Part II Oral Examination

The ABOI/ID oral examination consists of a combination of standardized cases where candidates will be guided through a case and asked questions.  The second part of the oral examination is where candidates will defend their own cases.  

The process calls for candidates to defend a diagnosis, discuss their treatment plan, and demonstrate an in depth knowledge of the surgical and prosthetic phases of oral implantology.

During the examination, candidates are expected to integrate their knowledge of science and current literature.

Candidates are paired with two examiners at each station where the candidates is expected to discuss all aspects of implant dentistry which includes the following categories:  

• Comprehensive medical and dental history evaluation
• Diagnosis
• Medical management
• Treatment planning
• Implant surgery
• Postoperative care
• Prosthetic restoration
• Maintenance
• Revision treatment planning

After the examination, the Board’s psychometrician will use a multifaceted statistical model to analyze the candidate’s scores. This state-of-the-art statistical analysis controls for the difficulty of the case, the difficulty of the category, and the severity of the examiner.  Both parts of the certification examination are criterion-referenced. This means that all candidates are evaluated according to the same pre-established standards, rather than being compared to the performance of the other candidates.

The Board recommends that, in preparation for the examinations, candidates study the current literature and textbooks in the field of implant dentistry.

Successful candidates are awarded an eight-year time limited Diplomate certificate. They will also have to recertify every 8 years by taking a take home written examination.