MDCG Dental Exam study guide
MDCG Dental Exam · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The MDCG Dental Exam is a licensing-style assessment for dentists seeking general registration or recognition with a medical/dental council. It is built for graduates of non-accredited or overseas dental programmes, and for candidates whose qualifications a regulator requires them to top up before independent practice. The MDCG Dental Exam study guide has 12 sections and about 5,032 words.
01Anatomy and Physiology (Head and Neck)
Head and neck items reward three-dimensional recall: which nerve, which foramen, which fascial space, and which structure is at risk in a named procedure. Physiology questions cluster around calcium and bone homeostasis, salivary function and haemostasis as they apply to dental treatment.
490 words, about 2 min02Oral Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology
Items test the sequence of odontogenesis, the layers and fates of the developing tooth germ, the microstructure of enamel, dentin, cementum and periodontal ligament, and eruption timing. Many questions are clinically framed: why a necrotic immature tooth keeps an open apex, or why enamel cannot repair.
436 words, about 2 min03Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine
Leukoplakia: a predominantly white patch that cannot be characterised clinically or pathologically as any other disease and cannot be rubbed off. Subtypes are homogeneous and non-homogeneous (speckled, nodular, verrucous).
413 words, about 2 min04Microbiology, Immunology, and Infection Control
Questions cover the plaque biofilm and its key organisms, host immune responses relevant to caries and periodontitis, and the practical standards of sterilisation, disinfection and post-exposure management. Caries: Streptococcus mutans initiates, using glucosyltransferase to make water-insoluble glucan for adherence; lactobacilli dominate advancing lesions; Actinomyces species associate with root caries.
429 words, about 2 min05Pharmacology and Therapeutics
Items test local anaesthetic selection and maximum doses, antibiotic choice and prophylaxis rules, analgesic and anxiolytic prescribing, and clinically important drug interactions with dental treatment. Lidocaine 2% with 1:100,000 adrenaline: 20 mg/mL, so a 1.8 mL cartridge holds 36 mg.
418 words, about 2 min06Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
Questions test cavity classification, adhesion and shrinkage, material selection, and the diagnosis and technical sequencing of root canal treatment, including irrigation chemistry and causes of failure. Black classes: I pits and fissures, II posterior proximal, III anterior proximal without incisal involvement, IV with incisal involvement, V cervical, VI cusp tips.
388 words, about 2 min07Periodontology
Items test the 2018 classification (stage and grade), periodontal diagnosis and charting, nonsurgical and adjunctive therapy, regeneration, and peri-implant disease. Staging uses clinical attachment loss, radiographic bone loss, probing depths, furcation and tooth loss: stage I up to 2 mm CAL, stage II 3-4 mm, stage III 5 mm or more, stage IV advanced with masticatory dysfunction.
399 words, about 2 min08Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and Anesthesia
Items test extraction and third molar assessment, spread of odontogenic infection, facial trauma classification, and the safe delivery of local anaesthesia and sedation with recognition of emergencies. Third molar difficulty: Winter's classification (mesioangular, distoangular, horizontal, vertical) and Pell and Gregory for ramus relationship and depth.
401 words, about 2 min09Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry
Items test growth assessment, Angle classification, cephalometric norms, treatment timing and appliance choice, plus behaviour management, caries prevention and dental trauma in children. Angle classes: I neutroclusion, II distoclusion (division 1 proclined incisors, division 2 retroclined), III mesioclusion.
418 words, about 2 min10Prosthodontics
Questions test denture construction sequence and anatomical landmarks, removable partial denture design and Kennedy classification, fixed prosthodontic principles, and implant prosthodontics and occlusion. Impressions: primary alginate, border moulding with modelling compound, then wash impression; the posterior palatal seal lies between the vibrating line and the fovea palatinae.
402 words, about 2 min11Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging
Items test image formation and quality, technique and interpretation, dose and protection, and the selection and limitations of panoramic, CBCT and intraoral imaging. Kilovoltage controls contrast and penetration; milliamperage and time control quantity.
417 words, about 2 min12Professional Ethics, Jurisprudence, and Practice Management
Items test consent, confidentiality and record keeping, the legal elements of negligence, professional boundaries and mandatory reporting, plus the business fundamentals of running a practice. Valid consent requires capacity, adequate disclosure of material risks, alternatives and consequences, voluntariness, and documentation.
421 words, about 2 min