Examinations

All persons intending to apply for licensure as a dentist in Tennessee must successfully complete the examinations provided by this rule, except for educational limited licensure applicants and dual degree licensure applicants who need not complete any licensure examinations other than the Tennessee Board of Dentistry Ethics and Jurisprudence examination; limited licensure applicants who must successfully complete only the National Board examination and Board of Dentistry Ethics and Jurisprudence examination; criteria (reciprocity) applicants who are qualifying pursuant to Rule 0460-02-.01(3)(d), (e), or (f) and need not complete any licensure examinations other than the Tennessee Board of Dentistry Ethics and Jurisprudence examination; and criteria (reciprocity) applicants who are qualifying pursuant to Rule 0460-02-.01(3)(g), (h), or (i) and must successfully complete only the Board of Dentistry Ethics and Jurisprudence examination and a regional testing agency examination or examination given by another state as provided in T.C.A. § 63-5-110(b)(6)(D) or (E). Completion of the required examinations is a prerequisite for application for licensure. Certification of successful completion must be submitted as part of the application process. (1) The Board adopts as its licensure examination and requires, with the previously noted exceptions, successful completion of all of the following examination components as a prerequisite for licensure: RULES GOVERNING THE PRACTICE OF DENTISTRY CHAPTER 0460-02 (a) An examination must include a prosthetic component, a periodontal component, an endodontic component, and a live human patient or non-patient based anterior and posterior restorative component. (b) The National Board if the applicant graduated from a dental college, school or university after 1972. (c) The Tennessee Board of Dentistry Ethics and Jurisprudence examination. (2) Admission to, application for and the fees required to sit for the regional examinations and the National Board examinations are governed by and must be submitted to the testing agency. Admission to, application for and the fees required to sit for any other Board-approved examination must be submitted to the Board as provided in Rule 0460-01-.02, or at the Board’s option, its designated exam administrator. (3) Passing scores on the regional and National Board examinations are determined by the testing agency. Such passing scores as certified to the Board are adopted by the Board as constituting successful completion of those examinations. Passing scores for any other Board-approved examination are determined by the Board. (4) Applicants must supply or furnish their own patients, instruments and materials as required by the testing agency, the Board, or the Board’s designated exam administrator. (5) Applicant’s who fail to successfully complete any of the examinations may apply for reexamination. (6) Oral examination may be required pursuant to Rule 0460-01-.04. (7) The Board adopts as its own, the determination made by the regional testing agencies and the National Boards of the length of time that a passing score on their respective examinations will be effective for purposes of measuring competency and fitness for dental licensure; however, an applicant’s test scores from any Board-approved examination as provided in subparagraph (1)(a) which were taken over five (5) years before application was made for licensure in Tennessee will be considered by the Board on a case by case basis after the applicant appears before the Board for an examination. (8) Applicants for licensure who have failed three (3) times the National Board or any Board- approved examination as provided in subparagraph (1)(a) must successfully complete a remedial course of post-graduate studies at a school accredited by the American Dental Association before consideration for licensure by the Board. The applicant shall cause the program director of the post-graduate program to provide written documentation of the content of such course and certify successful completion. (9) If an applicant has successfully completed a clinical board examination administered by another state and is applying for licensure pursuant to Rule 0460-02-.01(3)(g), (h), or (i), it is that applicant’s responsibility to submit documentation substantiating the appropriateness of such examination. The Board shall make the final decision to accept or reject such examination.