Failed wreb

[anteater831]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Damn, this sucks. Can anyone PM me if u failed it and passed the second time? I wasted so much money to take it. I am out of school too. Just gotta suck it up, pay another 10 G's to take it and hopefully pass.

 

[DesiDentist]

I am a bit annoyed with people saying how the Wreb is so easy and all can pass.

It isn't easy and the passing score was raised a while ago. Yes the procedure and somethings aren't as screwy but for one reason or another, during the exam many lil crap can come up and get you unexpectedly.

Thank god I finally passed mine with 85%!
Therefore don't go in thinking WREB is "easy".

I took both the WREB and NERB and I 100% agree. The WREB is much harder than the NERB. Yes, the examiners are much nicer for the WREB, but all exams are needed to be passed together to make sure you pass the whole exam. I mean if you fail one section of the WREB most likely you will have to take the whole thing over again. Also, WREB is extremely critical based on the criteria in the manual. This includes late times. If you are late 1 minute you will definately lose 2 points, I know one girl who was late 14 minutes in endo and the proctor said if she was late one more minute she would lose ALL points for endo section.

The NERB, especially the CIF (Curriculum integrated format) you have multiple chances to take the prostho, written, and patient exam before graduation. The WREB is a very hard exam and anyone who has guts to go through it deserves credit. Those who have the resilience to go through it twice or thrice definitely deserve some respect. the WREB does a great job in relaxing the candidate, but all bets are off you really need to know what you are doing.

The median of scores for the WREB is between 77-79% that means if you are average and are late 1 minute you will lose a score of 2 points, that puts you at 75-77% if you are late by 5 minutes on one section and have done average work you can fall below 75%.

-- Do NOT lose points on rejections. If you are unsure about your perio patient submit 2 quads instead of one so they approve it.
--If you are unsure about your lesions keep looking and asking until you are sure. Change the xray time and angles to find the best xray to submit.
--Do not be late on any submission
--Use Caries detector, I highly recommend Snoop, it is dark blue and stains beautifully.
-- If you think it is caries, demineralization, etc ask for a mod. I was doing an amalgam prep and was unsure if I had caries so I asked for four mods (extend facial wall, extend axial wall, extend gingival floor, they approved two and rejected two. However if I had only asked for two but have caries on the third one they could fail you. this is the only area you should risk losing points on if you have to, but make sure you ask and for the areas you dont ask for a mod be 100% sure there is no caries there.
-- Read the manual, make a note sheet.
-- Take models of your patient and have them with you
-- Have an awesome assistant, especially one who can calm you down. I paid $300 for mine and she was worth every penny. My amalgam fractured (the school i took my exam had these weird amalgamators and I could not figure out the time to titurate the amalgam I use). It was 4:05pm I had to submit a patient at 4:30, I used up 4 spills of amalgam out of 5 that I had (2 of them I had to test on these retero amalgamators, 1 didn't mix well, I used one, and I had only one left.) Instead of burnishing the amalgam, I decided to take it out. Tighten the matrix band and wedge it and go at it. I used the disposable matrix bands from ultradent.
-- Remember what can go wrong, will go wrong and be prepared for the worst.
-- For endo, I would recommend choosing two teeth that are in close proximity together. Taking the rubber dam on and off is horrible and you lose lots of time. If you have #9 and #12 you can rubber dam them together, access them together take xrays and fill together. I had #10 and #19 and it was a pain going back and forth. Have canals with straight canals. premeasure the length before you set the teeth. Practice on a few "bad teeth" those w/ craze lines, calcified canals. If you are lucky to extract your own teeth on patients try to see if they have twins (lets say you are doing a full mouth extraction on someone and they are getting #12 and #5; #19 and #30 you can save one and practice on one, most teeth from the same patient usually have the same anatomy. Its like getting a sneak peek before the exam.
- Try to find both class II's on the same patient.
-- take many xrays of the teeth at different times and angles. Make sure how much room you have from the pulp. 85% you can figure out if there is danger of hitting the pulp. Your amalgam will be between 1.5-2.5 mm deep measure that on the xray and see "worst case scenario"
-- Work on your patient before you use them on the WREB, If they have other cavities you can test out what their dentin looks like, how well they handle anesthesia and rubber dam.
-- USE LOUPES, the examiners use them why shouldn't you? All the examiners at my site had 4.0x loupes. You want to see exactly what they see.
- Try to find teeth that are a little rotated, and note this before submitting: "Tooth is rotated, please note preparation will not be ideal." Just that note will give you lots of room to prep and not worry. If there is light contact, note that, "contact present, but light."
-- Do not give up, there will be surprises, stuff you never thought about in your wildest dreams and stuff you can't control, so don't let anything freak you out.
-- This exam is your "hazing" before you get into this fraternity which we call dentistry. Looking back you will realize that it was all worth it.

