Feb 2026 CBSE

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
maxfaxxscalpel said:
How are you all feeling?
Click to expand...
I did well, 74 EPC. unfortunately I have a garbage rank, bottom 30% (I didn't care for specializing my first year at all). I might be gearing up for a retake, luckily I'm a D2 so I have a lot of time left to get a better score. If my rank was half as decent as most of you guys i would do a couple externships and relax the rest of dental school, plus after a lot of calculating even straight As from now on wouldnt move me much since clinic is soon. what would you guys do in my position?
 
Hhoff.13 said:
I did well, 74 EPC. unfortunately I have a garbage rank, bottom 30% (I didn't care for specializing my first year at all). I might be gearing up for a retake, luckily I'm a D2 so I have a lot of time left to get a better score. If my rank was half as decent as most of you guys i would do a couple externships and relax the rest of dental school, plus after a lot of calculating even straight As from now on wouldnt move me much since clinic is soon. what would you guys do in my position?
Click to expand...
That's a good score! You can take it again to see if you can get a higher score in July since you still have time, but you shouldn't feel as if you are out of the running just because you have a low rank. I know a number of residents that matched with scores in the 50s because they are likable people and have great hand skills. You should make an effort to introduce yourself to/ get to know the OMFS faculty during your D3 year because LORs can really boost your application. Also, be selective with the places that you extern at as some schools prefer to choose students that left a good impression during their externship.
 
rainbow98 said:
That's a good score! You can take it again to see if you can get a higher score in July since you still have time, but you shouldn't feel as if you are out of the running just because you have a low rank. I know a number of residents that matched with scores in the 50s because they are likable people and have great hand skills. You should make an effort to introduce yourself to/ get to know the OMFS faculty during your D3 year because LORs can really boost your application. Also, be selective with the places that you extern at as some schools prefer to choose students that left a good impression during their externship.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the insight these are good points. I plan on meeting with my programs PD to discuss my next steps. The reason I like the idea of retaking the cbse is because that’s the thing I have the most control over right now to put me in a competitive position. Also I’ve been thinking about going to a 6 year program lately and they’d probably want to see a higher score if my rank is this low. I know that if you’re a cool person and the PD likes you you’re pretty much getting in regardless after than but that’s leaving a lot to chance imo.
 
Yeah I didn’t do too hot. I’m also working full time, so I’m okay with improving, will need to go hard these next few months for July. Goodluck everyone!
 
Hhoff.13 said:
Thanks for the insight these are good points. I plan on meeting with my programs PD to discuss my next steps. The reason I like the idea of retaking the cbse is because that’s the thing I have the most control over right now to put me in a competitive position. Also I’ve been thinking about going to a 6 year program lately and they’d probably want to see a higher score if my rank is this low. I know that if you’re a cool person and the PD likes you you’re pretty much getting in regardless after than but that’s leaving a lot to chance imo.
Click to expand...
Yeah that sounds like a good plan- especially if you are planning on applying to 6 year programs. You definitely have time to improve your score, just don't neglect other aspects of your application (LORs, externships, research, etc.). Clinic can be demanding/draining so if you can retake the exam in July and get a score you are really satisfied with, it could definitely take a weight off your shoulders
 
Can your undergrad grades hold you back from a 6 year ?
 
Damn what can I possibly do to increase a mid 40s EPC to a 60 EPC? That’s all I need..
 
hunterdunc said:
Yeah I didn’t do too hot. I’m also working full time, so I’m okay with improving, will need to go hard these next few months for July. Goodluck everyone!
Click to expand...
i also bombed but this was a great learning experience.
 
