21 NCAC 16B .0303 Board approved EXAMINATIONS

(a) All applicants for dental licensure shall achieve a passing score of at least 80 percent on the Board's sterilization and jurisprudence examinations. Applicants may take reexamination in accordance with Rule .0317 of this Section.

(b) All applicants for dental licensure shall achieve passing scores on the examination administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations and clinical examinations administered by Board approved testing agencies. The Board shall determine which testing agencies are approved based on the requirements set forth in Paragraphs (c) and (d) of this Rule.

(c) To qualify as an approved testing agency, the test-development agency shall allow a representative of the Dental Board to serve on the agency's Board of Directors and the Examination Review Committee for the limited purpose of allowing Dental Board input in the development and administration of the examination.

(d) To qualify as an approved testing agency, the clinical examination administered by a testing agency shall:

(1) include procedures performed on human subjects or an alternative method that simulates human subjects, including manikins, as part of the assessment of restorative clinical competencies;

(2) include evaluations in clinical periodontics and at least three of the following subject matter areas:

(A) endodontics, clinical abilities testing;

(B) amalgam preparation and restoration;

(D) posterior ceramic or composite preparation and restoration;

(E) prosthetics, written or clinical abilities testing;

(F) oral diagnosis, written or clinical abilities testing; or

(G) oral surgery, written or clinical abilities testing; and

(3) provide the following:

(A) anonymity between applicants and examination graders;

(B) standardization and calibration of graders;

(D) conjunctive scoring, which is scoring that requires applicants to earn a passing grade on all sections or areas tested and that does not allow weighted, averaged, or overall scoring to compensate for failures in individual subject areas;

(E) a minimum passing score set by the testing agency for each subject area tested;

(F) an annual review of the examination conducted by the testing agency;

(G) a task analysis performed by the testing agency at least once every seven years that surveys dentists nationwide to determine the content of the examination;

(H) a system of quality assurance to ensure uniform, consistent administration of the examination at each testing site; and

(I) a system of quality assurance that does not permit a dental instructor to grade candidates at any institution at which the instructor is employed.

(e) The Board shall accept examination scores for five years following the date of the examinations. Each applicant shall request the applicable entity to send the applicant's scores to the Board office. Individuals who apply for licensure more than five years after the examination date shall re-take the examination.

(f) The applicant shall comply with all requirements of the testing agency in applying for and taking the examination.

History Note: Authority G.S. 90-30; 90-48;

Eff. September 3, 1976;

Readopted Eff. September 26, 1977;

Amended Eff. September 1, 2014; June 1, 2009; March 1, 2006; August 1, 1998; March 1, 1988;

Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. January 9, 2018;

Amended Eff. December 1, 2022; October 1, 2019.