Standardized exams information
Required Standardized Exam
Integrated National Board Dental Examinations (INBDE)
DMD degree candidates must pass the INBDE in order to graduate. Please refer to the American Dental Association (ADA) website for the policies, timelines, and fees for the Board exams. After submission of an online application, candidates will be prompted by ADA and its agents to schedule their exam. Student eligibility and application approval for Board exams are granted by the Office of Dental Education.
Requirements for INBDE
- Must be taken between Year 3 and December of Year 4.
- Student eligibility to take the exam will be considered upon submission of the Integrated Comprehensive Exam Acknowledgement form.
- Failure to take the INBDE by December 31st of Year 4 or to pass the examination may impede a student’s progress in the fourth-year curriculum and could result in a delay of graduation and a delay in the dental licensure process.
- Students must inform their Society Director in writing, should they be unable to take the examination by December 31 of Year 4. The Associate Dean for Dental Education must also be notified.
For eligibility and application approval information visit the INBDE website.
Other examinations
HSDM does not require DMD students to take other licensure examinations in order to graduate. However, all DMD students must take and pass School-administered Mock Examinations.
Not a graduation requirement for DMD Program (also known as CDCA-WREB-CITA)
The Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (formerly the North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners) was one of the major examination agencies for dentistry, along with Western Regional Board Exam (WREB) and Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA). CDCA and WREB merged in 2021 (followed by CITA in 2022) to jointly administer the ADEX Dental Examinations. The goal of the merger was to simplify the licensure process for schools, candidates, and dental boards offering the universally accepted ADEX licensure standard throughout North America.
The ADEX Dental Examinations evaluate candidates’ psychomotor skills and didactic performance for entry-level practice. Students who choose to apply for the ADEX Dental Examinations must ensure that all application requirements and deadlines are met.
Although not required for graduation, student eligibility to take ADEX Dental Examinations must still be approved by HSDM. HSDM permits the Curriculum Integrated Format (CIF) to be administered at the School. Registration for these exams opens in the Fall. The exams are manikin-based and will be administered in the Spring for Year 3 and Year 4 DMD students.
The Mock Exams are administered approximately 1 month prior to the ADEX Dental Examination dates. In the event that a student must retake a portion of the Mock Exam, the deadline for retaking and passing the makeup exam is 14 days prior to the actual ADEX Dental Examination date. The School will withdraw a student from an ADEX Dental Examination should the student fail to pass all sections of the Mock Exam by this deadline. Students who are withdrawn from the ADEX Dental Examinations for academic performance reasons forfeit the examination fees paid to the CDCA-WREB-CITA.
Visit the ADEX website.
Not a graduation requirement for DMD Program.
The ADAT is an advanced dental education admission test designed to provide dental education programs with a means to assess program applicants’ potential for success. Even though the ADAT is not a graduation requirement, student eligibility to take the exam still must be approved by ODE. Students who choose to apply for the ADAT must ensure that all application requirements and deadlines are met.
For more information visit the ADAT website.