252 Journal of Dental Education ■ Volume 82, Number 3 The structure and name of the entity oversee- ing the NBDE have changed several times over the decades. 2 In 1928, the American Dental Association (ADA) Council on National Board Examinations was established to develop and conduct the written exam for use in state licensure. In 1980, the Joint Com- mission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) was formed to succeed that council and has, since then, been the agency responsible for developing and administering the NBDE to all candidates for state board licensure. The JCNDE currently states that the purpose and general content of the exam are “to assist state boards in determining qualifications of dentists who seek licensure to practice dentistry. The examinations assess the ability to understand im- T he National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) serves to assist state boards of den- tistry in verifying the qualifications of dentists who seek licensure to practice in the state. 1 Since 1993, the NBDE has been comprised of two parts (biomedical and dental sciences): students typically take Part I near the end of their preclinical education and then take Part II near the end of their clinical edu- cation. All U.S. licensing jurisdictions have accepted the NBDE as fulfillment of the written requirement for licensure since 1990, so all candidates who seek to practice dentistry in the U.S. must take this exam and, as a result, the exam has affected the design and delivery of U.S. dental schools’ curricula. Assessment U.S. Dental Schools’ Preparation for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination Mai-Ly T. Duong, DMD, MPH, MAEd; Annaliese E. Cothron, MS; Nathaniel C. Lawson, DMD, PhD; Eileen H. Doherty, MS Abstract: An Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) combining basic, behavioral, and clinical sciences will be implemented in 2020 to replace the current two-part National Board Dental Examination required for all candidates who seek to practice dentistry in the U.S. The aims of this study were to determine how U.S. dental schools are preparing for implementation of the INBDE and to assess their top administrators’ attitudes about the new exam. A total of 150 deans, academic deans, and other administrators at all 64 U.S. dental schools with graduating classes in 2016 were emailed a 19-question electronic survey. The survey questions addressed the respondents’ level of support, perceived benefits and challenges, and planned preparation strategies for the INBDE. The individual response rate was 59%, representing 57 of the 64 schools. Approximately 60% of the respondents either agreed or strongly agreed that they support the integrated exam, while roughly 25% either somewhat or strong- ly disagreed. While most respondents (72%) reported that their institutions would be prepared for the INBDE, 74% reported that the merged exam created additional strain for their institutions. Respondents reported viewing content integration and clinical applicability as benefits of the INBDE, while required curriculum changes and student preparedness and stress were seen as challenges. Most of the respondents reported their schools were currently employing strategies to prepare for the INBDE includ- ing meetings with faculty and students and changes to curricula and course content. The beginning of the fourth year and the end of the third year were the most frequently reported times when schools planned to require students to take the INBDE, although almost half of the respondents did not yet know what it would be required at their school. Several schools were reconsidering using the boards as a passing requirement. This study found that support for the INBDE was not universal, but strategies are under way to prepare students, faculty, and curricula for this new means of assessment. Dr. Duong is Assistant Professor, Center for Advanced Oral Health, Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, A.T. Still University; Ms. Cothron is a biostatistician at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio; Dr. Lawson is Assistant Professor, Division of Biomaterials, School of Dentistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham; and Ms. Doherty is Assistant Professor, Department of Comprehensive Care, School of Dental Medicine, Tufts University. Direct correspondence to Dr. Mai-Ly Duong, Center for Advanced Oral Health, Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, 5835 E. Still Circle, 2 nd Floor, Mesa, AZ 85206; 623-252-1230; mduong@atsu.edu. Keywords: dental education, licensure, dental licensure, national licensure examination, assessment, curriculum Submitted for publication 9/1/17; accepted 11/29/17 doi: 10.21815/JDE.018.024