If anyone wants information on what I did to score well, or anything else at all, feel free to PM me. Daunting process but I took the exam one time and scored what I needed to while studying what was as high yield as possible. Doesn't matter if you are starting the process are have taken it 3 times. I will do my best to answer quickly and will give you an honest no BS opinion. Would reply to some of you but I want to keep this thread clean for people reading!
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
Hhoff.13 said:
I did well, 74 EPC. unfortunately I have a garbage rank, bottom 30% (I didn't care for specializing my first year at all). I might be gearing up for a retake, luckily I'm a D2 so I have a lot of time left to get a better score. If my rank was half as decent as most of you guys i would do a couple externships and relax the rest of dental school, plus after a lot of calculating even straight As from now on wouldnt move me much since clinic is soon. what would you guys do in my position?
Click to expand...
74 EPC is good, focus on improving your class rank as much as you can now and go on externships. You can def match with that score
 
I got a 75 EPC. When I left on test day I felt like I'd be lucky to hit a 60 lol. I'm so relieved to know that the CBSE grind is finally over.
 
Hhoff.13 said:
I did well, 74 EPC. unfortunately I have a garbage rank, bottom 30% (I didn't care for specializing my first year at all). I might be gearing up for a retake, luckily I'm a D2 so I have a lot of time left to get a better score. If my rank was half as decent as most of you guys i would do a couple externships and relax the rest of dental school, plus after a lot of calculating even straight As from now on wouldnt move me much since clinic is soon. what would you guys do in my position?
Click to expand...
Retaking a 74 is a complete waste of time. Rank doesn’t really matter.
 
What about Bootcamp instead of BnB? Also is UWorld that significant as opposed to doing all the NBMEs?
 
DrWizzy said:
What about Bootcamp instead of BnB? Also is UWorld that significant as opposed to doing all the NBMEs?
Click to expand...
I never liked bootcamp. Too much BS that isn't going to show up on the exam. BnB last I did it was focused. Uworld is the best learning tool there is, but jumping into it with no foundation doesn't help. Answering questions, reading the answers and having no clue what any of it means isn't going to help you.

Edit: NBMEs are good for endgame prep. More so an evaluation of whether you are going to pass or not and high-yield concepts. But UWorld is king.
 
thoughts on 71 EPC and top 20% class rank? not sure if its worth to retake
 
dentpinned said:
Retaking a 74 is a complete waste of time. Rank doesn’t really matter.
Click to expand...
You really think an 80 isn’t more convincing to PDs than a mid 70s score? I know most applicants are mid low 70s and high 60s but they also are the top of their class. I know Cbse > rank but Also I haven’t really seen bottom 30% matching. Is this information you’ve heard from PDs or residents or something
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
luckytaco said:
thoughts on 71 EPC and top 20% class rank? not sure if its worth to retake
Click to expand...
I don't want to blow up this thread so DM me if you need some advice. Am a resident who passed Step 1, had 30 interviews. Only wanted 6 yr.

There is massive bias on these forums. The vast majority of test takers do not do well on the CBSE and apply with subpar scores. If you have >/ 68 you are fine. The best thing you can do for yourself is stop being so hyper about this exam and comparing yourself to other people on this forum or any forum for that matter.

Get some extracurriculars, externships, recommendations, and have a good story to tell. - This is the differentiator after the CBSE is checked off.
 
Last edited:
gigachadomfs said:
74 EPC is good, focus on improving your class rank as much as you can now and go on externships. You can def match with that score
Click to expand...
Thanks, I understand it’s matchable but wouldn’t it be a higher likely match if I put myself in a more comfortable position with a higher score? Like I said I won’t be able to move much since we are done with didactics and starting clinic.
 
Hhoff.13 said:
You really think an 80 isn’t more convincing to PDs than a mid 70s score? I know most applicants are mid low 70s and high 60s but they also are the top of their class. I know Cbse > rank but Also I haven’t really seen bottom 30% matching. Is this information you’ve heard from PDs or residents or something
Click to expand...
I think there are diminishing returns. After a 70, you statistically have a 99% chance of passing Step 1 under the same conditions; over a 70, you have confirmed to a 6 year program that you are capable of passing the board exam, which is what they care about. I think that there will be more return on investment from networking and performing well during externships rather than trying to squeeze a few more points out of the CBSE.
 