Good luck to everyone.


DesiDentist

 

[catdaddy]

I'm sure you did fine. One of my classmates took it last weekend with you an UNLV. He had some frustrations, but I'm sure he passed was well.

Comments are not self-righteous simply because you don't agree with them. Once again my point is that the WREB does not require you to spend 10k on the exam. Some candidates choose to spend that, but most don't. And, I'm not doing a GPR, so it'll be tough to have fun in it. 😀

If you haven't taken the WREB, why in the world are you even responding?! Who asked you for your two bits anyway! I would love to see you take this exam without being near facilities to find patients or having access to finding patients.
These exams are MUCH harder for those who have been out of school and residency for a while. The passing rates do not reflect these types of exam candidates. Reform needs to be done and dentists like you are not understanding that. It is so sad that you are a moderator and you have no first-hand experience of the WREB. The dental community needs well-informed leaders rather than misinformed people like you as spokesmen!

 

[ItsGavinC]

If you haven't taken the WREB, why in the world are you even responding?! Who asked you for your two bits anyway!

LOL, you do realize that this is an internet forum, right?

These exams are MUCH harder for those who have been out of school and residency for a while.

I'm sure that it is much more difficult after having been practicing for a while. And, I'm sure it is even more difficult if you are taking it at an unfamiliar location. I don't disagree with that at all.

It is so sad that you are a moderator and you have no first-hand experience of the WREB. The dental community needs well-informed leaders rather than misinformed people like you as spokesmen!

Once again, because my opinion differs from your opinion, does not make me misinformed. My uncle has been a WREB examiner (a grader, not a floor examiner) for 15+ years now, so I'm quite informed. I'm certainly not as ignorant regarding the exam as you are about the time I devote from my schedule and family to volunteer on SDN.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I took both the WREB and NERB and I 100% agree. ...Good luck to everyone.


DesiDentist

Desi, tremendous post! Thanks for the advice and tips! 👍 Congrats on enduring the WREB and NERB.

 

[Prosthoman]

I agree, those who took the wreb and passed it the first time and they say it is easy, either they want to be humble, or they didn't feel the pressure. when I took it, I felt the WREB is the hardest as far as Restrictions, Grading, Pt acceptance and Grading

 

[DesiDentist]

When I look at my WREB pass certificate, I am more proud of that than my dental degree, and trust me Penn is not an easy school. What you do in those 2.5 days will be a cumulation of everything you learned from the womb to the day of the WREB. It changes you mentally, physically, emotionally and humbles you.

I don't care if the passrate is high, it is beast to get through. You will see, a week after you take it, you will ask yourself, 'did I really just get through that?' It's amazing to see what your body can put itself through...

DD

 

[Revellian]

When I look at my WREB pass certificate, I am more proud of that than my dental degree, and trust me Penn is not an easy school. What you do in those 2.5 days will be a cumulation of everything you learned from the womb to the day of the WREB. It changes you mentally, physically, emotionally and humbles you.

I don't care if the passrate is high, it is beast to get through. You will see, a week after you take it, you will ask yourself, 'did I really just get through that?' It's amazing to see what your body can put itself through...

DD

A week before my test someone told me that taking the WREB was like getting hit by a truck. I dismissed this as pure hyperbole, but it was easily the worst 2.5 days of my life. I prepped both of my class IIs (#5 and #12 DO) on the same patient at the same time, and both lesions required multiple modification requests. I ended up having to leave affected dentin on the axio-gingival line angle of both because of my proximity to the pulp. When I submitted my preps for grading I was almost crapping my pants because I was worried the examiners wouldn't agree with my assessment. I thought I might lose the full 52 points for leaving caries on both preps. I waited ONE HOUR for them to grade my preps. It was excrutiating standing outside the grading area and trying to mentally prepare myself for the sight of the infamous Pink Card on my patient's tray. Everything turned out OK, but I think that hour may have taken a few years off my life.

Best of luck to those who are taking it. You're in for a real treat. 😛

 

[Shark007]

When I look at my WREB pass certificate, I am more proud of that than my dental degree, and trust me Penn is not an easy school. What you do in those 2.5 days will be a cumulation of everything you learned from the womb to the day of the WREB. It changes you mentally, physically, emotionally and humbles you.

