Examination Procedures for Certification
American Board of Dental Public Health (ABDPH)
Introduction
The American Board of Dental Public Health examination for certification as a Diplomate is designed to be comprehensive and fair to all candidates. The Board evaluates each component of the examination annually, and after completion of the examination, each candidate will have an opportunity to comment about the examination and to make suggestions for revision. The Board Directors are aware that a certain amount of apprehension exists and make every effort to put the candidates at ease.
Preparation for the examination should be thorough. An excellent reference to serve as the basis for review is: “Dental Public Health Competencies” Journal of Public Health Dentistry Volume 58, Supplement 1, 1998.
- Unless otherwise informed, the ABDPH examination will be given over 3-4 days beginning on the Thursday preceding the National Oral Health Conference.
- The applicants shall be notified of the date and place of the examination at least 60 days in advance.
- Each part of the examination is graded separately. The parts are appropriately averaged for the final grade. A passing grade requires both an overall average score of 70 on the five part examination and a score of 60 or above on each of the five parts. Each project report must receive a grade of 60.
- Upon request, candidates may receive from the Executive Director the results of their separate and total examination scores.
Examination
The examination consists of five parts:
- Part I is the Board’s evaluation of two project reports. The reports must be received by November 1st of the year prior to the one in which the candidate will be examined. One copy of each report must be submitted electronically to the Executive Director, abdph@comcast.net. Name the Project Reports according to the following, “Submission of Projects”. The Executive Director will review the reports for compliance with the guidelines (See Instructions for preparing project reports). If either or both of the project reports fail to meet the criteria, you will be notified and given two weeks to make the requested changes. Board Directors will grade the reports and send the results to the Executive Director. You will be informed as to whether you have received a failing grade for one or both reports by February 1st. A failing grade is less than 60% on either of the two reports. You will not be informed however if you have received a passing grade.
Failure of Part I, Project Reports, constitutes a failure of the full examination. A candidate failing this part of the examination may retake it one more time for a fee of $300.00 after submitting revised or new project reports. See ABDPH-Examination-Procedures-Certification.
- Part II is an objective type comprehensive written examination designed to test the candidate’s basic knowledge of the practice of dental public health. The exam consists of 100 multiple choice questions.
- Part III: Oral Quiz I-Project Reports is the Board’s evaluation of the candidate’s ability to discuss, defend, and explain various aspects of the two project reports. For each project, the candidate will be asked to give a five minute overview, followed by 20 minutes of discussion.
- Part IV: Oral Quiz II-Assigned Problem is a test of the candidate’s ability to discuss the analysis and possible solutions of a hypothetical dental public health problem situation. This part of the examination is designed to evaluate the candidate’s ability to understand the problem in relation to the information provided and to present rational solutions and alternatives based on the available information, the rationale for selecting the choice of approach, and the reasonableness and practicality of the choice of solution in regard to timing, resources, public and professional acceptance, legal and ethical considerations, cost-effectiveness and justification of the resources required. There is no single correct solution and each candidate’s approach should be unique. The written problem statement will be given to each candidate on the first day after completion of the written examination. An oral examination on the problem will be conducted by the Board no sooner than noon of the following day, which will allow candidates time to prepare a response. The candidate will be given twenty minutes to present his/her solutions. Questions from the Board will follow. The candidates may bring written notes to this examination for reference while making their presentation. PowerPoint presentations are not allowed due to time constraints, but copies of PowerPoint slides or other handouts are encouraged.
- Part V: Oral Quiz III- General Knowledge is an oral examination of the candidate’s general knowledge in dental public health. Questions tend to be broad and require more than one sentence answers. Again, the Dental Public Health Competencies is a good outline for review.
Note: If a failing grade (below 60%) is received on the written examination only, the candidate can retake that portion of the examination for a $50.00 fee when taken as part of the regularly scheduled examination. Requests to take the written exam at an alternative time and site approved by the Board must have a strong justification for consideration by the Board, and candidates will be required to pay a $100 fee. Retakes of the written examination may be retaken no earlier than six months after the original examination. The examination must be proctored by either a present Director of the Board or a former Director, neither of whom can be a candidate’s residency supervisor. Contact the Executive Director, ABDPH for additional information.
If a candidate fails a single portion of the examination besides the written examination, the candidate would be offered the opportunity to retake only that portion of the examination at a regularly scheduled examination. If unsuccessful on two or more portions of the examination or if an overall average grade score of 70% is not achieved but no grade is below 60%, it would be at the discretion of the Board as to what the requirements would be for reexamination.
AMERICAN BOARD OF DENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH
Instructions to Candidates for Preparing Project Reports
(Must be submitted electronically.)
