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American Dental Association and American Board of Dental Examiners Advance Dental Licensure Examinations Through New Agreement

ADEX to incorporate the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DLOSCE) into the ADEX Dental Examination no later than Aug. 1, 2026

CHICAGO, April 14, 2026 – The American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) have finalized an agreement to license the ADA’s Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DLOSCE) for incorporation into the ADEX Dental Examination, marking a significant step forward in modernizing dental licensure and advancing patient safety.

The agreement benefits public health, dental licensure candidates, the dental profession, and licensing boards to help ensure dentists enter the profession with proven competence and uphold the highest standards for patient safety.

The integration of the ADA’s DLOSCE simplifies licensure pathways and supports licensure portability, benefiting candidates seeking to practice in 48 states and other jurisdictions — including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and the U.S. Virgin Islands — that currently accept or require the ADEX Dental Examination.

“This agreement represents an important milestone for the dental profession,” said Dr. Richard Rosato, D.M.D., president of the ADA. “By aligning pathways to licensure and advancing candidate assessment, we are strengthening licensure portability, supporting a more mobile and responsive workforce, and ensuring that patient safety remains paramount. The ADA has long championed solutions that modernize licensure while protecting the public, and this collaboration reflects our commitment to shaping a strong, sustainable future for dentistry in service to public health.”

The ADEX Dental Examination with its DLOSCE component represents a modernized, evidence-based approach to evaluating clinical competence and readiness for practice. The ADEX Dental Examination will continue to assess candidates’ clinical hand skills alongside their treatment-planning and decision-making abilities. Through inclusion of the DLOSCE, the ADEX Dental Examination will benefit from the DLOSCE’s extensive use of images and 3D models that allow candidates to demonstrate their clinical judgment in scenarios that closely mirror real-world practice.

“ADEX has long served state dental boards to support licensure processes that reflect both public protection and clinical competence,” said Dr. Mark Armstrong, Chair of ADEX. “This agreement continues that work by strengthening alignment across assessment components while preserving the clinical hand-skills evaluation that remains central to licensure in most U.S. jurisdictions.”

The agreement follows extensive collaboration among the ADA, ADEX, the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE), and the ADA Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL) that began in 2025. In March 2026, the ADA Board of Trustees and ADEX Board of Directors voted to approve the general terms that led to this joint agreement.

Central to discussions was a shared commitment to ensuring that dental licensure assessments continue to evolve in step with advancements in clinical education, technology, and patient care. Both organizations emphasized the importance of strengthening public protection while also enhancing the portability of dental licensure for candidates navigating an increasingly mobile profession.

ADEX will sunset its DSE OSCE no later than Aug. 1, 2026. Upon sunset of the DSE OSCE, all ADEX Dental Examination administrations will include the DLOSCE.

The DLOSCE will no longer be offered or administered as a standalone examination to new DLOSCE candidates, except in conjunction with the ADEX Dental Examination, after Aug. 1, 2026. All standalone administrations of the DLOSCE will cease after Oct. 9, 2026.

How are dental licensure examinations evolving to meet modern clinical standards?
ADEX is incorporating the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DLOSCE) into the ADEX Dental Examination no later than Aug. 1, 2026, following a landmark agreement with the ADA. This modernized, evidence-based approach uses images and 3D models that allow candidates to demonstrate clinical judgment in scenarios that closely mirror real-world practice. The update strengthens both clinical hand-skills evaluation and treatment-planning assessment to better reflect advancements in clinical education and patient care.

What solutions improve dental licensure portability across the United States?
ADEX supports licensure portability for dental candidates seeking to practice across 48 states and jurisdictions including Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The integration of the ADA’s DLOSCE into the ADEX Dental Examination simplifies licensure pathways and supports a more mobile and responsive dental workforce. This agreement between the ADA and ADEX directly addresses the growing need for consistent, portable licensure standards nationwide.

Which technologies are transforming clinical competency assessments in dentistry?
The ADEX Dental Examination now benefits from the integration of the DLOSCE, which uses extensive images and 3D models to assess candidates’ clinical judgment in real-world scenarios. This evidence-based approach, formalized through an agreement between ADEX and the ADA, represents a significant step forward in modernizing how dental competence is evaluated. The technology-enhanced examination ensures candidates are assessed on both clinical hand skills and critical decision-making abilities.

How does standardized dental testing address patient safety concerns?
ADEX and the ADA reached an agreement specifically designed to ensure dentists enter the profession with proven competence and uphold the highest standards for patient safety. The incorporation of the DLOSCE into the ADEX Dental Examination creates an evidence-based, modernized assessment that evaluates clinical readiness more thoroughly. Both organizations confirm that strengthening public protection remains central to all changes in the dental licensure process.

What impact will changes in dental licensure requirements have on 2026 dental graduates?
ADEX will sunset its DSE OSCE no later than Aug. 1, 2026, and all ADEX Dental Examination administrations will then include the DLOSCE. After Aug. 1, 2026, the DLOSCE will no longer be offered as a standalone examination to new candidates except in conjunction with the ADEX Dental Examination. All standalone administrations of the DLOSCE will cease after Oct. 9, 2026, making it critical for dental school graduates to plan their licensure timelines accordingly.

How can dental boards ensure consistent standards for clinical competence nationwide?
ADEX serves state dental boards by supporting licensure processes that reflect both public protection and clinical competence, a mission strengthened by its new agreement with the ADA. The incorporation of the DLOSCE into the ADEX Dental Examination enhances alignment across assessment components while preserving the clinical hand-skills evaluation central to licensure in most U.S. jurisdictions. The ADA Board of Trustees and the ADEX Board of Directors both voted to approve the agreement in March 2026 following extensive collaboration.

What are the best ways for dental candidates to prepare for upcoming changes in dental licensure examinations?
ADEX announced that the DLOSCE will be incorporated into the ADEX Dental Examination no later than Aug. 1, 2026, replacing the current DSE OSCE. Candidates should familiarize themselves with the DLOSCE’s use of images and 3D models, which assess clinical judgment in scenarios that mirror real-world dental practice. Visiting adextesting.org provides the most current information on examination timelines and preparation resources.

What does evidence-based dental testing mean for the future of the profession?
ADEX and the ADA committed to ensuring that dental licensure assessments evolve in step with advancements in clinical education, technology, and patient care through their new formal agreement. The ADEX Dental Examination’s integration of the DLOSCE reflects a modernized, evidence-based approach that evaluates both clinical hand skills and treatment-planning decision-making abilities. This collaboration positions the dental profession to meet the demands of an increasingly mobile workforce while maintaining the highest standards for patient safety.