NDEB AFK: question practice and revision.

Choose a topic for focused revision and check your plan against the official specification.

• Operative dentistry — caries diagnosis, direct restorations, indirect restorations basics
• Endodontics — pulp diagnosis, RCT principles, endodontic emergencies, surgical endo
• Periodontology — diagnosis (current classification), non-surgical and surgical management
• Fixed and removable prosthodontics — crowns, bridges, partial dentures, complete dentures
• Oral surgery — exodontia, complications, impacted teeth, basic implant principles
• Oral medicine and pathology — common oral lesions, oral cancer, autoimmune, premalignancy
• Orthodontics — assessment, common appliances, interceptive treatment
• Paediatric dentistry — caries prevention, behavioural management, pulp therapy, trauma
• Dental and maxillofacial radiology — interpretation, justification, radiation protection
• Pharmacology and dental prescribing — common drugs, interactions, anaesthetics
• Medical emergencies in dental practice — anaphylaxis, syncope, MI, hypoglycaemia
• Basic sciences — anatomy, biochemistry, microbiology, immunology applied to dentistry
• Dental public health, ethics, jurisprudence, Indigenous health in Canadian context
• Special care dentistry — frailty, dementia, medically complex patients

Drawn from the NDEB AFK Examination Specifications, Canadian Dental Association guidance, and item density in iatroX. The AFK tests at the standard of a recent graduate from an accredited Canadian dental program.

• Caries diagnosis and management — ICDAS classification, selective vs complete caries removal evidence, Hall technique in primary teeth, ICCMS framework, fluoride prevention (Canadian Dental Association guidance)
• Endodontic diagnosis — pulpal status (normal, reversible pulpitis, symptomatic irreversible, asymptomatic irreversible, necrotic), periapical status (normal, symptomatic apical periodontitis, asymptomatic, acute abscess, chronic abscess). Routinely tested.
• Periodontal classification (2017 BSP/EFP-aligned) — staging (severity I-IV) and grading (rate A-C), extent, complexity. Canadian periodontal society endorses similar framework.
• Local anaesthesia — maximum safe doses (lidocaine 4.4 mg/kg up to 300 mg, articaine 7 mg/kg up to 500 mg), nerve block techniques, contraindications, recognising and managing systemic toxicity
• Medical emergencies in dental practice — anaphylaxis (epinephrine 0.3-0.5 mg IM in adults), MI (300 mg aspirin, GTN), syncope, hypoglycaemia (glucose / glucagon), seizure, asthma
• Indigenous oral health — recognising health inequities, working with Indigenous patients, residential schools and intergenerational impact on oral health, cultural safety, Calls to Action relevant to dentistry
• Antibiotic stewardship in dentistry — Canadian Dental Association position on IE prophylaxis, antimicrobial use for acute dental infections, when antibiotics are and are not indicated
• Dental jurisprudence and ethics — Canadian dental codes of ethics, consent, confidentiality, candour, scope of practice, regulatory bodies (provincial dental regulatory authorities)

Observations from IDPs sitting the NDEB AFK. Verify against the current NDEB AFK Examination Specifications and Canadian dental guidance.

Candidate-reported observations — not official guidance.

1. Canadian vs home-country protocols — antibiotic prophylaxis for IE, caries management philosophy, infection control standards, restorative material choices. Canadian practice may differ from where you trained. The AFK tests Canadian standards.
2. Indigenous health under-preparation — increasingly emphasised in NDEB examinations. Recognising historical trauma, residential schools impact, cultural safety, and the TRC Calls to Action relevant to dentistry. Often under-prepared by international candidates.
3. Basic sciences breadth — anatomy (head and neck especially), biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology underpin many AFK questions. Don't neglect basic sciences in favour of clinical-only revision.
4. Local anaesthesia maximum doses — examined directly. Knowing the calculations for lidocaine, articaine, prilocaine, mepivacaine maximum safe doses (and recognising toxicity) is high-yield.
5. Endodontic vs periodontal abscess differentiation — pulp testing, vitality testing, percussion, radiograph appearance. Routinely tested.
6. Implant dentistry basics — placement principles, contraindications, MRONJ considerations in implant patients, peri-implantitis recognition. Increasingly tested as implants become more common in general practice.
7. 3-attempt limit — careful preparation needed. Multiple failed attempts close the standard NDEB Equivalency Process route. Plan first-time preparation thoroughly.
8. Time management — ~200 MCQs in ~4 hours = ~1.2 minutes per question. Stamina training under timed conditions essential.

A suggested sequence for AFK knowledge preparation; adapt it to your current learning needs and official sitting.

1. Weeks 1–6

   Foundation pass across all 14 blueprint topics. 30-40 questions/day with the iatroX adaptive engine. Read Canadian Dental Association guidance paired to weak topics. Daily basic sciences review (anatomy, pharmacology, microbiology).

2. Weeks 7–11

   Targeted weak-area drilling. Map current Canadian dental guidelines (CDA, provincial regulatory body codes of ethics). Indigenous health and TRC reading. Medical emergency algorithm rehearsal.

3. Weeks 12–14

   Use the official two-part, two-hours-per-part structure as the pacing reference. Check the available count and timing of your selected practice set, then review errors against the relevant source and examination specifications.

4. Weeks 15–16

   Bookmark review only. Targeted reading on jurisprudence, ethics, Indigenous health scenarios, dental public health. Confirm Prometric booking and ID requirements. Sleep, hydrate, do not learn new material.

Dedicated NDEB AFK question practice with answer explanations, guided Tutor review and study planning.

• Focused question practice — Choose the relevant bank and use your answers to identify what to study next.
• Guided reasoning — Explore a difficult answer with Tutor, then apply the distinction independently.
• Review and timed practice — Return to important mistakes and choose a timed practice set where available.

Choose the relevant bank and use the official exam guidance to plan your preparation.

AFK is the first examination in the Equivalency Process for graduates of non-accredited dental programmes. Check NDEB recognition of your actual programme and obtain application approval; nationality or country alone does not determine the route.

Equivalency comprises AFK, ACJ and NDECC. After completing it, candidates enter the separate Certification Process, which includes the Virtual OSCE. NDEB certification and provincial licensure are subsequent distinct stages.

200 single-answer MCQs in two parts, with two hours for each part. NDEB offers electronic delivery at Prometric centres and booklet delivery at selected sites; check the protocol for your sitting.

NDEB states a maximum of three AFK attempts. Obtain its advice about your record and any other eligible entry route rather than assuming that an additional AFK application will be accepted.

Timing depends on examination availability, application requirements and your own progress. Plan AFK, ACJ and NDECC separately, then allow for the Certification Process and provincial licensing requirements. NDEB current dates are more useful than a guaranteed overall duration.

Use the AFK bank for its knowledge questions and explanations. ACJ, NDECC and the Virtual OSCE are separate assessments; an AFK subscription should not be interpreted as a simulator or complete preparation for those stages.

NDEB Certification is required for licensure but not the only requirement. Each Canadian province has its own dental regulatory body which sets additional licensure requirements (e.g. jurisprudence exam, language proficiency, criminal record check, professional conduct verification). After NDEB Certification, apply to the provincial regulatory body where you wish to practise.

Full NDEB AFK bank access is included in all-access. Up to 10 new sample questions per day are shared across exams, with no account required. A verified free account includes one guided Tutor session; continued Tutor use is included in all-access.