Dentists with Degrees from International Dental Schools click here.
Only dentists with DDS or DMD degrees from U.S. or Canadian Dental Schools may take the ADEX Dental regional examinations accepted in more than 40 states. However, several states in the northeastern region of the United States of America (including Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New York and Ohio) do have mechanisms to license dentists with dental degrees from international dental schools. To determine your eligibility for licensure in a specific licensing jurisdiction, you should directly contact the dental board for that licensing jurisdiction. (The phone numbers and addresses of each CDCA Participating Jurisdictions’ dental board and are listed elsewhere on this website.)
Dental CIF Examination
The following is a brief description of the Curriculum Integrated Format (CIF) of the dental examination. For more extensive information please download the CIF Dental Candidate Manual.
The CIF format of the ADEX Dental Examination consists of five examinations; the Restorative, the Periodontal, the Prosthodontic, the Endodontic and the Diagnostic Skills Exam (DSE) Examinations. The Prosthodontic and Endodontic Examinations are offered at the candidate’s dental school in September or October during the senior year. If either examination is failed it may be retaken in December. The Restorative and Periodontal Examinations are offered at the candidate’s dental school during February or March during the senior year. If either of these examinations is failed or if the candidate failed the retake of the Prosthodontic and/or Endodontic examinations in December, then the failed examination(s) may be retaken one more time in April or May of the senior year. Candidates should take all outstanding parts during the next scheduled examination series. The DSE examination is available 6 days a week all year long through the Prometric testing centers all across US and Canada. Candidates will have 18 months to successfully complete the ADEX dental exam series. That 18 months will begin on the date of the first exam challenged or July 1st of their senior (final) year, whichever occurs last. If a candidate does not successfully complete the ADEX dental exam series within that period, that candidate must re-take all parts of the examination, including any computer-based portions. If the candidate is held back a year, the time starts on July 1 of the final year. If any examination in the series is not successfully completed within the 18 months, all examinations of the series must be retaken using the Traditional Format. A score of 75 or more is required to pass each Examination. Application deadline for the CIF Examination is typically at the end of June. Applications received after the application deadline date will not be accepted.
Dental Exam Traditional Format
The following is a brief description of the Traditional Format of the dental examination. For more extensive information please download the Traditional Dental Candidate Manual.
The Traditional Format of the ADEX Dental Examination consists of five examinations; the Restorative, the Periodontal, the Prosthodontic, the Endodontic and the Diagnostic Skills Exam (DSE) Examinations. The Restorative, Periodontal, Prosthodontic, and Endodontic Examinations are offered at multiple sites three times a year. The series are identified as the Spring Series, the Summer Series and the Winter Series. Candidates applying for the first time, must register to take all Examinations of the Examination in Dentistry. Candidates may take the Restorative, Periodontal, Prosthodontic and Endodontic Examinations only once during each Series. If a candidate receives failing scores, the candidate must reapply and retake all failed examinations together at the same site except the DSE. All outstanding or failed examinations must be taken before scheduling a retake of any one examination. Candidates will have 18 months to successfully complete the ADEX dental exam series. That 18 months will begin on the date of the first exam challenged or July 1st of their senior (final) year, whichever occurs last. If a candidate does not successfully complete the ADEX dental exam series within that period, that candidate must re-take all parts of the examination, including any computer-based portions. The DSE may be taken at any Prometric Testing Center within an 18 month period beginning with the date your first examination portion was taken. A score of 75 or more is required to pass each Examination.
Specialty Examinations
CDCA administers examinations for several states in six specialty areas:
1. Endodontics
2. Orthodontics
3. Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
4. Pediatric Dentistry
5. Periodontics
6. Prosthodontics
These examinations are not designed to replace the specialty boards, but to qualify successful applicants to practice and to advertise themselves as specialists in the states participating in this specialty examination process.
For additional information click here. Further questions and additional information, please contact a team member.