I don't care if the passrate is high, it is beast to get through. You will see, a week after you take it, you will ask yourself, 'did I really just get through that?' It's amazing to see what your body can put itself through...

DD

It's funny that you metion that, because it has only been one week since I have taken the WREB, but it feels like a lifetime ago. I'm trying my best to not keep going through every little detail of the exam, and it took a couple days after the exam just to get to sleep. I just had my graduation yesterday and it feels bittersweet without knowing the results of the exam. But i'm sure we'll all make it, one way or another, but I do feel humble right now, too humble 😀 .

Good luck to all still taking the WREB.

 

[zindagikaraaz]

hi,
I know its a silly question but what is WREB?

 

[DesiDentist]

in order to practice dentistry in the US you must have a degree from a US dental school, pass your national boards, pass a law exam for each state, and pass the dental license exam, which is WREB (Western Regional Examination Board). Also, there is NERB and a few other exams.

usually these exams are administered independently from the government, but the gov recognizes them. The WREB covers mainly the West Coast and NERB covers primary the east coast.

you should find more information at www.wreb.org or www.nerb.org

DD

 

[thedentist2005]

i totally agree with ur comment about passing the wrebs, when i passed it it was the greatest day of my life, it made me feel like a legitimate member of the dental community, even though we bust our ass for 4 years in dental school without a dental license your hands are totally tied up!!

 

[tinker bell]

I took the wreb at my own school and spent like 5G for it. Not for patient finding services. I have my own patient, I just paid each $50 for showing up and let me take the exam on them. However, instruments, assistant fees all add up. Everything in SF is pretty damn expensive.
the wreb is an aweful exam, and I mean it. I was an assistant before martriculating dental school. The candidate whom I assisted was a practicing dentist >10yrs in the east coast, a professor at a dental school. Pass the NERB , Florida state board, but failed the WREB. He had no pink slip what soever. I recalled he finished everything early, nothing was late. No extension request, no rejection. In general, I was very confident that he would pass but I was freaking out shocked when he told me that he failed. So, you guys know the wreb is not an easy exam, eventhough they make it sounds like it is easy.

It will be 2 weeks since I took my exam tomorrow, and I still feel very exhausted, very sick. It took a couple of years out of my life. And I mean it. It would be sucked to have to go through the whole experience again.

 

[DesiDentist]

I took the wreb at my own school and spent like 5G for it. Not for patient finding services. I have my own patient, I just paid each $50 for showing up and let me take the exam on them. However, instruments, assistant fees all add up. Everything in SF is pretty damn expensive.
the wreb is an aweful exam, and I mean it. I was an assistant before martriculating dental school. The candidate whom I assisted was a practicing dentist >10yrs in the east coast, a professor at a dental school. Pass the NERB , Florida state board, but failed the WREB. He had no pink slip what soever. I recalled he finished everything early, nothing was late. No extension request, no rejection. In general, I was very confident that he would pass but I was freaking out shocked when he told me that he failed. So, you guys know the wreb is not an easy exam, eventhough they make it sounds like it is easy.

It will be 2 weeks since I took my exam tomorrow, and I still feel very exhausted, very sick. It took a couple of years out of my life. And I mean it. It would be sucked to have to go through the whole experience again.

Every dentist I talk to out there cringes at their experience with the licensing exam. It is a huge sacrifice; mental, emotional, spiritual challenge. Looking back I still can't believe I got through the WREB and the NERB. WREB is definately more challenging and they grade much harder.

Tinker bell, just relax and take a vacation. Don't worry about the exam not until the results come, the longer it takes the more you start hallucinating what could have gone wrong.

DD

 

[DesiDentist]

Some of the older docs whom I talked to told me that when they took their exam they had denture setup, gold foil, gold onlay with waxup. I think its gotton easier but the mental drain has gotton worse. Twenty years ago the fees were like 200 dollars to take the exam, now its $2,000, plus patients, plus assistants, transportation, and instruments. It's horrible. I'm glad the WREB was offered at Temple or I think I probably couldn't have taken it with how much money it costs. I took the good old subway with my instruments to Temple.

dd

 

[tinker bell]

I'm not hallucinating, it is real that they rejected my perio patient twice with 2 quads. I am pissed because I have even enough calculus and plenty of pocket above 5mm on the xray.
They seem to have a difficult time detecting calculus, because they rejected loads of us at ucsf when it comes to perio. I'm not kidding, a lot of my classmates are in the same boat with me. I still have night mare about the perio section.

