Iran Dental Specialty Board - Endodontics exam-day guide
Iran Dental Specialty Board - Endodontics · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
National ID card and exam admission card (kart-e vorud)
Bring the original government-issued photo ID plus the admission document issued by the Iranian Dental Specialty Board / Ministry of Health examination administration. Print extra copies; a digital copy on a phone may not be accepted. Confirm with the provider which documents are mandatory and whether the admission card must be printed in color.
Exact venue, building, and gate - verified in writing
Confirm the assigned test center (typically a dental school or Ministry-affiliated exam hall in Tehran or another major city) on your admission card and re-check it 48h before. Endodontic specialty exams are sometimes held at a different hall than the written national exam. If the address on your card is ambiguous, confirm with the provider rather than guessing.
Reporting time and gate-closing time
Arrive well before the stated reporting time; late entry is often refused once the paper is opened. The exact cut-off is set by the exam administration - confirm with the provider. Plan for Tehran traffic and security screening at the entrance.
Permitted stationery only (pencil, eraser, sharpener, blue/black pen)
Bring several pencils if the answer sheet is machine-read (optical mark) and a pen for written/descriptive sections. Leave pencil cases, notes, and loose paper at home or in the holding area. Confirm with the provider whether mechanical pencils, correction tape, or highlighters are allowed.
No electronic devices - plan for surrender or storage
Mobile phones, smart watches, and any Bluetooth device are almost always prohibited inside the hall. Expect to hand them in or leave them outside; there may be no secure storage. Confirm the provider's device policy and arrange transport so you do not depend on your phone.
Personal medication, water, and a light snack for the break
If you take regular medication, bring it in original packaging and check the provider's policy on bringing medication into the hall. Water and a snack are useful if the exam runs several hours with a scheduled break; confirm whether food is allowed at your desk.
Watch or simple clock (non-smart)
Wall clocks may be absent or hard to see. A plain analog or non-smart digital watch helps you pace stations and sections. Smart watches are prohibited.
Clinical reasoning refresher sheets (for the wait, not the hall)
Bring concise one-page summaries of high-yield endodontic topics - working length determination, glide path, irrigant activation, obturation techniques, access cavity designs, emergency management, and recent guideline updates - to review outside the hall before entry. These must be left outside; do not carry them to your desk.
Rest, hydration, and travel plan the night before
Sleep, eat a normal breakfast, and pre-plan the route and backup transport. Fatigue and hunger degrade performance on long case-based papers more than one extra hour of cramming.
Confirm scoring and format rules in advance
Know whether negative marking applies, how many questions/sections there are, and the time per section. These rules are set by the examination board - confirm with the provider, since guessing policy materially changes strategy.
Dress code and security screening expectations
Wear modest, comfortable clothing consistent with Iranian institutional norms; some centers screen entrants and may ask for bag inspection. Confirm with the provider if you are unsure about dress or screening requirements.
Backup plan for illness or absence
Know the provider's policy on medical excuses, rescheduling, and what documentation is required. Do not assume a make-up session exists - confirm with the provider before exam day.
Plan the day
Stop learning new material. Re-read your own summary sheets on diagnosis, emergency management, irrigation, shaping, and obturation. Re-verify the venue, reporting time, and ID requirements in writing. Prepare the documents and stationery in one bag and leave it by the door. Avoid all-nighters from here on.
Do one timed practice set of case-based questions under exam conditions to calibrate pacing. Review only your error list, not new textbooks. Check transport routes and estimate travel time including a buffer. Confirm whether negative marking applies and decide your guessing rule.
Light review of high-yield lists only (drug dosages relevant to endodontic emergencies, antibiotic prophylaxis indications, local anesthetic maximum doses, and recall of key classification systems). Lay out clothes, ID, admission card, stationery, medication, water, and snack. Set two alarms. Sleep at a normal hour; do not study past early evening.
Eat a normal breakfast and hydrate moderately. Arrive at the venue with a large time buffer for screening and finding the hall. Leave phones and notes outside as instructed. Use the waiting time for calm breathing and a quick scan of your one-page summary - not for new topics.
Read the instructions and confirm the number of questions, sections, time limits, and whether negative marking applies. Write your identifying details exactly as on your admission card. Scan the whole paper to identify easy and hard items before committing to a pace.
Allocate time per question and per section; mark difficult items and return to them. For case-based endodontic questions, identify the key finding (vitality status, periapical diagnosis, restorability, crack/root fracture) before choosing an option. Do not spend disproportionate time on one item.
If a break is scheduled, use it to move, drink water, and reset; do not discuss questions with other candidates. In the final minutes, ensure every answer is transferred and legible, check that your ID details match, and use remaining time to review flagged items rather than leaving early.
Rules to check
Carry the original photo ID and admission card at all times in the hall; place them on the desk if instructed. Candidates without acceptable identification may be refused entry - confirm the exact accepted documents with the provider.
Electronic devices are prohibited in the examination hall. Hand in or store phones and smart watches before entry; possession during the exam is typically treated as a conduct violation.
Do not communicate with other candidates during the exam, do not look at others' papers, and do not bring unauthorized notes. Suspected cheating is handled under the board's disciplinary rules - confirm the specific sanctions with the provider.
Follow the invigilators' instructions on timing, breaks, and leaving the hall. Once the paper is distributed, leaving before the permitted time may not be allowed - confirm with the provider.
Answer in the format required: fill the optical answer sheet exactly as instructed and write descriptive answers legibly in the designated spaces. Answers outside designated areas may not be scored.
If you believe a question is defective or misprinted, note the item number and report it to an invigilator after the exam rather than arguing during the session; the board decides on annulment - confirm the appeal procedure with the provider.
Scoring, pass thresholds, and any negative marking are set by the examination board and are not negotiable at the venue. Confirm these rules in the official candidate guide before exam day.
Declare any special needs or accommodation requests well before exam day through the official channel; accommodations are not arranged on the spot - confirm deadlines with the provider.