Hhoff.13 said:
I did well, 74 EPC. unfortunately I have a garbage rank, bottom 30% (I didn't care for specializing my first year at all). I might be gearing up for a retake, luckily I'm a D2 so I have a lot of time left to get a better score. If my rank was half as decent as most of you guys i would do a couple externships and relax the rest of dental school, plus after a lot of calculating even straight As from now on wouldnt move me much since clinic is soon. what would you guys do in my position?
Click to expand...
Do not retake it, try to get some good grades to increase your rank to around 50%, be a normal person on externships, apply broadly and you'll match.
 
dentpinned said:
I don't want to blow up this thread so DM me if you need some advice. Am a resident who passed Step 1, had 30 interviews. Only wanted 6 yr.

There is massive bias on these forums. The vast majority of test takers do not do well on the CBSE and apply with subpar scores. If you have > 68 you are fine. The best thing you can do for yourself is stop being so hyper about this exam and comparing yourself to other people on this forum or any forum for that matter.

Get some extracurriculars, externships, recommendations, and have a good story to tell.
Click to expand...

Tooth_Driller said:
I think there are diminishing returns. After a 70, you statistically have a 99% chance of passing Step 1 under the same conditions; over a 70, you have confirmed to a 6 year program that you are capable of passing the board exam, which is what they care about. I think that there will be more return on investment from networking and performing well during externships rather than trying to squeeze a few more points out of the CBSE.
Click to expand...
That’s true that the cbse serves as a direct step 1 indicator but it also works dually as an admittance score don’t you think? Like there’s no way they treat an 80 and 70 the same even thought they’re both 99% passing
 
OrphanageCaretaker said:
Do not retake it, try to get some good grades to increase your rank to around 50%, be a normal person on externships, apply broadly and you'll match.
Click to expand...
Im trying not to spam but I don’t think 50 is feasible but I plan on bringing it up as much as I can
 
Hhoff.13 said:
That’s true that the cbse serves as a direct step 1 indicator but it also works dually as an admittance score don’t you think? Like there’s no way they treat an 80 and 70 the same even thought they’re both 99% passing
Click to expand...
You're going to spend another 6 months studying to possibly get 6 points higher? I have yet to hear of programs cutting you off at a 74 epc. The difference between 80 and 74 is negligible at best, you have showed the medical school you can pass step 1, that's what they care about. The omfs program cares about someone who can be a functional member of their team rather than someone who recalled some more facts from anki cards to get a higher cbse. Some programs (like the one I'm at) has a cutoff of 70 EPC to interview. You would arguably have a better shot of receiving better dental school grades, externing and networking to match at a program you're actually interested in than a few points higher on an exam that you've scored very well on.
 
Hhoff.13 said:
That’s true that the cbse serves as a direct step 1 indicator but it also works dually as an admittance score don’t you think? Like there’s no way they treat an 80 and 70 the same even thought they’re both 99% passing
Click to expand...
At my school, the residents have scores ranging from mid-60s to nearly 100 EPC. Over a 70, your chances increase dramatically, but you don’t see as dramatic of an increase in the 80s or 90s because they effectively give programs the same information. Rank, CBSE, etc are boxes to check, but the key differentiator after a certain point is your personality and how well they vibe with you at each program.

I think we’re all programmed to do the best we can, but sometimes we can’t be happy for ourselves because there’s always something better. I scored above average on the DAT and remember being devastated at the time because I could have done better. I still got into dental school. Perfect is the enemy of good.
 
