National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) is the United States national dental examination for students and professionals in dentistry. It is required for licensure in the United States and may also be required when applying for postgraduate studies in dental specialities after completing a dental degree. Foreign-trained dentists also must take the NBDE in order to earn admission into advanced standing programs in US dental schools. The American Student Dental Association sells reprints of previously released exams as study guides for students in their online store. The two parts are now integerated into one exam, the INBDE. NBDE I consists of 400 multiple choice questions emphasizing basic sciences:
1.

Human Anatomy The human body is the structure of a human being. It is composed of many different types of cells that together create tissues and subsequently organ systems. They ensure homeostasis and the viability of the human body. It comprises a he ...

, Embryology, and Histology
2. Biochemistry and Physiology
3.

Microbiology Microbiology () is the scientific study of microorganisms, those being unicellular (single cell), multicellular (cell colony), or acellular (lacking cells). Microbiology encompasses numerous sub-disciplines including virology, bacteriology, prot ...

and Pathology
4. Dental Anatomy and Occlusion. NBDE II requires two days and focuses on clinical dental topics:
1. Endodontics
2. Operative Dentistry
3. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/

Pain Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, ...

Control
4. Oral Diagnosis
5.

Orthodontics Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, management, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial ...

and Pediatric Dentistry
6. Patient Management, including Behavioral Science, Dental Public Health and Occupational Safety
7. Periodontics
8.

Pharmacology Pharmacology is a branch of medicine, biology and pharmaceutical sciences concerned with drug or medication action, where a drug may be defined as any artificial, natural, or endogenous (from within the body) molecule which exerts a biochemica ...

9. Prosthodontics Scoring Since 2012, the NBDE exams have been graded on a PASS/FAIL basis only, with no scores being issued, unless one failed, in which case they will receive their score with details. If a student passes, they are not allowed to take the exam again, unless required by a state board or relevant regulatory agency. The Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) changed the test to pass/fail because the test was being used as a measuring stick for students getting into specialty programs. The test's original purpose was to assist the state in making licensure decisions, not as a criterion for specialty programs. The JCNDE felt the NBDE was an unreliable indicator of success in specialties, so they removed the scoring completely.

References

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