What is the INBDE and why are we transitioning?
The Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) is developing the new examination because of changes in educational curricula and instructional methods. The JCNDE appointed the Committee for an Integrated Examination in 2009 to begin developing a new exam instrument for dentistry that would integrate basic, behavioral, and clinical sciences.
Specific opportunities were seen to:
- increase the appropriateness of test content
- improve the examination experience for candidates
- better assist regulatory agencies
The Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) is a new written, cognitive examination for dental licensure scheduled to replace the current National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part I and Part II examinations.
The Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) will be available for administration beginning on August 1, 2020
Important Change to NBDE and INBDE Eligibility Criteria
As of September 4, 2020, the JCNDE announced that it will extend the last date to take the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) Part I to December 31, 2020 for ALL qualified dental candidates (i.e., regardless of whether or not they were trained by CODA-accredited dental programs).
The INBDE launched August 1, 2020. The NBDE Part I will be discontinued December 31, 2020; the NBDE Part II will be discontinued July 31, 2022.
It is referred to as an “integrated” exam because it combines content from several disciplines, and test takers must integrate their knowledge of science with the clinical know-how involved in the safe practice of dentistry to answer many of the test items.
The INBDE has the same overall purpose as the NBDE Part I and Part II: to assist state boards of dentistry in evaluating candidates for dental licensure. By integrating content covering the basic, behavioral, and clinical sciences, the INBDE is expected to be more relevant than the current NBDE Part I and Part II examinations. (Statement taken from https://www.ada.org/en/jcnde/inbde/inbde-faq)
