Each state dental board sets the clinical licensure requirements for its state. While many require clinical examinations, some states accept additional pathways to licensure, including completion of a postgraduate year residency program (PGY1), passage of an objective structured clinical examination (DLOSCE or OSCE administered by NDEB) or completion of a portfolio exam (2014 California Portfolio Exam).
Clinical exams are administered by one of three testing agencies. Review the Licensure Dashboard maps to see which exams (CDCA, CITA, CRDTS, SRTA, WREB) and which type (manikin or patient) are accepted by the state you intend to practice in. Note that Delaware administers its own exam, while New York requires completion of a one year residency program.
CDCA-WREB-CITA (formerly the Commission for Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA), the Western Regional Examining Board (WREB), The Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA))
Central Regional Dental Testing Services (CRDTS)
States Resources for Testing and Assessments (SRTA)
Exams may be administered in one of two ways.
In the traditional format, all clinical parts of the exam are completed over a 2-3 day span by candidates who have either graduated from or nearly completed their final year of dental school.
The curriculum integrated format (CIF) allows dental students of record to complete the exam in sections spread out through their last year of dental school.