INBDE vs. NBDE I/II: Pros, Cons, Discussion. Etc.

[ICantEven]

I am apart of a D21 class which was given the option of taking the traditional boards (NBDE 1 & 2) or the INBDE. However, I noticed there hasn't been much conversation between the two exams and discussion over the pros/cons of taking one over the other.

Here is the official page for the INBDE.

Quicks Facts:

• Taken when you'd usually take NBDE II
• 300-450 Questions (vs. 900 Questions NBDE I+II)
• "test relies less on rote knowledge and information recall than the current NBDE examinations do, and instead it emphasizes the decision-making process relevant to the safe practice of dentistry, through the integration of the basic sciences and dental and clinical science" - INBDE Student Fact Sheet

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[ICantEven]

There are many arguments for the taking the INBDE exam; the main one being that it is taken after the third year of dental school so the integrated nature of the exam is much more applicable to what you have been doing and some subjects such as dental anatomy are more intuitive. This also plays into the potential retake situation. For NBDE part 1, our school has us take it the summer after D1 and if we don't pass we take it winter break of D2 (supposedly the most needed break of dental school). If you don't pass the integrated first time around, then you have time for 3 more attempts during the fourth year during which time you are already improving yourself on the material that is being tested and able to apply the concepts you are studying in your day-to-day.