The National Dental Examining Board of Canada

Le Bureau National dExamen Dentaire du Canada

EQUIVALENCY PROCESS

ASSESSMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE

PROTOCOL
2015

The National Dental Examining Board of Canada

Le Bureau National dExamen Dentaire du Canada
TABLE

OF

CONTENTS
PAGE

CONTENT AND FORMAT .............................................................................................. 1

SCHEDULE.................................................................................................................. 2
VALIDATION OF REGISTRATION ................................................................................. 2
INSTRUCTIONS .......................................................................................................... 3
SAMPLE QUESTION ..................................................................................................... 6
REFERENCE TEXTS ..................................................................................................... 6
ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS ....................................................................................... 6
PASSING STANDARD................................................................................................... 7
RESULTS .................................................................................................................... 8
REPEATS .................................................................................................................... 8

CONTENT AND FORMAT

The Assessment consists of two (2) books, each with 150 multiple choice type questions. Each book is given in a
three hour session. The sessions are held in the morning and afternoon of the same day.
The Assessment Blueprint outlined below gives the content areas and approximate percentages of questions in
each area.
Approximate %
of Questions

Biomedical Sciences
Anatomy
Oral Microanatomy
Oral Embryology
Growth and Development
Physiology
Microbiology/Immunology
General Biochemistry/Cariology
Pathology/Medicine

20

Applied Clinical Sciences

Pharmacology
Orthodontics
Pediatric Dentistry
Geriatric Dentistry
Special Needs Patient
Periodontics
Oral facial Pain
Endodontics
Dental Emergencies
Oral Medicine/Oral Pathology
Radiology
Scientific Literature
Prevention
Infection Control
Local Anesthesia
Therapeutics

14
6
6

6
6
6
4

Oral Surgery
Trauma
Medical Emergencies
Operative/Single Crown
FPD/Removable/Implants
Dental Anatomy/Occlusion

6
10
10
Total

100%

1/8

II

SCHEDULE
Validation of Registration

7:30 am - 8:15 am

Orientation

8:15 am - 8:30 am

Book 1

8:30 am - 11:30 am

Afternoon Check-In
Book 2
III

12:30 pm 1:00 pm
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

VALIDATION OF REGISTRATION
During the validation of registration participants will be issued an Identification (ID) card. To receive the ID card,
participants will be required to show current government issued photo identification (e.g. drivers licence,
passport, military identification) in English or French, for comparison to the ID card. The photo identification
must show the participants name exactly as it appears in the participants online profile. It must be issued by a
federal/provincial/territorial/state or municipal authority, and not be expired.
Participants who do not provide government photo identification will not be admitted.
Participants must have the ID card visible at all times and must return the card to the Assessment Administrator
at the end of each session. Removing any paper with copied test items or notes from the Assessment location is
prohibited and will be considered as compromising the integrity of the Assessment . The consequences of such
actions are delineated in NDEB By-laws. The NDEB will verify that all ID cards are returned. Participants who fail
to return their ID card may receive a zero 0 score for the Assessment.

2/8

IV

INSTRUCTIONS
For each session, participants will receive a book with their NAME, PARTICIPANT IDENTIFICATION number, SEAT
number and a book VERSION number. Below is an illustration of the book cover showing the location of the
required identification information.

The National Dental Examining Board of Canada

Le Bureau National dExamen Dentaire du Canada

ASSESSMENT OF FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE

BOOK 1
2015
(3 hours)

VERSION 5

SAMPLE of book version

number enter your
book version number on
answer score sheet

SEAT # 23
ID Number
enter on answer
score sheet

Seat Number
do NOT enter on
answer score sheet

123456
SANCHEZ, TOMAS

3/8

For each session, participants will also receive an ANSWER SCORE SHEET. The illustration below gives an
example of how to correctly enter required identification information.

ID Number

Enter
your
book
version
number

Name

4/8

1. Enter your NAME, your assigned ID number and your book VERSION NUMBER in the indicated areas on the
answer score sheet.
2. Each question in the book is followed by a choice of answers. Select the one most appropriate answer.
Record your answer on the answer score sheet using a standard (wood) lead pencil (No. 2 or HB) only. No
other writing devices (e.g. mechanical pencils, pens or felt-type markers) are allowed in the Assessment area.
When entering an answer, make a heavy black mark that completely fills the appropriate circle.
3. If you change your answer, make sure that the original mark is thoroughly erased. Use a standard block
eraser. Mechanical erasers are not allowed.
4. Make no stray marks on the answer score sheet.
5. Each question has a score of one (1). The lowest score for any question is zero (0).
6. You may write in the book to assist yourself in answering questions. Your score, however, will depend upon
the answers recorded on the answer score sheet. Please ensure the accuracy of transfer of answers onto the
answer score sheet.
7. The transfer of answers to the answer score sheet MUST be completed within the session time. Additional
time will not be allowed.
8. The book, answer score sheet and ID card must be returned at the end of the session. If all or part of any of
these are not returned, a zero (0) score will be given.
9. The FDI two digit tooth numbering system (below) is used in all Assessments.
FDI NUMBERING SYSTEM
Permanent Dentition
1.8 1.7
4.8 4.7
RIGHT

1.6
4.6

1.5
4.5

1.4
4.4

1.3
4.3

1.2
4.2

1.1
4.1

2.1
3.1

2.2
3.2

2.3
3.3

2.4
3.4

2.5
3.5

6.3
7.3

6.4
7.4

6.5
7.5
LEFT

2.6
3.6

2.7
3.7

2.8
3.8
LEFT

Primary Dentition
5.5 5.4
8.5 8.4
RIGHT

5.3
8.3

5.2
8.2

5.1
8.1

6.1
7.1

6.2
7.2

5/8

SAMPLE QUESTION
1. The most appropriate antibiotic for infections of pulpal origin is
A.
B.
C.
D.

penicillin V.
lincomycin.
erythromycin.
tetracycline.