Submission of Projects
Candidates are required to electronically submit one copy of each of two Project Reports with portable document format (pdf) to the Executive Director by November 1st of the year prior to the one in which the examination is taken. A 10-day extension may be granted only if justified by special circumstances. If a candidate is notified of being eligible for the examination, and upon receipt of final exam payment, the Executive Director will assign a three letter code number to the reports. One copy of each report must be submitted electronically with portable document format (pdf) to the Executive Director, abdph@comcast.net. Name the Project Reports as: ABDPH-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of exam)-PRI or PRII (where PRI is Project Report I) -xxx (where xxx is the number assigned to each report by the Executive Director), e.g. “ABDPH-PRI-185-2010”. The Executive Director will review the reports for compliance with the guidelines (See Instructions for preparing project reports). Upon receipt of the Project Reports, the Executive Director will review the reports for compliance with the guidelines. If either or both of the project reports fail to meet the criteria, you will be notified and given two weeks to make the requested changes. Please make sure that your name does not appear in the body of the report, or reprints. Board Directors will grade the project reports anonymously and send the results to the Executive Director. You will be informed as to whether you have received a failing grade for one or both reports by February 1st.A failing grade is less than 60% on either of the two reports. You will not be informed, however if you have received a passing grade.
Project Report Guidelines
Project Reports should be clearly numbered PRI and PRII. All phases of a project must be completed at the time of submission. Each report should summarize a dental public health project which the candidate originated and completed, or one in which the candidate made a major contribution to its planning, implementation, and conduct. Protocols, grant applications, reviews of the literature, site visit reports, and preparations for a conference, are not acceptable. Types of acceptable Project Reports are: 1. programs in administrative program planning and implementation, 2. epidemiologic studies, 3. health services research, 4. clinical trials, and 5. other research related to dental public health.
Each Project Report must represent a separate project (not two reports from one project). The projects must be significant in scope and represent an extensive effort. At least one project must demonstrate the analytical or statistical skills of the candidate. The chosen projects must have been completed within 10 years of the candidate’s examination and the project report must represent current knowledge. If a candidate postpones an examination after projects have been graded, and changes affecting the projects have occurred, the candidate may be asked to resubmit project report(s).
Project Report Format
Project Reports must consist of no more than 15 double- spaced, numbered, typewritten pages, exclusive of cover page, table of contents, abstract, references, tables, figures, and appendices. Type sizes should be no smaller than Times, New Roman font 12 cpi. All margins should be at least one inch on standard 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper. The Project Report must conform to the following outline:
- Title of the project. A cover sheet bearing the title should be the first page of the report. Please do not place your name on it. Label the Projects as Project I or II and show the candidate’s code number.
- Table of Contents
- Project Report Abstract. An abstract no longer than one page in length. Please use the organization and format as recommended by the Journal of Public Health Dentistry.
- Detailed description of the candidate’s specific role as originator or major contributor and participant in the planning, implementation, and conduct of the project.
- Statement of the purpose of the project.
- Background and review of the current pertinent literature.
- Description of the project, including purpose, geographic location, and inclusive dates.
- Procedures and methods, including human subjects considerations, population studied and analytic methods.
- Findings.
- A discussion of the findings, their value, and their implications or significance to dental public health.
- Conclusions.
- Changes that would be made if there were an opportunity to repeat the project.
- References.
- Appendices
A reprint of the published report of the project, if available, may be included with the project. If included, block out reference to the candidate’s name. If a report of the project was not published, tables that show data upon which the conclusions were based should be included. Term papers, theses, or dissertations that serve as a basis for project reports may also be submitted. However, no reprint, term paper, thesis, or dissertation will be accepted in lieu of the preceding 15 page report. The project reports and all supporting documentation must be submitted electronically.
Grading of Project Reports
The Project Reports are considered and graded as one of the five parts of the examination. The grades will be considered along with the candidate’s performance at the examination site in determining the candidate’s qualifications for certification.
Prior to grading, each Project Report is evaluated initially according to the following criteria to determine if it is eligible for grading:
- Is the project primarily the work of the candidate?
- Is the project primarily concerned with dental public health as defined by the Board? (See “Definition of the Specialty” on pg. 2 of the ABDPH Informational Brochure.)
If either one or both project reports fail to meet these criteria, the candidate will not be allowed to complete the examination. The candidate may resubmit a new project report(s) without having to pay a reexamination fee.
If the Board approves the Project Reports based on the above criteria, each project is then graded anonymously based on each of the following:
- Background and literature review.
- Problem identification.
- Objectives or hypotheses.
- Procedures and methods.
- Findings, discussion, interpretation of findings, recognition of public health significance.
- Conclusions.
- Recognition of weaknesses and suggested changes if project were to be repeated.
- Clarity of writing and overall style of the report.
- Clarity of writing and overall style of the report.
Names for Forms & Documents:
Written Examination only: (To be submitted electronically as portable document format (pdf) files with application.
- Name application: ABDPH-Application-Written-Examination-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g. “ABDPH-Application-Written-Examination-EAlderman-2010”.
- Current curriculum vitae: Name document: CV-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g. “CV-EAlderman-2010”.
- Evidence of graduation from a school of dentistry. Name document: DSGraduate-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam). e.g. “DSGraduate-EAlderman-2010”.
