I recently got a question of taking the NBDE part 1&2 or waiting until 2020 to take INDBE. I write this post to share with you some information I have regarding this matter. My goal is to share information so YOU can make the decision.
According to ADA, the new format called INDBE will replace the old one starting on Aug 1, 2020. Anyone clearing part 1 before Aug 1, 2020 will have two more years to take part 2 until Aug 1, 2022. Anyone has not taken part 1 before the deadline will have to take the new format instead.
What is the difference between the two formats? First of all, the all format has two parts – NDBE part 1&2 while the new format will have only one exam. With the old format, you will have to apply for Part 1, pass the exam, apply again for Part 2, pass this exam and done. There is no restriction on how soon you can apply between Part 1 & Part 2. My friend took two exams within 2 months. However, applying twice, stress twice, taking exams twice and of course, paying twice is such a hassle that no one wants. With the new format, you only need to pass one exam. Passing one sounds much better than passing two, right?
In terms of cost-effectiveness, the new format will also be preferable. From the ADA website, the cost of Part 1 2018 is $425 and for foreign-trained dentists, they charge $210 more to process paperwork (like verifying information to decide eligibility of the candidate). For Part 2 2018, the fee is $475 for the exam itself and again, $210 for foreign-trained dentists. Therefore, the cost for both exams will be $1320 if you are not student of an accredited dental schools. For now I cannot find any information on how much it will cost to apply for INBDE but I am so sure it will be much less than that – half of the cost hopefully.
In terms of time-effectiveness, it takes 8.5 hours for Part 1 and 12.5 hours for Part 2 (2-day exam) so together it takes 21 hours sitting still for exams. I felt like half of my neurons were boiled after the exams. No one can be at their best sitting for that long honestly. Luckily the new INBDE will also cut half the time – 8.5 hours only. Woohooo!
In terms of exam content, the new INBDE also brings good news. The old format has about 450 items on each part which means about 900 items in total while the new format have 500 items. It’s not only about the length. I remember I struggled a lot with Part 1 because that required lots of recall knowledge while I study by understanding more than memorizing. Honestly, will it make me a better clinician if I can memorize the molecule of lipid? I guess not. Part 2 was better than Part 1 since it was more dental-related. Still, my brain was exhausted after two stressful days. The INBDE was promised “The new test relies less on rote knowledge and information recall than the current NBDE examinations do, and instead it emphasizes the relevance of the basic sciences through test items that link science and clinical application.” I took Part 2 in 2017 while they have the mock exam for INBDE so I was offered a chance to take the mock test to help ADA exploring the effectiveness of the new format. They did deliver what they promised. I think the questions were more clinical-based like how you will treat the patient or how you will proceed in the situation.
What else should you consider between NBDE and INBDE? I suggest you take advantage of this transitioning period. According to ADA, “Under the JCNDE’s Five Years/Five Attempts Eligibility Rule, candidates must pass the examination within a) five years of their first attempt or b) five examination attempts, whichever comes first. Subsequent to the fifth year or fifth attempt, candidates may test once every 12 months after their most recent examination attempt.”
Practically speaking, if you pass Part 1 but fail when attempting Part 2 the 5th time or the 5th year (hope not), you can take INBDE instead of waiting a whole year to take another Part 2. However, let’s hope that no one has to take this complicated route. I hope all my readers will pass in the first attempt!
Will it affect the application to Advance Standing Programs? I do not believe so. As long as you clear Part 1& 2 or the INBDE, you are eligible to apply for ASP. That will help schools actually. With the old format, some schools require only Part 1 to apply while others require Part 1&2. That can potentially cause some confusion for applicants. With this change, schools will require only INBDE so the process will have less paperwork and be less time-consuming.
So what is the conclusion? The INBDE is an excellent improvement. I do appreciate ADA’s effort to make things less stressful for us. However, we are one and half year away from the deadline so if you believe you can pass both Part 1&2 quickly, go for it. It’s like a no-brainer if we just sit and wait to take INBDE instead of clearing NBDE and applying for the next cycle. In case you do not see yourself clearing both part before Aug 1,2020 due to certain situation (finance problem, young kids to take care, working full time, visa issue, etc) then INBDE will worth the wait.
More questions that I did not answer in this post? PM me at https://www.facebook.com/ddsjourney/ or email me at hannah@ddsjourney.com