NBDE Part I study guide
NBDE Part I · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
NBDE Part I is the first of the two written examinations in the National Board Dental Examination sequence, administered by the American Dental Association's Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. It is a multiple-choice, discipline-based exam that most U.S. dental students sit for during the preclinical years, and passing it is a requirement that state dental boards and many dental schools use as part of licensure and advancement decisions. Because it is a board exam rather than a classroom exam, it rewards integrated, conceptual knowledge across biomedical and dental sciences rather than isolated fact recall. Topics on this exam: Anatomic Sciences, Biochemistry and Physiology, Microbiology and Pathology, and Dental Anatomy and Occlusion. The NBDE Part I study guide has 4 sections and about 1,216 words.
01Anatomic Sciences: Head, Neck, and Craniofacial Development
Head and neck questions reward a regional approach. Trace the trigeminal nerve from its three divisions to their exits: V1 through the superior orbital fissure, V2 through the foramen rotundum, V3 through the foramen ovale. Know that the lingual nerve (V3) carries general sensation from the anterior two-thirds of the tongue, while the chorda tympani (VII) carries taste; the posterior third is supplied by the glossopharyngeal nerve for both modalities. The four muscles of mastication are masseter, temporalis, medial pterygoid, and lateral pterygoid - all elevate except the lateral pterygoid, which protrudes and depresses the mandible.
335 words, about 2 min02Biochemistry and Physiology: Metabolism, Organ Systems, and Regulation
Understand Michaelis-Menten behavior: Km is the substrate concentration at half-maximal velocity and is an inverse measure of enzyme affinity; Vmax reflects enzyme amount. Competitive inhibitors raise Km with Vmax unchanged; noncompetitive inhibitors lower Vmax with Km unchanged. Track ATP yield through glycolysis (net 2 ATP, 2 NADH), pyruvate dehydrogenase, the TCA cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation. Know when gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, and ketogenesis are active, and that the Cori cycle moves lactate from muscle to liver.
287 words, about 1 min03Microbiology and Pathology: Oral Flora, Infection, and Disease Mechanisms
Dental plaque is a structured biofilm, not a random accumulation of bacteria. Early colonizers attach to the pellicle; later colonizers coaggregate. Caries is associated with acidogenic, aciduric organisms such as Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacillus species. Periodontal disease is associated with the anaerobic red complex - Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola - with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans implicated in aggressive forms.
275 words, about 1 min04Dental Anatomy and Occlusion: Morphology, Numbering, and Function
Master three systems. Universal numbers permanent teeth 1–32, starting with the maxillary right third molar; primary teeth use letters A–T. FDI uses two digits, with the first digit as the quadrant (1 maxillary right, 2 maxillary left, 3 mandibular left, 4 mandibular right) and the second as the tooth position from the midline. Palmer uses a quadrant bracket with numbers 1–8.
319 words, about 2 min