or prohibited items, study or refer to notes or texts,
use a telephone, eat or drink any food and beverages, or leave
Examination the test center. Administrators from the test center are not
Regulations authorized to provide you with permission to engage in these
and Prohibited activities.
Conduct
(continued) Although the examination is administered under strict supervision
and security, examination irregularities can sometimes occur.
Examination results could be voided based upon a breach of
examination security, invalid examination conditions, or candidate
violations of the Examination Regulations, Rules of Conduct, or Test
Center Procedures. If cheating is detected during the examination,
or evidence of irregular behavior is disclosed when the examination
is scored, or afterward, those involved will have their examination
scores voided.

As noted above, if you think you might require any medicinal items
during the testing session (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen), you must
receive permission from the Department of Testing Services in
advance of the testing session. This permission is obtained through
adherence to the Department of Testing Services’ testing
accommodations procedures.

Failure to comply with the Examination Regulations and Rules

of Conduct could result in a determination of an irregularity and
your examination results could be withheld, canceled, or
considered invalid, or another appropriate penalty could be
imposed. You might also be directed to leave the test center
before you have completed the examination. If your results are
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 withheld or invalidated, or you are otherwise penalized as the
result of an irregularity, you could be prohibited from testing.

EXAMINATION IRREGULARITIES AND MISCONDUCT

The Joint Commission strives to report results that accurately reflect

the cognitive skills and performance of each candidate. The
standards and procedures for administering each examination are
intended to provide candidates with a reasonable opportunity to
demonstrate their skills, and to facilitate accurate evaluation of those
skills.

The JCNDE reserves the right to withhold, void, or invalidate any

result. This could occur when, in the JCNDE’s judgment, it is
reasonable to question the validity of your result or the result of any
candidate to whom you have provided prohibited assistance.
Reasons for withholding, voiding, or invalidating results, or for
imposing other appropriate penalties, could include, but are not
limited to, the following:

• Unusual answer patterns

• Atypical score increases from one examination attempt to
another
• Discrepancy in, or falsification of, a candidate’s identification
• Information indicating that a candidate has engaged in
Examination
misconduct or a violation of the Examination Regulations and
Misconduct Rules of Conduct
• Sharing of remembered exam questions or answers including
through social media platforms and online discussion forums
• Falsification of application information or supporting
documents
• Taking an examination on behalf of another individual, or
having another individual take an examination on your behalf
• Falsification of a candidate’s results report
• Inconsistent performance on different sections of the exam
from one examination attempt to another
• Improper access to secure exam content
• Indication of an exam administration irregularity
• Any other information indicating the results might not be
valid.

When the JCNDE voids or invalidates exam results, it notifies the

candidate in writing. The notice includes information about the
decision and the procedure for appeal. Results will remain voided
until an appeal process has been completed, or the time for appeal
has expired.
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 When the JCNDE voids a result that has already been reported,
results report recipients will be notified that the result has been
voided.

If it is determined that you engaged in irregular behavior,

information regarding this determination becomes a part of your
JCNDE record. At its sole discretion, the JCNDE might elect to
send a summary report documenting the incident to legitimately
interested parties. This would include all parties to whom you have
instructed results be sent (both current and future).

If the JCNDE finds reason to void the NBDE Part I results of an

Examination individual who has successfully completed the NBDE Part II and
Misconduct has received National Board Examination certification, the decision
(continued) to void the NBDE Part I results could be stayed pending the
outcome of an appeal or until the time for submission of an appeal
has expired. The Department of Testing Services will not report the
candidate’s results until time has expired or the Joint Commission
has rendered a decision concerning an appeal (whichever comes
first).

In situations where an irregularity has occurred, individuals who are

involved or implicated with respect to the occurrence of the
irregularity, or who are reasonably believed to have witnessed the
irregularity, could be asked to provide information concerning the
irregularity.

The JCNDE reserves the right to pursue other remedies, including

prosecution of anyone whose conduct unlawfully undermines the
security of the NBDE or the integrity of the examination process.

An irregularity is defined as a situation in which there could be a

question about the validity of examination results in accurately
reflecting the ability and skills of a candidate. For example, such
questions could be raised when:
• there is communication between candidates during the
testing session.
• unauthorized assistance occurs.
Irregularities and • candidates have inappropriate access to current exam
Appeals content (e.g. remembered exam questions or answers are
shared by email or online posting).
• conduct expressly prohibited by the Examination Regulations
and Rules of Conduct occurs, or test administration
disruptions are present, including natural disasters and other
emergencies.

