KMPDC Dental Exams exam-day guide
KMPDC Dental Exams · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Confirm your exam venue, date, and reporting time directly with the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC) or your training institution's examinations office
KMPDC practical/clinical examinations for dental graduates are arranged through the Council and, in practice, often through the teaching hospital where you trained. Venue, session timing, and candidate lists can change, so verify in writing (email or official notice) rather than relying on word of mouth. Confirm the exact building, entrance, and whether you should report to a holding room first.
National ID or passport plus your KMPDC/index registration documents
Bring the original identification document you used during registration, and any candidate admission slip, index number, or letter issued to you. Photocopies alone are usually not accepted for identity verification. If you have changed names or documents since registration, confirm with the provider in advance how to handle it.
Printed copy of your admission letter or candidate instructions
Keep a printed copy even if you also have it on your phone; phone access may be restricted in the exam area. Read the candidate instructions for dress code, prohibited items, and station timings before the day.
Clinical/lab attire as specified: white coat or scrubs, closed clinical shoes, and your own eye protection
Dress in clean clinical attire suitable for patient contact. Confirm with the provider whether a white coat, scrubs, or a specific colour is required, and whether eye protection and masks are supplied or must be brought. Avoid loose sleeves and jewellery that could interfere with clinical work.
Personal protective equipment: mask, gloves, and any items the provider asks you to supply
Some clinical exams provide consumables at the station; others expect you to arrive with basic PPE. Confirm the list with the provider and do not assume supplies will be available at every station. Bring gloves in your size.
Any instruments or stationery explicitly permitted (pen, pencil, eraser, ruler, simple calculator if allowed)
Carry a black or blue pen and a pencil for recording findings or marking answer sheets. Only bring a calculator or other device if the provider has confirmed it is permitted; otherwise leave it at home.
A watch or small non-smart timer, if permitted by the provider
Station-based practical exams are tightly timed. A simple analogue watch helps you pace yourself, but confirm that wrist devices are allowed, since smart watches are commonly prohibited.
Leave phones, smart watches, and bags at home or in the designated secure area
Electronic devices are typically not allowed in the exam hall or clinical area. Plan how you will store valuables; many venues offer limited or no secure storage. Confirm the provider's policy on personal belongings.
Know your route and plan to arrive early, allowing for Nairobi traffic or travel from outside the city
Aim to arrive well before the reporting time so you can complete identity checks and orientation without stress. If you are travelling, consider staying nearby the night before; lateness policies are set by the provider and should be confirmed rather than assumed.
Review the candidate handbook for station format, scoring, and infection-control expectations
Understand whether the exam uses OSCE-style stations, a patient-based clinical session, or a combination, and what examiners assess (history, examination technique, diagnosis, treatment planning, professionalism, infection control). Confirm the format and pass requirements with the provider.
Arrange your transport and a contact person in case of delay
Have a backup plan for transport and a person who can be contacted if something goes wrong. Keep the provider's examinations office contact number saved and written down.
Bring water and a light snack for before or after the session, subject to venue rules
Long practical sessions can be tiring. Confirm whether food and drink are allowed in waiting areas; they will not be allowed in clinical or exam rooms.
Plan the day
Re-read the official candidate instructions and confirm venue, reporting time, and permitted items in writing with the provider. Check that your ID and admission documents are valid and easy to find. Prepare and pack clinical attire and any permitted PPE. Do a final focused revision of core practical skills: history taking, extraoral and intraoral examination, charting, local anaesthesia setup, radiograph interpretation, infection control, and common dental emergencies. Practise explaining your findings aloud, since examiners score communication and reasoning, not just hands.
Do a timed mock run of a few stations using a colleague or mirror to check your sequence and timing. Review infection-control steps you will be expected to demonstrate: hand hygiene, PPE sequencing, instrument handling, and sharps safety. Confirm how you will travel and where you will stay if coming from outside the venue city. Avoid starting new topics; consolidate what you already know.
Lay out your clothes, shoes, ID, admission documents, pen, pencil, and permitted PPE in one bag. Charge nothing you cannot bring, and remove smart devices from your exam bag. Check the weather and your transport plan. Eat a proper meal, avoid late-night cramming, and sleep early. Reconfirm the reporting time only if you have not already received written confirmation.
Eat breakfast and hydrate. Arrive at the venue ahead of the reporting time. Complete identity verification and any orientation. Keep conversation with other candidates calm and avoid last-minute debates about diagnoses that raise anxiety. Follow instructions from invigilators exactly, and ask a staff member if you are unsure where to go.
Read each station's instructions fully before acting, and note the time limit. Introduce yourself to simulated or real patients, obtain consent where expected, and explain what you are about to do. Maintain infection control throughout and verbalise your findings and reasoning clearly. If a station goes badly, do not carry it into the next one; reset and focus. Watch your time so you can finish safely, and stop immediately when instructed.
Leave the exam area without discussing specific station content with candidates who have not yet sat, as required by the provider. Note any feedback or follow-up instructions about results. Rest and debrief privately afterwards.
Rules to check
Bring the original identification document used at registration; identity is checked before you enter the exam area. If your documents do not match your registration details, raise it with the provider before exam day.
Electronic devices, including phones and smart watches, are generally not permitted in the exam hall or clinical area. Confirm the provider's exact policy on personal belongings and permitted devices.
Follow all infection-control and safety instructions, including hand hygiene, PPE use, sharps handling, and waste disposal. Examiners may score professionalism and safety as part of the station.
Treat patients and simulated patients with dignity and obtain consent where expected. Unprofessional or unsafe conduct can affect your result independently of clinical accuracy.
Timing is controlled by the invigilators. Start and stop only when instructed, and do not move between stations unless directed.
Do not communicate with other candidates about station content during the exam or with candidates who have not yet sat. Confidentiality rules are set by the provider and should be confirmed in the candidate instructions.
Break arrangements and access to water or washrooms are set by the provider; confirm them at orientation rather than leaving the exam area unannounced.
Scoring, pass marks, and any resit or appeal process are determined by KMPDC and the examining institution. Confirm these details with the provider rather than relying on informal accounts.