SDLE (SPLE Dentist) exam-day guide
SDLE (SPLE Dentist) · Prepare for the day ahead.
Your checklist
Notice of Admission / application receipt
Print at least two hard copies and store a digital copy on your phone and in your email. Your room and seat assignment may appear here - verify the exact building and room number before travelling.
Passport (original) plus one photocopy
The passport is the standard identity document for the Special Professional Licensure Examination (SPLE) taken abroad. Keep the original on your person, not in a bag you may set down.
Second government-issued ID
Bring a second photo ID as backup (driver's licence, national ID, PRC ID if already issued). Confirm with the provider which secondary IDs are accepted at your testing site.
Black ballpoint pens (2–3)
Use blue or black ink per the instructions printed on your answer sheet; keep a spare. Pencil may be required for certain forms - confirm with the provider.
Dental instruments, materials and supplies required for the practical
The practical portion may require you to bring your own hand instruments, typodont, or consumables, or they may be supplied by the testing centre. Obtain the official list from your provider and pack strictly to that list - do not bring items not on it.
Clinical attire
Clean laboratory gown or clinical uniform, closed-toe shoes, hair tied back, short trimmed nails, no dangling jewellery - standard infection-control presentation. Confirm the exact dress code with the provider.
Personal protective equipment
Face mask, gloves, and eye protection may be required or may be supplied on site. Pack your own as a precaution and confirm the policy with the provider.
Water and a light snack
Practical stations can run long. Bring water in a clear container and a quick snack, but confirm with the provider whether food and drink are permitted inside the testing area.
Non-smart watch
A simple analogue or basic digital watch helps you pace the stations. Smart watches and any device with communication capability are not allowed.
Travel and venue plan
Do a dry run or confirm the route, travel time, and parking/entrance gate the day before. Identify the candidate entrance - visitors and companions are usually not admitted.
Provider contact details saved offline
Save the testing centre hotline and your application number in your phone and on paper, in case of a last-minute venue or schedule change.
Companion and valuables plan
Leave unnecessary valuables at home; arrange for a companion to hold your phone and bag if the site has no secure storage. Confirm the storage policy with the provider.
Plan the day
Re-read the official examination bulletin and your Notice of Admission line by line. Write out every item the provider says you must bring, then check off what you already own.
Source any missing instrument, material, or attire item now - not on exam morning. Sterilise and label your instruments if you are required to bring them.
Shift your sleep schedule to match the exam start time, and lighten your review to a short pass over practical sequences, infection control, and record-keeping only. No new material.
Pack your bag fully and place it by the door. Photograph the packed contents so you can verify nothing was removed.
Confirm the venue, room assignment, report time, and entrance gate with the provider. Check for any announcement of schedule or room changes.
Do the physical dry run to the venue or verify the route and travel time at the same hour you will travel. Factor in at least 45–60 minutes of buffer.
Lay out attire, IDs, and pens together. Charge nothing you cannot bring - instead note the provider's contact number on paper. Eat a normal meal and sleep early.
Eat a real breakfast and arrive at the site well before the stated report time - aim for the earlier side of your buffer, since identity verification and rooming take time.
Present your Notice of Admission and passport at the gate, proceed directly to your assigned room, and use the restroom before the doors close.
Read each station's written instruction completely before touching instruments. Confirm the time allocation per station and note the halfway point so you do not overrun.
Work to the standard you were taught - infection control, sharps handling, and safe patient/typodont positioning first, then speed. A rushed, unsafe sequence costs more than an unfinished one.
If a station is going badly, close it out cleanly, reset, and move on. Do not carry one poor station into the next.
Keep your answer sheet and any exam papers on your desk, facing you. Do not look around the room; if you need something, raise your hand and wait for the proctor.
Rules to check
Bring and display the exact identity documents named in your Notice of Admission. Name or document discrepancies are commonly grounds for exclusion, so confirm in advance with the provider how mismatches are handled.
Arrive before the stated report time. Late candidates are typically not admitted once the examination has started; confirm the exact cut-off with the provider rather than assuming it.
Electronic devices - phones, smart watches, earphones, and any communication or recording device - must be switched off and surrendered or stored as directed. Possession during the examination is a serious violation.
Bring only the instruments, materials, and references the provider explicitly permits. Unlisted items may be confiscated and can be treated as an irregularity.
Follow all infection-control and safety directions given on site, including sharps disposal. Unsafe handling can be marked against you even if the clinical step is correct.
Breaks are usually limited and supervised; you generally cannot leave the testing area during a timed section. Confirm the break policy and what you may access between sections with the provider.
Scoring rules, passing marks, and any subject-weighting for the practical portion are set by the Professional Regulation Commission and the Board of Dentistry. Do not rely on secondhand claims - verify with the provider.
Any irregularity, however minor, should be reported to the proctor immediately and documented. Do not discuss examination content with other candidates at any point.