When an irregularity is identified, results for the candidates involved

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 are placed on hold pending resolution of the corresponding appeals.
If an appeal is denied or no appeal is filed, the results of the
candidates involved could be voided or other appropriate remedies
imposed, based on the outcome of the appeal.

Candidates whose results are subject to being voided are notified by

written correspondence and provided with a copy of the Limited
Right of Appeal for Examination Candidates. Appeals must be
submitted in writing within 30 days of notification of the
irregularity. Appeals must clearly state the specific relief
requested and include corresponding arguments, evidence, and
documentation in support of the request.

The candidate will be notified of the JCNDE’s decision approximately

60 days after receipt of the appeal.

When considering an appeal, the JCNDE strives to ensure that

examination results accurately reflect the candidate’s skills, and that
the appealing candidate has an opportunity to gain National Board
Examination certification equal to, but not greater than, the
Irregularities and opportunity provided to other candidates.
Appeals
(continued) The JCNDE will void results when there is a reasonable and good
faith basis to do so. If the JCNDE determines that voiding results is
not warranted under the circumstances, the results will be released.

Candidates should be aware that the JCNDE considers irregularities

other than natural disasters and emergencies beyond the control of
the candidate to be a serious breach of the testing process.

The JCNDE handles irregularities in a confidential manner and does

not voluntarily share details regarding irregularities. However,
candidates should be aware that reports of irregularities could have
consequences beyond the voiding of results or the imposition of
other appropriate penalties, if information regarding the irregularities
is brought to the attention of school authorities or regulatory
agencies, or other entities by other sources.

Candidates are encouraged to report suspicious activity or

observations of violations of the Examination Regulations to the
Department of Testing Services at [email protected].

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 Arbitration has become an increasingly common way to resolve legal
differences. Generally speaking, the advantages of arbitration over
traditional lawsuits are that arbitration is less expensive and issues
Arbitration are resolved in less time. If a candidate wishes to pursue a dispute
Requirement that has not been resolved by the appeal process mentioned above
and detailed in the Limited Right of Appeal for Examination
Candidates, the candidate must use the procedure described in the
following Agreement to Arbitrate.

AGREEMENT TO ARBITRATE

1) In the event that any legal dispute arises between you and the Joint Commission on National
Dental Examinations, an agency of the American Dental Association, in connection with your
participation in the National Board Dental Examination Part II, where that dispute is not resolved
by the appeals process detailed in the Guide and elsewhere, you agree that the exclusive means
for resolving the dispute shall be Binding Arbitration as described by the terms of this Agreement.
This means that you waive the rights you may have to resolve the dispute in a court of law, or by
any other means that might otherwise be available to you.

2) The American Dental Association ("ADA") agrees to be similarly bound except that the ADA
reserves its full rights to pursue injunctive and other appropriate relief in any state or federal
court in cases of unfair competition or violations of, or threats to violate, any intellectual property
rights of the ADA. With respect to any action filed by the ADA pursuant to this paragraph 2, you
consent to submit to the jurisdiction of the state or federal court in which the ADA seeks relief.

3) Arbitration proceedings initiated pursuant to this Agreement to Arbitrate shall be conducted in

accordance with the then current rules of the American Arbitration Association. The Arbitration
and any proceedings relating to it shall be held in Chicago, Illinois. The arbitrator's award shall be
binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. Information
about the American Arbitration Association, its rules, and its forms are available from the
American Arbitration Association, 335 Madison Avenue, Floor 10, New York, New York, 10017-
4605.

4) In the event of Arbitration, the parties shall bear their own costs and attorneys' fees associated
with the Arbitration proceedings, unless the arbitrator directs one of the parties to pay the other's
costs, or attorneys' fees, or both.

5) To the fullest extent permitted by law, no Arbitration brought pursuant to this Agreement shall
be joined to any Arbitration involving any other party whether through "Class Arbitration"
proceedings or otherwise.

6) This Agreement is part of the Application to take the National Board Dental Examination Part II.
Your assent to be bound by it is a requirement for taking the examination, but you can only sit for
the examination if you also fulfill all other conditions imposed by the Joint Commission on
National Dental Examinations.

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