Last edited:
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
OrphanageCaretaker said:
You're going to spend another 6 months studying to possibly get 6 points higher? I have yet to hear of programs cutting you off at a 74 epc. The difference between 80 and 74 is negligible at best, you have showed the medical school you can pass step 1, that's what they care about. The omfs program cares about someone who can be a functional member of their team rather than someone who recalled some more facts from anki cards to get a higher cbse. Some programs (like the one I'm at) has a cutoff of 70 EPC to interview. You would arguably have a better shot of receiving better dental school grades, externing and networking to match at a program you're actually interested in than a few points higher on an exam that you've scored very well on.
Click to expand...
That’s a good point bro. I guess I feel that getting an extra 6 points is actually easier than getting a 50% rank at this point. After that first atrocious year I’ve kept a 3.7 ish and I was banking on programs seeing an upward trend plus a high cbse. Not even trying to sound like a nerd but I didn’t mind the studying as much so it’s not really about if it’s worth my time in that regard but if a PD doesn’t really care after a 70 than Yh you make a lot of sense.
 
Tooth_Driller said:
At my school, the residents have scores ranging from mid-60s to nearly 100 EPC. Over a 70, your chances increase dramatically, but you don’t see as dramatic of an increase in the 80s or 90s because they effectively give programs the same information. Rank, CBSE, etc are boxes to check, but the key differentiator after a certain point is your personality and how well they vibe with you at each program.

I think we’re all programmed to do the best we can, but sometimes we can’t be happy for ourselves because there’s always something better. I scored above average on the DAT and remember being devastated at the time because I could have done better. I still got into dental school. Perfect is the enemy of good.
Click to expand...
I feel you man, it’s that feeling that you left something on the table that hurts, not the score itself
 
Hhoff.13 said:
That’s true that the cbse serves as a direct step 1 indicator but it also works dually as an admittance score don’t you think? Like there’s no way they treat an 80 and 70 the same even thought they’re both 99% passing
Click to expand...
70 is the same as 80 if you "just want to match." The same way a 23 DAT is the same as a 26 if you "just want to go to dental school." If you want to be more selective, want to attend a competitive program, or have a specific geographical area you really want to live in, it makes a difference. The competition is insane within the top bracket of applicants, and many of them are targeting the same programs.

This is my understanding based on watching upperclassmen match, others may have different opinions
 
Hhoff.13 said:
That’s true that the cbse serves as a direct step 1 indicator but it also works dually as an admittance score don’t you think? Like there’s no way they treat an 80 and 70 the same even thought they’re both 99% passing
Click to expand...
they do lol

but you seem dead set so retake
 
I’d just like to reiterated what other people are saying. Rank really doesn’t matter. I’m 50th percentile in the 70s EPC and matched comfortably.

It turns out PDs don’t care about how you did during your operative or pediatric dentistry courses.
 
On the score report, is the histogram distribution of grades solely based off of dental students who took it on Feb 14th? Or is it supposed to reflect all students who have taken this version of the CBSE over the past few years?
 
ProjectBeyond said:
On the score report, is the histogram distribution of grades solely based off of dental students who took it on Feb 14th? Or is it supposed to reflect all students who have taken this version of the CBSE over the past few years?
Click to expand...
I'm just honestly taken aback by how many people are scoring in the 71-80 and 81+ brackets and I can't tell if these are solely dental students or both dent and med
 
ProjectBeyond said:
On the score report, is the histogram distribution of grades solely based off of dental students who took it on Feb 14th? Or is it supposed to reflect all students who have taken this version of the CBSE over the past few years?
Click to expand...
The report states "The chart below represents the performance of a 2024 national cohort of students from LCME-accredited medical schools." So it's reflective of students at accredited US medical schools.
 
Knightbrace said:
The report states "The chart below represents the performance of a 2024 national cohort of students from LCME-accredited medical schools." So it's reflective of students at accredited US medical schools.
Click to expand...
Thanks for clarifying, guess I need to improve my reading comp too at this point.
 
dentpinned said:
I don't want to blow up this thread so DM me if you need some advice. Am a resident who passed Step 1, had 30 interviews. Only wanted 6 yr.

