General Dentistry: Clinical Knowledge and Skills
What this domain tests
This domain assesses safe, evidence-based history-taking, examination, diagnosis, treatment planning and management of common dental problems, including periodontal and oral mucosal screening. Questions favour applied clinical judgement over isolated facts.
Core rules and concepts
- Take a full medical, dental, social and drug history; record allergies and relevant risk factors.
- Examine systematically: extra-oral, intra-oral soft tissues, periodontal BPE/probing, caries detection, occlusion and vitality/percussion tests where indicated.
- Justify radiographs clinically and interpret them with the history, not in isolation.
- Form a diagnosis, then a staged plan covering urgent needs, disease control, definitive care and review.
- Obtain informed consent for each stage and record findings, options, risks and decisions contemporaneously.
Worked example
A 45-year-old reports sharp pain in an upper molar on cold drinks, lasting a few seconds and stopping when the cold is removed. There is no spontaneous or nocturnal pain. Examination shows deep caries, no tenderness to percussion and normal periodontal probing. The diagnosis is reversible pulpitis. The reasoned plan is caries removal and a well-sealed restoration, with review. Root canal treatment is not indicated unless symptoms become spontaneous or lingering. Antibiotics are not indicated for pulpitis.
Traps that cost marks
Confusing reversible with irreversible pulpitis; skipping periodontal and soft-tissue screening; prescribing antibiotics instead of treating the cause; failing to record negative findings; planning complex work before disease control; ignoring medical history or occlusion.