 

[DesiDentist]

One of my friends had the same problem. I submitted two quads as well for this same reason. How did the rest go?

dd

 

[ItsGavinC]

It will be 2 weeks since I took my exam tomorrow, and I still feel very exhausted, very sick. It took a couple of years out of my life. And I mean it. It would be sucked to have to go through the whole experience again.

Tink, have you received the exam results yet? It seems the WREB hasn't updated their website (letting us know when they are mailing results) for the past 9 or 10 schools or so.

You took yours a week before I took mine, so after you receive yours then I'll be prepared for mine. 🙂

 

[DesiDentist]

Tink, have you received the exam results yet? It seems the WREB hasn't updated their website (letting us know when they are mailing results) for the past 9 or 10 schools or so.

You took yours a week before I took mine, so after you receive yours then I'll be prepared for mine. 🙂

Wow, the WREB was on top of updating their website. I remember they used to send out the results and update the site the next day. The same day they updated it most of us got our scores. They must be really bogged down. I know the season is coming to an end. This week they have their last exam until Middle of August at USC.

I'm really curious on how the entire group did. I know there were tons more people taking it this year since Cali is on board.

DD

 

[ItsGavinC]

I'm not hallucinating, it is real that they rejected my perio patient twice with 2 quads. I am pissed because I have even enough calculus and plenty of pocket above 5mm on the xray.
They seem to have a difficult time detecting calculus, because they rejected loads of us at ucsf when it comes to perio. I'm not kidding, a lot of my classmates are in the same boat with me. I still have night mare about the perio section.

I feel ya. Here is what I worried about:

1) Arizona is an all-digital school, but we don't submit radiographs on the screen, we print them out on photo paper with a 100% POS inkjet photo printer. Not an expensive inkjet, but the $49 HP inkjet. As a result, my radiographs looked like poo. Lesions that formed perfect triangles on the screen looked like blobs (seriously!) when they were printed out. On top of that, our clinical dean is an oral radiologist, and he told me that he would NOT submit any of my operative patients because the radiographs didn't demonstrate the proper criteria for lesions. Each time I sent my operative patient to be accepted I nearly had a stroke worrying about whether or not I would get denied. It was all I could do to keep from having a heart attack as I waited. I was freaking out. Seriously.

2) My perio patient had NO radiographic calculus. She had 7 posterior sites of calculus on the UR and 5 on the UL. I could have pressed my luck and only submitted the UR, but I was already on the verge of a nervous breakdown so I submitted the entire upper arch. Even then I was worried she would not be accepted because the caluclus was so light. I had several hygienists at the school verify the spots, but with my explorer and touch I couldn't detect most of them. I submitted the perio patient on faith that the examiners would find the spots that the hygienists found.

3) I had no backup for operatives or perio. So given concerns 1 and 2, I was doubly crapping my pants when it came time for patient submission. If they weren't accepted I'd be scouring the waiting room for back-up patients. Not a great prospect.

4) I moved from Arizona (the exam site) to New York 2 weeks prior, and had to leave my wife and kids in NY while I flew back to take the frickin' WREB. Knowing that my kids hadn't made any friends, and that my poor wife couldn't find her way around town, and that we still have stuff in boxes, made the experience all the worse. I'll chalk this one up to my school thinking it was a good idea for us to take the WREB 3 weeks AFTER we graduate. Go figure.

What happened? Well, all of my patients were accepted. I felt okay about my preps and fills. Not my best work, but not terrible work either. I think the stress of the situation led me to have some jitters. I managed them the best I could, but still made some foolish operative mistakes. On perio I cleaned her with ultrasonic and hand instruments for 90 minutes, and then turned her in for grading. I hope she was clean, but I was bored by that time and all the surfaces felt smooth. I'm hoping the examiners were lazy and didn't check too much. Some of our patients said the examiners only checked 2 or 3 sites when checking perio. For endo my anterior access and fill were perfect. I was exactly to length with a small puff of sealer out the apex (less than .5mm). My posterior access was fine, but I was out the apex on my canal probably 1 mm with gutta percha. We'll see how bad that hurts me.

So here I am, waiting for results like you are. Let's pray for each other!

 

[ItsGavinC]

Wow, the WREB was on top of updating their website. I remember they used to send out the results and update the site the next day. The same day they updated it most of us got our scores. They must be really bogged down. I know the season is coming to an end. This week they have their last exam until Middle of August at USC.

I'm really curious on how the entire group did. I know there were tons more people taking it this year since Cali is on board.