There is massive bias on these forums. The vast majority of test takers do not do well on the CBSE and apply with subpar scores. If you have >/ 68 you are fine. The best thing you can do for yourself is stop being so hyper about this exam and comparing yourself to other people on this forum or any forum for that matter.

Get some extracurriculars, externships, recommendations, and have a good story to tell. - This is the differentiator after the CBSE is checked off.
Click to expand...
As someone who just went through the cycle, this is absolutely true. Most people on the interview trail DO NOT have a 75 or whatever. This forum would make you think that. All the advice here is spot on
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
KashKy said:
70 is the same as 80 if you "just want to match." The same way a 23 DAT is the same as a 26 if you "just want to go to dental school." If you want to be more selective, want to attend a competitive program, or have a specific geographical area you really want to live in, it makes a difference. The competition is insane within the top bracket of applicants, and many of them are targeting the same programs.

This is my understanding based on watching upperclassmen match, others may have different opinions
Click to expand...
I had a 73 epc with a fine class rank and a selective geographical opinion and had 14 interviews
 
hello! Just wanted some advice on my score of 69. I know everyone says 70 is the baseline for no retake so I am unsure if I should go for another round because I just missed the mark. I go to a P/NP school so CBSE is probably more important than at a ranked school. I really dislike studying so I am leaning towards not retaking but I will if I need to. Thank you in advance!
 
madelineteeth said:
hello! Just wanted some advice on my score of 69. I know everyone says 70 is the baseline for no retake so I am unsure if I should go for another round because I just missed the mark. I go to a P/NP school so CBSE is probably more important than at a ranked school. I really dislike studying so I am leaning towards not retaking but I will if I need to. Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
D2 so I know nothing. My understanding is that if you have a great personality and do lots of externships you're in a fine spot. Good job
 
DrWizzy said:
How is a 55 EPC given you do a non cat?
Click to expand...
55 EPC is not passing Step 1. In this thread, current residents say 60+ is the bar at some programs, so you're almost there. If you want I can help you figure out how to study for this thing. Shoot me a dm if you want
 
Is there really no meaningful difference between scoring in the 70–80 range versus 80+? In other words, does an 80+ actually open any additional doors that a 70–80 wouldn’t already open, even if aiming for desirable states (in my case) like NJ, NY, and CT? Sorry if this sounds neurotic, but just wanted to get a feel for these things. Especially because I heard scores considered competitive are getting higher and higher
 
Last edited:
daxnc1 said:
Is there really no meaningful difference between scoring in the 70–80 range versus 80+? In other words, does an 80+ actually open any additional doors that a 70–80 wouldn’t already open, even if aiming for desirable states (in my case) like NJ, NY, and CT? Sorry if this sounds neurotic, but just wanted to get a feel for these things. Especially because I heard scores considered competitive are getting higher and higher
Click to expand...
Actually I have heard from previous applicants that NYU only accepts 80+ (not sure how true this is) but other programs in that area it doesn’t matter 70 or 80.
 
dent453 said:
Actually I have heard from previous applicants that NYU only accepts 80+ (not sure how true this is) but other programs in that area it doesn’t matter 70 or 80.
Click to expand...
Wow very interesting.. first I'm hearing about this. If this is the case then I have to really think if a retake is something I should do or not. thanks
 
Advertisement - Members don't see this ad
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
CBSE in Feb 2026
Replies
2
Views
5K
deleted1189988
D
The Kube of Kubes
CBSE final stretch
Replies
11
Views
3K
Rick Sorkin
Rick Sorkin
O
CBSE - February 2025
2
Replies
56
Views
22K
toothdoc8
T
B
Drop ECs to focus on CBSE?
Replies
4
Views
715
Bolt_Up_23
B
pinkpantherOMFS
Low CBSE 2025
Replies
10
Views
5K
sonicfighter
S
Top Bottom