Report from the ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Committee
The ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Committee was designed with three goals in mind. We strive to maintain an examination that is:
1) Candidate friendly
2) Safe and complete treatment for the patient
3) Reliable, defensible and fair.
With these goals in mind the Dental Hygiene Examination Committee revised the exam slightly from the 2009 examination. The revised requirements for tooth and surface selection became:
· 12 (previously 14) surfaces of subgingival calculus on 6 to 8 permanent teeth charted
· Each tooth with at least one surface of calculus must be within a primary quadrant
· 8 of the 12 surfaces are premolars and molars
· 5 of these surfaces must be posterior proximal surfaces
· 3 of these proximal surfaces must be on molars
· All posterior teeth must be within 2mm of another tooth
· Only one distal surface of a 2nd or 3rd terminal molar may be used as
one of the molar surfaces.
An “Alternative Selection Process” was implemented for those candidate’s whose patient’s primary quadrant does not meet the tooth or surface requirement. A candidate may choose up to 4 contiguous posterior teeth in a second quadrant as an alternate.
Another important change is the requirement that all teeth in the primary quadrant and/or the alternative selection (if chosen) must be completely treated (defined as the removal of all supra and subgingival calculus and coronal plaque/stain). This is an effort to be “complete” for the patient’s dental health and well-being.
Also revised is the inclusion of the anterior and posterior pocket measurement assignment within the primary quadrant or alternative selection. Previously this was outside the treatment selection.
Continuing our efforts to be candidate friendly, the Clinic Floor Examiner (CFE) now reviews the medical history, consent form and treatment selection for errors that will eliminate moving the patient from the evaluation area to
the candidate for paperwork issues. The CFE will also select the anterior and posterior tooth for the Pocket Measurement Assignment and instruct the candidate to probe the 2 assigned teeth before sending the patient to the evaluation station for pre-treatment evaluation. Each of the 3 pre-treatment examiners probe the 2 assigned teeth for pocket measurement documenting their findings. This small change in the flow and CFE responsibilities allows for decreased patient time in the evaluation area, while also eliminating the inconvenience and stress caused by patient movement in and out of the evaluation area!
In the April/May 2010 Spring Series 2376 candidates registered for the ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination with 2360 examinations being completed in 73 locations for 108 Dental Hygiene Programs!
With a 92% pass rate on the first attempt of the ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination in 2010, the 3 most common reasons preventing success were inadequate calculus removal, deficient calculus detection and insufficient pocket qualification. (Retakes were available in August and December.)
The ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Committee continues to work diligently to provide the students with a candidate friendly examination, allowing safe and complete treatment for the patient and an assurance to the states that our ADHLEX is reliable, defensible and fair.
The ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Committee wishes ALL candidates good luck, good patient selection and great success!
Report from the ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Committee
The ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Committee was designed with three goals in mind. We strive to maintain an examination that is:
1) Candidate friendly
2) Safe and complete treatment for the patient
3) Reliable, defensible and fair.
With these goals in mind the Dental Hygiene Examination Committee revised the exam slightly from the 2009 examination. The revised requirements for tooth and surface selection became:
· 12 (previously 14) surfaces of subgingival calculus on 6 to 8 permanent teeth charted
· Each tooth with at least one surface of calculus must be within a primary quadrant
· 8 of the 12 surfaces are premolars and molars
· 5 of these surfaces must be posterior proximal surfaces
· 3 of these proximal surfaces must be on molars
· All posterior teeth must be within 2mm of another tooth
· Only one distal surface of a 2nd or 3rd terminal molar may be used as
one of the molar surfaces.
An “Alternative Selection Process” was implemented for those candidate’s whose patient’s primary quadrant does not meet the tooth or surface requirement. A candidate may choose up to 4 contiguous posterior teeth in a second quadrant as an alternate.
Another important change is the requirement that all teeth in the primary quadrant and/or the alternative selection (if chosen) must be completely treated (defined as the removal of all supra and subgingival calculus and coronal plaque/stain). This is an effort to be “complete” for the patient’s dental health and well-being.
Also revised is the inclusion of the anterior and posterior pocket measurement assignment within the primary quadrant or alternative selection. Previously this was outside the treatment selection.
Continuing our efforts to be candidate friendly, the Clinic Floor Examiner (CFE) now reviews the medical history, consent form and treatment selection for errors that will eliminate moving the patient from the evaluation area to
the candidate for paperwork issues. The CFE will also select the anterior and posterior tooth for the Pocket Measurement Assignment and instruct the candidate to probe the 2 assigned teeth before sending the patient to the evaluation station for pre-treatment evaluation. Each of the 3 pre-treatment examiners probe the 2 assigned teeth for pocket measurement documenting their findings. This small change in the flow and CFE responsibilities allows for decreased patient time in the evaluation area, while also eliminating the inconvenience and stress caused by patient movement in and out of the evaluation area!
In the April/May 2010 Spring Series 2376 candidates registered for the ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination with 2360 examinations being completed in 73 locations for 108 Dental Hygiene Programs!
With a 92% pass rate on the first attempt of the ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination in 2010, the 3 most common reasons preventing success were inadequate calculus removal, deficient calculus detection and insufficient pocket qualification. (Retakes were available in August and December.)
The ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Committee continues to work diligently to provide the students with a candidate friendly examination, allowing safe and complete treatment for the patient and an assurance to the states that our ADHLEX is reliable, defensible and fair.
The ADEX Dental Hygiene Examination Committee wishes ALL candidates good luck, good patient selection and great success!