DD

I was told that it may take 4-5 weeks to get results now. Like I said, and you mentioned, they haven't posted any online info for the last 10 test sites. They're about a month behind that.

 

[tinker bell]

Every one in my class got their results today except me. I got a letter saying that all of my patient's medical history forms are not in the package and I have to complete the med hx & consent forms before they can mail out my result.

How did I not have all med hx forms in there? I called them, I told them that they took all those forms when I submitted the patient, and it is extremely hard to go find those patients now. Are they insane? They totally screwed it. And I know that I paid more to take the damn exam at ucsf (more than anywhere else). And this really pissed me off big time.

Seriously, when I called them, they only med hx form that they have in my envelope are the form of the rejected perio patient. How convenient is that?

 

[2007doc]

Every one in my class got their results today except me. I got a letter saying that all of my patient's medical history forms are not in the package and I have to complete the med hx & consent forms before they can mail out my result.

How did I not have all med hx forms in there? I called them, I told them that they took all those forms when I submitted the patient, and it is extremely hard to go find those patients now. Are they insane? They totally screwed it. And I know that I paid more to take the damn exam at ucsf (more than anywhere else). And this really pissed me off big time.

Seriously, when I called them, they only med hx form that they have in my envelope are the form of the rejected perio patient. How convenient is that?

That doesnt sound too good. Do they expect you to perform magic and make the paper work just appear. Tell them to kiss your azz and send you your f'n results. How did everyone do at your school? Any horror stories? Anyone fail?

 

[2006Grad]

Every one in my class got their results today except me. I got a letter saying that all of my patient's medical history forms are not in the package and I have to complete the med hx & consent forms before they can mail out my result.

How did I not have all med hx forms in there? I called them, I told them that they took all those forms when I submitted the patient, and it is extremely hard to go find those patients now. Are they insane? They totally screwed it. And I know that I paid more to take the damn exam at ucsf (more than anywhere else). And this really pissed me off big time.

Seriously, when I called them, they only med hx form that they have in my envelope are the form of the rejected perio patient. How convenient is that?

That sux. What are you gonna do if you cant find the patients?

 

[tinker bell]

Everyone I know pass with pretty high scores so far. I have not heard of horror story yet. I don't expect anything too dramatic because ucsf always has very consistent passing rate.

 

[tinker bell]

All of my patients are either out of town or not returning my call. I don't expect to have these forms complete until the end of the week because one patient won't come back from her trip until Thursday afternoon.

This is completely lousy and they make it sound like I just got my patients accepted without the med hx form and never even bother filled them out to begin with.

 

[crwns07]

So it was only about 3 weeks ago since I have completed the wreb. That was the longest and most stressful weekend of my life! 🙁 I came into that exam very confident, never had any problems with s r/p or my preps and fills, and my endos were usually decent. That whole weekend I got two pink slips, one for mod request rejection (3 points) and another for patient rejection (3 points). I also got a post op care form for marginal fracture on my amalgam (from what a understand anywhere from 1 to 3 points?). Yah..pretty ****ty. I did well on perio, endo, and perio/prosth. Overall I did not feel well at all because of the pink slips and hyperocclusion..I was almost for sure I failed the exam. I continued to stress and have nightmares (no joke!)...it was bad. I got my score back a few days ago and guess what..no more stress! I passed with a 78.18!! Wow...its time to go on vacation! So for those who have had ****ty weekends with pink slips..there is light at the end of the tunnel. 🙂

 

[tinker bell]

Hey Congrats to you, crwns07. Passing is passing, doesn't matter whether it's 78 or 98. It certainly doesn't show on your license at all?


I hope my score coming soon otherwise I'll go nut checking my mail every day like this.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I was one of those that felt great after the exam, had no pink slips, etc., but I just got my results and failed by 1.7 points. Oh well, I'll sign up again next year!

 

[Sprgrover]

I was one of those that felt great after the exam, had no pink slips, etc., but I just got my results and failed by 1.7 points. Oh well, I'll sign up again next year!

Oh man, I'm sorry, especially after all that hassle you had to go through!

 

[NileBDS]

I was one of those that felt great after the exam, had no pink slips, etc., but I just got my results and failed by 1.7 points. Oh well, I'll sign up again next year!

I'm sorry to hear that, but I am sure you will pull through. You're a good guy and are destined to succeed.

However, I really agree with other posters here on how you've been responding to other posts.

... The WREB is the *EASIEST* regional exam to pass, and by far most people pass the WREB. I recall that they have a 90%+ passing rate (although I'd have to look it up and don't have a source).

