ADEX Dental exam-day guide
ADEX Dental · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Government-issued photo ID that matches your registration name exactly
Bring the original document, not a photocopy. If your legal name differs from the name on your application, resolve it with the testing agency in advance - a mismatch discovered at check-in may prevent you from sitting. Confirm which ID forms your testing agency accepts.
Your exam admission or scheduling confirmation and any required candidate forms
Print the confirmation and your scheduling receipt rather than relying on a phone. Some sites collect signed waivers or health attestations at check-in. Verify the current document list in the candidate guide for your test agency.
A confirmed patient for each patient-based section, with the patient's own photo ID and paperwork
Brief your patient on arrival time, parking, expected length of stay, and what they must bring. Confirm the patient meets the eligibility criteria for the assigned procedure and has a backup contact. Reconfirm by phone 72 and 24 hours out.
Patient radiographs in the format the agency requires
Requirements on image type, recency, and mounting or digital submission vary by agency and section. Read the current candidate guide and bring images in exactly the specified format - missing or noncompliant radiographs can cost you the case.
A sterilized, inventoried instrument kit organized by section
Pack separate labeled cassettes or tubs for each section so you are not sorting through a mixed box under time pressure. Include duplicates of high-use items such as explorers, mirrors, and burs. Verify the required instrument list against the current candidate guide.
PPE: gloves in multiple sizes, masks, gowns, eye protection, face shield, and your loupes with charged batteries
Bring more than you expect to use; glove and mask changes between patients and after contamination events add up. Charge loupe lights and any cordless equipment the night before and pack spare batteries.
Section-specific materials and armamentarium from the approved materials list
Restorative, endodontic, and prosthodontic sections each have material requirements, and substitutions may not be permitted. Build your kit directly from the current approved list rather than from memory of a previous exam cycle.
Barriers, disposable supplies, and a written inventory of what you packed
Surface barriers, suction tips, gauze, cotton rolls, and articulating paper are commonly candidate-supplied. A one-page inventory helps you repack between sections and confirms nothing walked off during the day.
Emergency and medical-management supplies required by the site
Some agencies require candidates to bring a personal emergency kit or specific medications; others supply them in the operatory. Confirm the requirement for your site and check expiration dates on anything you carry.
Completed lab prescriptions, consent forms, and patient instruction sheets
Prosthodontic sections often require a written prescription and a signed patient consent. Have these filled out in advance with the patient's information so you are not writing them during chair time.
Layers, comfortable closed-toe shoes, water, and a high-protein snack
Exam days are long and standing-heavy with unpredictable waiting. Eating and hydration matter more than they seem when a section runs behind and your break is shortened.
A printed copy of the current candidate guide, scoring criteria, and time allowances for each section
Reread the critical-error list in the final week. Knowing exactly what constitutes an automatic failure in each section changes how you sequence your chair time.
Plan the day
Reconfirm your patient's attendance, health history, and eligibility for the assigned procedure, and line up a standby patient if the agency permits one. Read the current candidate guide end to end and highlight the critical-error criteria and time limits for every section. Build and sterilize your instrument kits, check expiration dates on materials, and charge every battery-powered device. Confirm travel, lodging, parking, and the site's arrival instructions.
Lay out your ID, admission documents, patient paperwork, and printed guide in one folder. Do a dry run of packing your kits against your inventory list. Reconfirm arrival times with your patient by phone and remind them to bring photo ID and to eat beforehand. Charge loupes and curing lights overnight. Avoid trying unfamiliar materials or techniques the night before; sleep is worth more than one more rehearsal.
Eat a real breakfast and arrive well before your assigned check-in time to absorb parking and security delays. Present your ID and documents, complete any site orientation, and set up your operatory in the order you will use it. Meet your patient at the designated entrance and confirm their identity and health history before they enter the clinical floor. Do a final inventory check before the section clock starts.
Read the case assignment and scoring criteria before you pick up an instrument, then budget your time backward from the deadline. Present your patient and case at every checkpoint the examiners require, and do not delay calling an examiner when a critical step is finished. Keep your field clean and your sharps accounted for. If something goes wrong, keep working and note it for the post-exam report rather than arguing chairside - examiner direction is final in the moment.
Restock, re-barrier, and repack immediately rather than at the end of the day. Use scheduled breaks to eat and hydrate. Do not discuss case specifics with other candidates in common areas, and do not attempt to look up technique or contact anyone outside the site about a live case.
Rules to check
Carry your government-issued photo ID at all times on the clinical floor. If your name on the registration does not match your ID, raise it with the testing agency before exam day, not at check-in.
You are responsible for your patient's recruitment, punctuality, health history accuracy, and behavior. A patient who fails to arrive or does not meet eligibility criteria can end a section regardless of your clinical performance. Confirm the current policy on standby patients and no-shows with the provider.
Follow the site's infection-control and HIPAA requirements exactly, including PPE use, barrier placement, sharps handling, and what may be photographed or removed from the floor. Violations can be scored as critical errors.
Electronic devices, notes, and outside communication are restricted during testing. Assume phones must be silenced and stored as directed, and that any communication with a supervising clinician or colleague about a live case is prohibited. Confirm permitted items with the provider.
Breaks are generally scheduled, and unscheduled breaks may be limited or counted against your section time. Confirm the break policy and the procedure for leaving the clinical floor before your exam date.
Sections are scored against published criteria, and certain errors are designated as critical and can cause automatic failure of a section or the exam. Review the current critical-error list for each section rather than relying on a previous version.
Examiner and site-staff instructions govern conduct on the floor. If you believe a scoring or logistics issue occurred, complete the formal appeal or incident process the provider specifies rather than disputing it chairside; confirm the appeal window and method with the provider.
Scores and retake eligibility are set by your testing agency and licensing board, and requirements differ by state. Confirm score reporting timelines, retake limits, and whether your state accepts the sections you are taking before exam day.