Washington State Dentist Licensure Clinical Examinations

The Dental Quality Assurance Commission (dental commission) approved the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DLOSCE) on April 2, 2020. An emergency rule filed on June 15 added the DLOSCE as an allowable clinical examination. Additionally, the commission is pursuing permanent rule-making to include DLOSCE as a permanent allowable clinical examination.

The current examination content rule, WAC 246-817-120, requires five sections to be completed for a clinical examination; restorative; endodontic; periodontal; prosthodontic; and comprehensive treatment planning or diagnostic skills. The rule also requires all sections to be passed with the same testing agency.

The dental commission on June 5, 2020 approved all manikin examination sections offered by Western Regional Examining Board (WREB), Central Regional Dental Testing Service (CRDTS), Commission on Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA), Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA), and Southern Regional Testing Agency (SRTA).  However, not all examination testing agencies are offering all five of the required clinical sections. To address the fact that WREB and SRTA are not offering all five sections, the dental commission approved the adoption of an emergency rule that would allow applicants to take the required sections from more than one testing agency.

• The dental commission approved the manikin sections of the WREB examination as acceptable. WREB does not have a manikin periodontal examination section. The dental commission authorized an emergency rule that will remove a requirement in the rule that requires all examination section to be completed with the same testing agency. Washington state dentist licensure applicants may take the WREB manikin examination, but will be required to take a periodontal examination from another testing agency to meet the requirements for clinical examination.
• The dental commission approved the manikin sections of CRDTS examination as acceptable. All required sections are available by CRDTS.
• The dental commission approved the manikin sections of CDCA – American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) examination as acceptable. All required sections are available by CDCA-ADEX.
• The dental commission approved the manikin sections of CITA – ADEX examination as acceptable. All required sections are available by CITA-ADEX.
• The dental commission approved the manikin sections of SRTA. SRTA does not have a manikin periodontal examination or a comprehensive treatment planning or diagnostic skills examination section. The dental commission authorized an emergency rule that will remove a requirement in the rule that requires all examination sections to be completed with the same testing agency. Washington state dentist licensure applicants may take the SRTA manikin examination, but will be required to take a periodontal examination and a comprehensive treatment planning or diagnostic skills examination from another testing agency to meet the requirements for clinical examination.

An emergency rule is valid for 120 days. Notice will be provided once the updated emergency rule has been filed to include allowing more than one testing agency.

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