... is not really the kind of support someone who just failed their exam needs.

It is an undeniably tough exam, regardless of what you may have thought (or already experienced).
Schools that host WREBS literally customize their training to gear students for the WREBS, which I personally disagree with. I believe every school should have it's own unique philosophy of thought and train graduates accordingly, rather than engaging in a rat race of pleasing a single regional licensure board. Schools risk loosing their identity in so many different ways.
However, these schools commonly have %80+ pass rates, and from what I hear do not have much of an issue with WREBS.
That's what probably gave you the misconception of it being "the easiest" or having a %90 pass rate.

All that aside. I sincerely wish you and your family the best in the BIG APPLE, and thank you for all the effort and dedication you have shown SDN members along the years. It is truly appreciated, even though most of us take you and other dedicated SDN volunteers for granted.

Good Luck.

 

[ManPanties]

I was one of those that felt great after the exam, had no pink slips, etc., but I just got my results and failed by 1.7 points. Oh well, I'll sign up again next year!

I guess that uncle of yours did not help much. I predict you will be shellin out some major cash to take the exam again.

The WREB is the "Easiest" regional exam to pass 🙂

 

[yuqiangw]

These 3 weeks of waiting is the worst time of my life.
I took June 1-4th wreb. No matter how hard you prepare for it. Nasty things just happen. I got a pink slip for leaving affected dentin, which is 6points. And for my Endo, my anterior root fractured. I did not apply force, and it's a central incisor with big root. The tip fractured right at the junction of the putty and fixing gel. that's another 5 points for condensation.
This Monday, everyone else got their results. I did not. I thought, ****, I must have failed. No mail on tuesday, wednesday and thursday. I was like a crazy woman, waiting everyday at the door for mailman. I am so sure my mail was lost. However, wreb wont' send any duplicates until friday, after 2pm. I called on friday, ask them to fedex it.
I got it today in the morning. I PASSED WITH 79.9. That's almost the happiest moment of my life.
crwns07's post gave me a lot of hope. I really appreciated it.
And I would like to share my experience too. Big mistakes do not mean fail. Keep the spirit up and fight till last minute!
Good Luck! My fellow colleague!

So it was only about 3 weeks ago since I have completed the wreb. That was the longest and most stressful weekend of my life! 🙁 I came into that exam very confident, never had any problems with s r/p or my preps and fills, and my endos were usually decent. That whole weekend I got two pink slips, one for mod request rejection (3 points) and another for patient rejection (3 points). I also got a post op care form for marginal fracture on my amalgam (from what a understand anywhere from 1 to 3 points?). Yah..pretty ****ty. I did well on perio, endo, and perio/prosth. Overall I did not feel well at all because of the pink slips and hyperocclusion..I was almost for sure I failed the exam. I continued to stress and have nightmares (no joke!)...it was bad. I got my score back a few days ago and guess what..no more stress! I passed with a 78.18!! Wow...its time to go on vacation! So for those who have had ****ty weekends with pink slips..there is light at the end of the tunnel. 🙂

 

[tinker bell]

Wreb is not an easy exam. I have witnessed with my own eyes how even professor failed it. Don't jump the gun and say that anything is easy. I know at ucsf our curriculum gear toward passing the wreb. We have operative proficiency class that seriously prepares us for all of those stress.
I remember we started practicing on typodont since Jan 07. Did tons of endo practice, endo mockboard. Restorative & perio mock board exams were all done in March, eventhough they are not that great, but I learned how to fill out all the forms, prepare patient for submission, etc...How to ask for extension, etc.. But the real exam is a whole new ball game.

With all that prepare, I still was very nervous and had panic attack the evening before the exam, right after the orientation.

Everyone at my school so far all have their exam results, except me. They still have not mailed mine out yet.
As far as I know, everyone in my class who completed the exam all passed. That is a very good passing rate. But we were all very nervous while waiting for it, and I have not heard of anyone who said that it is easy, including the guy who passed with high 90s.

 

[futurdentist]

Congratulations to everybody who have passed the wreb. Your comments fill us with hope as we are waiting for our results!
Could you please tell us when you took the exam and where?

Thanks!

 

[neha]

I agree with the comments here . WREB is not easy. But as long as you don't make any big mistakes one should pass even though you have done few small ones. Don't waste time trying to do preps and restorations perfectly.

 

[ItsGavinC]

I agree with the comments here . WREB is not easy. But as long as you don't make any big mistakes one should pass even though you have done few small ones. Don't waste time trying to do preps and restorations perfectly.