- Evidence of degree in public health or its equivalent. Name document: PHDegree-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g. “PHDegree-EAlderman-2010”.
- For applicants who have completed their educational requirements at the time of application, certificate of residency or equivalent. Name document: DPHResidency-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g. “DPHResidency-EAlderman-2010”.
- For pre-Board eligible applicant who are close to completing their educational requirements at or near the time of application, a letter of support from the residency or program director verifying the date when residency requirements are expected to be completed. Name document as: Support-FirstInitialLastName-(of Applicant) and FirstInitialLastName-(of Program Director)-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g. “Support-EAlderman-IGarcia-2010”.
Full Examination: (To be submitted electronically as portable document format (pdf) files with application.)
- Application: Name as ABDPH-Application-Eligibility-Certification-Full-Examination-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g. “ABDPH-Application-Eligibility-Certification-Full-Examination-EAlderman-2010”, e.g. “ApplyFullExam-EAlderman-2010”.
- Curriculum Vitae: Name document as: CV-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g., “CV-EAlderman-2010”.
- Evidence of graduation from a school of dentistry: Name document as: DSGraduate-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g., “DSGraduate-EAlderman-2010”.
- Evidence of degree in public health or its equivalent: Name document as: PHDegree-FirstInitialLastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g., “PHDegree-EAlderman-2010”.
- Certificate of residency or equivalent: Name document as: DPHResidency-First Initial LastName-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g., “DPHResidency-EAlderman-2010”.
- Letters of recommendation: The Executive Director will name letters: SupportRecommend-FirstInitialLastName (Applicant), FirstInitialLastNameProgramDirector-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of the exam), e.g. “Recommend-EAlderman-IGarcia-2010”.
- Project Reports: If an applicant is notified of being eligible for the examination, and upon receipt of final exam payment, the Executive Director will assign a three letter code number to the reports. Name the Project Reports as: ABDPH-yyyy (where yyyy is the year of exam)-PRI or PRII (where PRI is Project Report I) -xxx (where xxx is the number assigned to each report by the Executive Director), e.g. “ABDPH-PRI-185-2010”.
Timelines:
- Electronic Application Full Examination submitted: September 15th (Electronic Application Written examination only submitted: January 1st)
- Electronic Project Reports due: November 1st (A 10-day extension may be granted only if justified by special circumstances.)
- If either or both of the Project Reports fail to meet the criteria, the Executive Director will notify the candidate who will be given two weeks to make the requested changes.
- Electronic Project Reports to Board: December 1st
- Each Project Report is evaluated initially to determine if it is eligible for grading and if Director has any Conflict of Interest: December 10th
- President of Board assigns Primary and Secondary Reviewers and notes any Conflict of Interest on “Project Report Assignments for ABDPH Exam “ form: December 15th
- Scores for Project Reports to Executive Director: January 15th
- Results of unacceptable scores (less than 60%) for either Project Report to Candidates: February 1st
AMERICAN BOARD OF DENTAL PUBLIC HEALTH
Policy and Procedures for Appeal
Actions Subject to Appeal
A decision made by the Board relative to an application or an examination may be appealed by an applicant or candidate. Requests for additional information regarding an application or examination result are processed routinely and are not considered part of the appeal process. The correspondence for such information becomes part of the candidate’s or applicant’s file, but does not modify or alter any decision made by the Board.
Communication Regarding an Appeal
All correspondence regarding an appeal will be through the Executive Director of the American Board of Dental Public Health.
Submission of an Appeal
Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Executive Director of the American Board of Dental Public Health within sixty (60) days following notification of a decision of the Board. The written appeal should be dated, identify in concise terms the decision being appealed and provide a brief outline of the reasons why the Board’s action was not fair or reasonable. No decision shall become final while an appeal is pending or until the sixty (60) day period for filing notice of appeal has elapsed. The appellant will be notified in writing of the receipt of the appeal and informed that the appeal will be reviewed and responded to within sixty (60) days of the receipt of the appeal.
Appeals Review Process
The appeals process begins with a review of the submitted appeal by the Appeals Committee consisting of two Board Directors and the immediate past-president once removed. The Appeals Committee will review the appeal and all relevant facts, and submit their recommendation to the full Board. The final decision will then be transmitted by the Executive Director to the appellant.
If the decision is not acceptable to the appellant, the appellant has sixty (60) days to resubmit the appeal. This second appeal is reviewed by an Appeals Panel consisting of three past presidents (not including the past-president serving on the Appeals Committee). The Appeals Panel is elected by the Board and members serve for a five year period. The Appeals Panel has sixty (60) days to process the appeal. If the appeal necessitates a hearing, the hearing will be scheduled at the next annual meeting of the Board. The appellant will incur the costs of his/her travel and the Board will cover the travel costs for Appeals Panel members. The recommendation of the Appeals Panel will be provided to the Board who in turn will review it and submit their second and final response to the appellant.