ANSWER:
Other sample questions can be found on the NDEB web site at NDEB Released Questions
VI

REFERENCE TEXTS
A list of textbooks and references commonly used in DDS/DMD programs can be found on the NDEB web site at
Reference Texts

VII

ASSESSMENT REGULATIONS
1. Participants must be punctual for all sessions of the Assessment. Participants arriving late for a session may
not be admitted. Once one participant has left the Assessment no other participants will be admitted.
2. Family or friends must not accompany a participant as space at the centre is provided ONLY for participants
and staff.
3. Participants must not bring devices with recording, transmitting or receiving abilities, radios, cameras, cell
phones, pagers or other electronic aids/devices into the Assessment room.
4. Participants may not use dictionaries, calculators or other informative material.
5. The ability of a participant to read, interpret and comply with instructions and other written material is part of
the Assessment. Assessment Administrators and invigilators will not answer questions involving Assessment
content.
6. Participants who are unable to attend an Assessment on the scheduled Assessment date due to religious
reasons must request special consideration for an alternate session to the NDEB office prior to the
Registration Deadline Date. The request must be in writing and must include original documentation
confirming the inability to attend due to religious reasons. The NDEB will accommodate requests for
alternate sessions however, may have to offer alternate locations.
7. Participants requiring special assessment accommodation, including accommodation due to a diagnosed
medical condition must request special consideration in writing to the NDEB office within two (2) weeks of the
registration deadline date. The request must include original documentation indicating the diagnosis and
accommodation measures required. Additional supporting documentation may be requested by the NDEB
office.
8. Food and/or drink (including water) are not allowed in the Assessment room. If food and/or drink are
required for medical reasons, a request must be made in accordance with Regulation 7 above.

6/8

9. Once the Assessment is in progress, any participant who leaves the Assessment room for any reason,
including the use of washroom facilities, WILL NOT be allowed to re-enter unless special consideration for
medical reasons has been granted by the NDEB office. The request must include a medical certificate signed
by a physician indicating the diagnosis and accommodation measures required.
10. Participants may use ear plugs.
11. Participants are prohibited from copying or otherwise obtaining answers from other participants; from
providing answers to other participants; and, from talking or otherwise disrupting the conduct of the
Assessment. Participants are responsible for ensuring that their answers are not visible to other participants.
Participants must be aware that the NDEB uses a software program to identify suspicious answer similarities
between pairs of participants and may void the results of both participants involved in suspicious occurrences
identified by the software program.
12. Participants must stop writing at the indicated time. The transfer of answers from books to answer score
sheets MUST be completed within the session time. Additional time will not be allowed.
13. Participants are prohibited from removing test material including ID Cards, books and answer score sheets
from the assessment room and from copying or making notes of any test item.
14. Participants are reminded that all Assessment material is copyrighted. Any attempt to reproduce or assemble
Assessment material is strictly prohibited and will be prosecuted.
15. Participants who do not abide with the above Regulations will receive a zero (0) score for the Assessment.
16. Within three months of the release of the results of the Assessment, participants may apply to have their
answer score sheets manually checked against the answer key. Any such application for review must be
accompanied by a filing fee. Upon verification, the score for the participant will be that produced by the
manual check.
17. A participant who considers themself disadvantaged by a personal circumstance beyond the participant s
control, occurring either immediately before or during the Assessment may, within one week of this personal
circumstance occurring, request that the NDEB make a special consideration to void the results of the
Assessment. The NDEB may grant permission for the participant to withdraw from the Assessment. The
participant may also request special consideration for a refund of up to 50% of the Assessment fee.

VIII

PASSING STANDARD
In order to assure a consistent level of difficulty, the NDEB uses test equating and re-scaling procedures to
correlate participant raw scores to scores on a reference Assessment and to a standardized passing score of 75.
Participants must obtain a minimum test equated, re-scaled score of 75 to be successful in the Assessment of
Fundamental Knowledge.
Please note that the Assessment contains a number of questions that are being tested and that these questions
may not contribute to any participants result.

7/8

IX

RESULTS
The results of the Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge will normally be released within 6 weeks from the date
of the Assessment. Email notification will be sent when results are available in the participants online profile.
Participants whose test equated, rescaled score on the Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge is 75 or higher
may register for the Assessment of Clinical Skills and the Assessment of Clinical Judgement.
The results of the Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge will be sent to universities in Canada offering a
Qualifying or Degree Completion Program.
Results will not be released by telephone or fax.
Results cannot be obtained from educational institutions or Provincial Licensing Authorities.

REPEATS
A participant may take the Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge three (3) times.

j:\exams\equivalency process\assessment of fundamental knowledge\protocol\2015\english\assessment of fundamental knowledge 2015.docx

8/8