Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations, Prometric Launch New Licensure Exam

The Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) has collaborated with Prometric on the successful implementation of the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DLOSCE), a new professionally developed examination that was designed for clinical licensure purposes.

This content-valid examination assesses a candidate’s judgment in a clinical setting and skills using 3D models without the use of patients. The exam is said to have been developed by industry experts, who designed the exam’s computerized models and composed questions to reflect life-like clinical settings.

The DLOSCE is said to not require candidates to perform procedures on patients, and instead replaces patients with life-like 3D models. This is said to eliminate many weaknesses of traditional clinical exams, increase validity, and decrease COVID-19 exposure.

"The DLOSCE provides a comprehensive evaluation of the clinical judgment that is necessary to safely practice dentistry, advancing assessment technology and helping to address ethical concerns with current clinical licensure examinations," said JCNDE Chair Dr Kanthasamy Ragunanthan. "This examination promotes clinical fidelity, fairness, objectivity, and validity, at a time of great need in our country." The DLOSCE is designed to help state dental boards protect public health, Dr Ragunanthan added.

The DLOSCE is reportedly the first licensure examination that focuses on clinical judgment to protect the public, said Dr. William F. Robinson, a former member of the Florida Board of Dentistry who also served on the DLOSCE Steering Committee. "That's a key reason why it was quickly accepted in six states, all within six months of its release. This is an unmatched advancement in dental licensure and will ultimately have a positive impact on the oral and overall health of the public,” he said.

Prometric has helped by providing infrastructure and will serve as the primary administrator of this new examination in the US. For more information, visit ada.org/jcnde or ada.org/dlosce.