ADC Written Exam cheat sheet

FDI notation: first digit = quadrant (1-4 permanent, 5-8 primary), second digit = tooth position 1-8 counted from the midline (e.g. 46 = permanent mandibular right first molar).

Composition by weight: enamel ~96% inorganic hydroxyapatite, ~1% organic, ~3% water; dentine ~70% inorganic, ~20% organic (predominantly type I collagen), ~10% water; cementum ~45-50% inorganic.

Critical plaque pH for demineralisation is ~5.5 for enamel and ~6.2-6.7 for root dentine/cementum; resting plaque pH is ~6.7-7.0.

Salivary flow: unstimulated 0.3-0.4 mL/min, stimulated 1.5-2.0 mL/min; unstimulated <0.1 mL/min defines hyposalivation and raises caries and candidiasis risk.

Local anaesthetic maximum doses (adult, with vasoconstrictor): lidocaine 7 mg/kg (max 500 mg), articaine 7 mg/kg (max 500 mg), prilocaine 8 mg/kg (max 600 mg), mepivacaine 6.6 mg/kg (max 400 mg), bupivacaine 2 mg/kg (max 90 mg). 2% lidocaine = 20 mg/mL, so a 1.8 mL cartridge holds 36 mg.

Fluoride concentrations: water fluoridation ~1 ppm; standard adult toothpaste 1000-1500 ppm; high-risk toothpaste 5000 ppm (prescription); 5% sodium fluoride varnish 22,600 ppm applied 2-4 times yearly; 38% silver diamine fluoride arrests dentinal caries.

Endodontic irrigation: sodium hypochlorite 0.5-5.25% dissolves organic tissue and is antimicrobial but does not remove the inorganic smear layer; 17% EDTA chelates and removes smear layer; working length is 0.5-1.0 mm short of the radiographic apex, confirmed with an electronic apex locator.

Basic Periodontal Examination: sextant codes 0 (healthy) to 4 (pocket >=5.5 mm), with an asterisk for furcation involvement; any sextant scoring 3 or 4, or with an asterisk, requires full periodontal charting including clinical attachment loss (probing depth + recession from the CEJ).

Development timing: first primary tooth erupts 6-10 months, primary dentition complete ~2.5-3 years; first permanent molar and mandibular central incisor at ~6 years, second permanent molar at ~12 years, third molars 18-25 years.

Registration and CPD: the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (enacted in each state/territory) establishes AHPRA and the Dental Board of Australia; registration types include general, limited, provisional and non-practising; 60 CPD hours are required per three-year cycle.

Valid consent requires capacity, voluntariness and adequate information about the procedure, alternatives, material risks and the option of no treatment; a competent adult's refusal must be respected, and a minor assessed as a mature minor may consent to their own treatment.

Mandatory notification (s 141 National Law) covers practising while intoxicated, an impairment that places the public at risk, a significant departure from accepted professional standards, and sexual misconduct; the same law and state child protection legislation create reporting duties for suspected child abuse or neglect.

Record retention: adult records are generally kept at least 7 years from the last entry; records for patients treated as minors are kept until the patient turns 25, with some state variation under health records legislation.

Sterilisation standards: AS/NZS 4187 for health care facilities and AS/NZS 4815 for benchtop sterilisers in dental practice; typical cycles are 134 degrees C for 3 minutes or 121 degrees C for 15 minutes under pressure, with chemical/process indicators every load and定期 biological spore testing.

Blood-borne exposure: wash the wound with soap and water without squeezing, report and document, obtain source and recipient serology, and assess HIV post-exposure prophylaxis, which is most effective within 2 hours and indicated up to 72 hours; check hepatitis B immunity.

Prescribing: Schedule 4 medicines require a prescription; Schedule 8 drugs (strong opioids, benzodiazepines) attract state and territory authority requirements and mandatory real-time prescription monitoring checks; antibiotics are not indicated for pulpitis or localised abscess without systemic involvement, where drainage or extirpation is definitive.

Medical emergencies: vasovagal syncope is the most common, managed supine with legs elevated; anaphylaxis is treated with adrenaline 0.5 mg IM in an adult (0.01 mg/kg in a child) mid-thigh, repeated every 5 minutes; a conscious hypoglycaemic patient receives 15-20 g of fast-acting oral carbohydrate.

Red flags requiring urgent referral: an oral ulcer persisting beyond 3 weeks, an indurated or fixed lesion, unexplained unilateral swelling with trismus, dysphagia or paraesthesia, and non-healing extraction sockets; suspected malignancy follows a 2-week referral pathway for specialist assessment and biopsy.