Just to clarify since everybody is misquoting what I originally wrote. I said the WREB is the easiest of the regional exams, not that it was an easy exam.

In regards to what neha said above, I wouldn't take that approach. This is coming from someone who had no patient rejections, no pink-slips, no time deductions, left no caries, no root fractures in endo, etc., and still failed. I would for sure try to do perfect preps and restorations. You're given the time so you might as well use it.

 

[DesiDentist]

Just to clarify since everybody is misquoting what I originally wrote. I said the WREB is the easiest of the regional exams, not that it was an easy exam.

In regards to what neha said above, I wouldn't take that approach. This is coming from someone who had no patient rejections, no pink-slips, no time deductions, left no caries, no root fractures in endo, etc., and still failed. I would for sure try to do perfect preps and restorations. You're given the time so you might as well use it.

Gavin, I apologize you have to go through this. I know how hard this can be. To all, just remember to read your manuals and know it in your sleep. The WREB is a very "manual" based exam. That means they want you to know everything from the manual. Make sure your xrays are perfect and the lesions appear into the DEJ.

Anyone can fail this exam. It does not care if you are top 10 in your class or bottom 10. Ironically, some of the best people/dentists fail this and other licensing exams. This has no correlation with how good you are, but how well you strategize.

If you think of this exam as a game and strategize as such you will have good chances. However, if you think of this exam as a way to show how great you are as a dentist then you might receive bad news. Know how to manage your time, don't select teeth with curves in the roots, submit two quads instead of one, find a patient with two lesions. Hire an assistant who is familiar with the paperwork and is rooting for you. All of these things you can control.

Plan..Strategize...Pray

DD

 

[neha]

What I meant was don't waste time trying to aim for a 5 on the grading criteria. Because even if you get a 4 or 3 you still get 80-88% of the total points .
Gavin, if I were you I would get my detailed score report and make sure there has been no mistake on their part . I wish you good luck.

Thanks

Just to clarify since everybody is misquoting what I originally wrote. I said the WREB is the easiest of the regional exams, not that it was an easy exam.

In regards to what neha said above, I wouldn't take that approach. This is coming from someone who had no patient rejections, no pink-slips, no time deductions, left no caries, no root fractures in endo, etc., and still failed. I would for sure try to do perfect preps and restorations. You're given the time so you might as well use it.

 

[alaa]

I got a pink slip for overflow of composite( can't floss) and margin, I am so nervous about my result and I don't know if I will pass or not.......any opinion....

 

[DesiDentist]

I got a pink slip for overflow of composite( can't floss) and margin, I am so nervous about my result and I don't know if I will pass or not.......any opinion....

Did they ask you to adjust the contact? I honestly think you should be fine. I know many people who got pink slips for demineralization, denied mods, high marginal ridges, and even losing points on being late and they all passed.

However you need to understand that this exam in unpredictable. Some people who never got any pink slips did not pass. As long as you don't lose more than 25 points you will be fine. I know how hard it is waiting and you start worrying about the exam and begin to feel you did worse than you did.

Good luck,

DD

 

[PlanetMV]

Well ladies and gentlemen,
I just wanted to let you know that the WREB has officially been annointed the "most difficult" regional exam to pass in just one year. Just got off the phone with a spokeswoman from WREB. I took the test last month at Loma Linda and anticipating the results but very worried. She said the scores are already computed and they are ready to send them out. She said "the pass rate for this exam at Loma Linda June 8th -June 12th was 55%". She seemed shocked also. This was the second time I took it. I failed the first time with only a 71.6, but I felt better about that one than the one I took at Loma Linda, so I am very distraught ( failed my first one because of perio rejection and affected dentin). If I dont pass I have only one more shot to pass or else. No one can afford to fail 3 times. She wouldnt even tell me the details of the remediation policy since the online info is so vague. She said once you fail a 3rd attempt they will send a detailed remediation protocol. Dont know what to do. Should of just done the PGY-1 route to licensure in CA. Everyone was sayin the pass rate is 90% from last year. My A#@. Now even if I do a GPR it wont count towards a license. This sucks.
😎

 

[DesiDentist]

I really think the WREB is harder in Cali.

