AVDC Veterinary Dentistry study guide
AVDC Veterinary Dentistry · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The American Veterinary Dental College (AVDC) is the body behind the "Board Certified Veterinary Dentist" designation described on its site, and the credentialing pathway it administers is aimed at veterinarians who want to be recognized as specialists in veterinary dentistry. The AVDC website organizes its resources around several audiences: Diplomates, residents, technicians, primary care practitioners, animal owners, and media. Candidates for the credential are therefore veterinarians who are already committed to dentistry as a significant part of their professional activity and who are working through the College's training, credentials, and examination processes. The published exam dates split the Phase I examination into two tracks - a small animal (SA) Phase I Exam and an equine (EQ) Phase I Exam - both listed for January 7-8, 2027, which signals that the exam content is divided between small animal and equine dentistry rather than being a single undifferentiated paper. Topics on this exam: Small Animal Dentistry and Equine Dentistry. The AVDC Veterinary Dentistry study guide has 2 sections and about 758 words.
01Small Animal Dentistry: Core Concepts, Traps, and a Worked Periodontal Case
Small animal dentistry questions reward a systematic grasp of oral anatomy, the periodontal and endodontic disease processes, and the logic of extraction versus preservation. Expect the exam to test whether you can classify disease, predict which tooth is affected, and choose the safest procedure. Dental formulas and tooth identification. Know the permanent canine formula (42 teeth) and deciduous formula (28), and the modified Triadan system so you can name any tooth by quadrant and position.
377 words, about 2 min02Equine Dentistry: Occlusion, Examination, and the Traps That Catch Candidates
Equine teeth are hypsodont, continuously erupting, and arranged in a long cheek-tooth row. Questions test whether you understand normal wear, the consequences of malocclusion, and the safe limits of examination and treatment. Dental formula and eruption. Know the permanent equine formula and the approximate eruption ages of incisors and cheek teeth, since age estimation questions rely on them.
381 words, about 2 min