National Eastern State Board Exam

[Smilemaker100]

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Hello !

I am in my senior year and was wondering if there is anyone who can provide me with some information in regards to the "National Eastern State Board Exam". I am particularly interested in eventually practicing in the Boston area. I heard that in order to practice, I had to invest about $4000 to do a two day exam with patients. This is such an astronomical cost ! Is this true? Where can I get more information?

Thanks!

 

[UBTom]

The exam you are referring to is the North East Regional Board (NERB) for licensure in 14 states (including Massachusetts) and the District of Columbia.

The patient portion is one day.

It costs $1100US.

the NERB website: http://www.nerb.org

HTH.

 

[Bickle]

I heard on this board that the live patient portion has been phased out of the license exams.

 

[UBTom]

Nope... Not until after 2005 at the earliest are they going to make a decision.

 

[drPheta]

Originally posted by UBTom
Nope... Not until after 2005 at the earliest are they going to make a decision.

Wow, I didn't know about that. 2005, I'm hoping...please please please please phase out the patient practical. Manequin or patient, it's all the same when you're under the subjective scrutiny of the proctor.

 

[Meggs]

Originally posted by drPheta
Manequin or patient, it's all the same when you're under the subjective scrutiny of the proctor.

Oh, yeah? Try it.

 

[drPheta]

Originally posted by meggs
Oh, yeah? Try it.

What I meant by that is you're under the same amount of pressure (relatively speaking) with the proctor scrutinizing your every bit of work. However, you can say the live patient may have more pressure if you factor in the moving tongue, saliva, and fatigue. But, by 4th year, you should be able to do those "ideal" procedures at fairly standard rate anyway.

I think the "real life" benefit of a live patient is eclipsed by the benefit of:
not having to find the ideal class II
not having to make sure your patient doesn't flake on you cause they found another student willing to pay more.

I don't know. I'm just a first year, but already may 4th years tell me it's not the actual exam that's difficult. They tell me the hardest part about it is finding the lesions that fit the criteria, and the fact that the proctors are so subjective in their critiquing.


If what I'm saying is wrong, please correct my errors. I don't want to have any false statements precipitating.

 

[gryffindor]

Dr. Pheta, I think you are right on in your perception of the NERB.

BTW, I haven't even suggested paying any of my patients yet. They're coming b/c I just told them "Oh, I have to take this exam on May 4 & 5 and the filling you need will be perfect for it so keep those dates open." Patients here aren't as savvy as those at Tufts, many of them don't know about being paid to be treated for these exams. Previous grads have told me they will pay their patients like $50 as a "thanks for coming" gesture, but I've heard patients command a lot more at other schools.

Suggestion for you - try to look for class II & III (and perio if you're REALLY lucky) lesions in first and second year dental students. Our school is most accomodating if a dental student has a lesion and has to switch a final exam time or something to be a NERB patient for someone (b/c underclassmen finals fall at the same time as the NERBs).

If you don't take the NERB and opt to do a 1 year residency instead, NY will definitely grant you a license. My ASDA friends tell me that Minnesota is now doing the same and Connecticut has the legislation in the works and it will happen soon there too. They thought there is another state out there doing this, maybe Utah, but weren't sure of which state it was. If anyone knows, please tell us. Thanks.

 

[gryffindor]

Originally posted by drPheta
... and the fact that the proctors are so subjective in their critiquing.

The NERB has the wackiest pass/fail rate of all the licensing exams. I swear those proctors meet the morning of the exam at each school and decide "Ok fellas, today we have to fail at least 30% of those out there taking the exam. We need more students retaking this exam in the fall so we can keep this gig, so let's get to work." Then they come out and pull subjective tricks on you to fail you on the spot, even if everything you did was perfect.

I am totally making the above part up. I have no clue how NERB examiners (who can be retired Oral Surgeons grading your class II amalgam) make their decisions of an automatic failure. Here is a true NERB story: I had to finish restoring a temporized Class II prep on my patient who sat for the NERBs last year. Her student was failed on the spot for "open contact" AFTER she had already placed the amalgam. There was no open contact according to the floor proctor dentist, student, assistant, and patient, but the examiner made her REMOVE the amalgam, place IRM and send the patient home.

Scenarios like this one show why we despise the NERB so much.

 

[drPheta]

I wouldn't mind working in NY, but I'd like to have that freedom to move around. Also, I'm a Jersey boy. I'd like to stay there.

Sigh. I'm just going to keep praying that the NERBs stop with live patients.