 

[3rdmolarslayer]

Well ladies and gentlemen,
I just wanted to let you know that the WREB has officially been annointed the "most difficult" regional exam to pass in just one year. Just got off the phone with a spokeswoman from WREB. I took the test last month at Loma Linda and anticipating the results but very worried. She said the scores are already computed and they are ready to send them out. She said "the pass rate for this exam at Loma Linda June 8th -June 12th was 55%". She seemed shocked also. This was the second time I took it. I failed the first time with only a 71.6, but I felt better about that one than the one I took at Loma Linda, so I am very distraught ( failed my first one because of perio rejection and affected dentin). If I dont pass I have only one more shot to pass or else. No one can afford to fail 3 times. She wouldnt even tell me the details of the remediation policy since the online info is so vague. She said once you fail a 3rd attempt they will send a detailed remediation protocol. Dont know what to do. Should of just done the PGY-1 route to licensure in CA. Everyone was sayin the pass rate is 90% from last year. My A#@. Now even if I do a GPR it wont count towards a license. This sucks.
😎

Great, i took the test at loma linda.
i thought things went great, no pink slips, no point deductions.
only thing that went wrong is i broke a file on one of my endo's.
hope i passed!

 

[tinker bell]

omg, I can't believe they are that mean. PlanetMV, did you have any problem, seeing pink?

But the WREB is the weirdest exam, sometimes people have 3 pink slip & still pass, while people who had no pink slip ended up fail. You can never tell until you really see the result.

I have known people with gutta percha extruding out, broken file & still pass. I wish you guys all the best

 

[PlanetMV]

Desi-You really think it is harder to pass the WREB if taken in California?
Tinkerbell-No i didnt get any pink slips, but my endo was iffy-had some voids and also gutta percha was sticking over the roof of the pulp chamber on my molar. Perio went excellent. And operative you never know. I heard people without pink slips fail this section. I dunno i'm already planning to take it again at USC in December. I just hate going through this again if I dont have to. I feel for all of you that had to retake this thing and expecially for those that had to retake it twice ( I hope i'm not one of those). Dang I thought it would get easier after dental school.I'd rather straight out fail this thing on the spot than having to wait 4 weeks and then finding out. If by chance I pass I would think its a bigger accomplishment than graduating D-school.

 

[DesiDentist]

Desi-You really think it is harder to pass the WREB if taken in California?

I mean, I don't know where I heard this from but someone told me only 1 or 2 people failed at the Temple site (out of 65) or so. I mean comparing that with Loma Linda that is a huge difference. Temple is an east coast school which prepares their kids for NERB/ADLEX, I would suspect higher pass rates on the west coast schools since they solely prepare you guys for WREB.

I know at PENN we were only prepared for NERB, and I was so confused on how to prepare for WREB. It took me 11 hours to set me endo teeth right. I kept on getting the voids and was really freaking out. They approved 100% of the endo teeth at our site, which I think made me more comfortable. I was having nightmares about resetting my endo teeth and losing 2 hours for them to approve it the day of my exam.

You are correct passing this exam is a bigger accomplishment than your dental degree. Without your license your dental degree means nothing and vice versa. It's tough, I mean I was told dental school was harder than med school and honestly I realize that now.

Just pray and keep your fingers crossed. Have faith you are one of those 55%.

The statement I wrote above is just hearsay, I do not have full proof. All I can attest to is that I have a friend who had demineralization, high cusp, had mod rejection, lost 4 points for endo being late, and lost another 2 points for restorative being late and another 3 points for rejected patient and they still passed. 5 pink slips and still passed!!!

Everything will be alright. If you have to take it again its just another bump in the road, you will get through it. I took two licensing exams w/in three weeks of each other it was the worst time of my life, every dentist i talk to shrugs at the thought of their experience.

Good luck to all.

DD

 

[tinker bell]

Planet MV, what condensation technique did you use? At my exam site, loads of people use obtura gun and they got absolutely beautiful result. I used lateral and it's like an ugly duckling compare to those obtura swan. Even though I had no voids, etc...I still think the other kids have to score better than I do if their teeth are graded first

 

[futurdentist]

one of the main reasons y we decided to go for wreb (3 times as expensive as the ca exam) and not CA license exam is that it had a higher passing rate and the graders were more fair.
But now i don't know y should people still go for wreb!!
i am so disappointed in wreb especially after hearing the pass rate at our exam.

 

[DesiDentist]

"It ain't over til it's over!" Don't worry until you know you need to take it over again. Why put yourself through that. Enjoy the weather until you receive your results, and who knows (most likely) you passed.

DD

 

[ItsGavinC]

All I can attest to is that I have a friend who had demineralization, high cusp, had mod rejection, lost 4 points for endo being late, and lost another 2 points for restorative being late and another 3 points for rejected patient and they still passed. 5 pink slips and still passed!!!

I have a friend in a similar situation. He passed with an 83 score. He only received 4 slips, however.