The MISERY of Dental Board Exams

[Newgoalsdentdoc]

Why is it that we practice dentistry on a daily basis, then end up having to take a board exam for reasons of relocating or whatever, and then you sit for 2 days and can't pass procedures that you successfully complete on live patients every day???? I'm really trying to figure this one out and not to mention all the money you lose after you haven't passed.

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[Elipar]

I'm an endodontist. So not only have I completed additional training, I am being tested on things I haven't done in 5+ years (at least endo is part of the test). I'd hate to be an orthodontist taking a board exam.

 

[Newgoalsdentdoc]

Wow, I've heard this from a lot of specialists over the years. I've been practicing for over 15 years, now, and I just wanted to post this after talking with recent grads and those under 5 years to receive reciprocity and just sharing and hearing stories about dental boards.

 

[Elipar]

I've been in practice 8 years, and graduated 11 years ago, so I should be able to qualify for reciprocity. Unfortunately, more and more states are moving towards regional exams but not accepting state-constructed exams. At the time I graduated, I was in California and our school only administered the California state board exam. So now I find myself taking the WREB just to give me more options. Now I wish I had done this during residency. It would have been much easier to find patients.

 

[Newgoalsdentdoc]

Wow, thanks for sharing. Yes, the dreaded reciprocity and state board exams. I somehow wish that there was one board exam for dentistry and if you choose to practice from one state to another, a fee is an obligation and completion of a jursprudence exam, and that's it. I have colleagues who had to follow their spouses to relocate, etc., and had to take regional board exams in order to practice. Some didn't pass and actually moved back, temporarily, in order to make ends meet where they were licensed and then tried later to retake the exams. Hence, long distance marriages, etc. Hmm????

 

[ucizotzot]

I graduated in 2010 and did an AEGD thinking that I'd just go back to CA (CA takes AEGD for a license). I then decided to specialize and am doing endo residency now. I decided to take the NERB in May. I spent $5300 for patients from Lu Lau dental services since I don't get to screen for patients like I used to when I was practicing. The class 2 I received was bad because the adjacent tooth had a pretty bad carious lesion. After I opened up the contact I saw a cavitation, noted it to the examiners and they still failed me because they said "I nicked the tooth." Well, I passed the other sections but have to take restorative over again. In any case, after spending nearly $9k, I have to spend another $4k or so to retake the exam, fly my patients to Florida and hope for the best. In retrospect, take the exam during school and don't use Lu Lau (screen for your own patients so that you can take care of the entire mouth before the exam).

Dental licensing exams are unethical in my opinion specifically because most people have to hold out on treatment to take the exam and one bad day can screw you over months of salary. I agree more with a portfolio type of licensing which is what CA is trying to do. Can we ban together and do something about this? I feel like the ADA isn't doing much to address this issue. These regional boards are just collecting money up the wazoo not to mention shady prep services like Lu Lau (which I shouldn't have trusted in the first place).

 

[STACM]

My guess is there isn't enough to band together cause not enough people fail it, and the ones who pass don't care anymore.

 

[Newgoalsdentdoc]

I graduated in 2010 and did an AEGD thinking that I'd just go back to CA (CA takes AEGD for a license). I then decided to specialize and am doing endo residency now. I decided to take the NERB in May. I spent $5300 for patients from Lu Lau dental services since I don't get to screen for patients like I used to when I was practicing. The class 2 I received was bad because the adjacent tooth had a pretty bad carious lesion. After I opened up the contact I saw a cavitation, noted it to the examiners and they still failed me because they said "I nicked the tooth." Well, I passed the other sections but have to take restorative over again. In any case, after spending nearly $9k, I have to spend another $4k or so to retake the exam, fly my patients to Florida and hope for the best. In retrospect, take the exam during school and don't use Lu Lau (screen for your own patients so that you can take care of the entire mouth before the exam).

Dental licensing exams are unethical in my opinion specifically because most people have to hold out on treatment to take the exam and one bad day can screw you over months of salary. I agree more with a portfolio type of licensing which is what CA is trying to do. Can we ban together and do something about this? I feel like the ADA isn't doing much to address this issue. These regional boards are just collecting money up the wazoo not to mention shady prep services like Lu Lau (which I shouldn't have trusted in the first place).

Wow, awesome post. You are right on target. I have been thinking about this for years. I do believe we need to band together somehow as dental providers. There are various conferences that take place during the year, for example "New Dentist Conference" and the Annual ADA Meeting which I'm sure as dentists we could voice our concerns over licensure issues. You described my biggest "fear" of ever taking a board exam, again. Spending money I"ve saved, from already practicing and losing it over one procedure that I do countless times on a daily basis and to be told I've failed. These exams are very unethical. How in the world do graduates just coming out of dental school afford these exams? The things I've heard and seen over the years really can be down right depressing. If you have any ideas, let's think on this and get the ball rolling.

 

[Newgoalsdentdoc]

My guess is there isn't enough to band together cause not enough people fail it, and the ones who pass don't care anymore.

So true. No one fights for anything that doesn't affect them.

 

[ucizotzot]

Wow, awesome post. You are right on target. I have been thinking about this for years. I do believe we need to band together somehow as dental providers. There are various conferences that take place during the year, for example "New Dentist Conference" and the Annual ADA Meeting which I'm sure as dentists we could voice our concerns over licensure issues. You described my biggest "fear" of ever taking a board exam, again. Spending money I"ve saved, from already practicing and losing it over one procedure that I do countless times on a daily basis and to be told I've failed. These exams are very unethical. How in the world do graduates just coming out of dental school afford these exams? The things I've heard and seen over the years really can be down right depressing. If you have any ideas, let's think on this and get the ball rolling.

Yes! Let's start a movement. Perhaps starting one of those surveymonkey surveys to recent grads can work. I'm sure it's still fresh enough in their minds. Even if the ones that passed don't care anymore, at least they can state their opinions and recap what they went through. The ADA needs to hear this and get going on it at the national level. From what I heard, California will go with the portfolio route for licensure.

 

[Newgoalsdentdoc]

Yes, let's do it. I'm serious. I think it would be a good move.