If you want to practice dentistry, you need to have a license. And if you want to have a license, you should read this post.

You need to complete three requirements (educational, written, and clinical) to get a dental license. You can fulfill the educational component by graduating from a dental school accredited by CODA (the Commission on Dental Accreditation), and complete the written requirement by passing NBDE Parts I and II as administered by JCNDE (the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations). The clinical component is where things get tricky.

There are five regional testing agencies that administer these clinical exams:

Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA)

Central Regional Dental Testing Services (CRDTS)

North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners (NERB)

Southern Regional Testing Agency (SRTA)

Western Regional Examining Board (WREB)

Each of these agencies gives a separate, subtly different examination, and those exams are all accepted by different sets of states. In other words, no one exam is accepted by all 50 states. So you need to figure out where you want to practice. Once you’ve done that (no big deal), go to the ADA list of state dental boards and click on the relevant state dental board’s website. There you can figure out which clinical licensure exams are accepted by your dream state.

But is this the way it has to be?   ASDA doesn’t think so. The association’s formal position on licensure is outlined in ASDA’s L1 policy, which you can read at http://asdanet.org/licensure/.   (If you’d prefer a more audiovisual experience, check out this video of Colleen Greene, 2012-13 national ASDA president.)

Here’s the big highlight: ASDA doesn’t support the use of live patients in clinical licensure exams.   Instead, the second half of its L1 policy presents these alternatives:

• “Initial licensure without an independent clinical licensing examination. Graduates of a U.S. CODA-accredited dental school should be eligible for initial licensure without taking any additional clinical examination.
• A portfolio-type clinical examination based on cases compiled during the final year of dental school. Such an examination should require a standardized catalog of required clinical procedures and the portfolio should be evaluated by an examiner independent of the dental school. (Currently under development in California.)
• A non-traditional patient based clinical licensure examination. Although ASDA does not support the use of live patients in traditional clinical licensing examinations, the association recognizes the potential for creation of an ethical, patient-based examination.
• An Objective Structured Clinical Examination designed to evaluate a candidate’s diagnostic and treatment planning skills. (Currently accepted in Minnesota.)
• Completion of a one-year postgraduate residency program. Completion of a U.S. CODA-accredited postgraduate program that has a minimum duration of one year should be sufficient to substitute for the clinical licensure examination requirement in any jurisdiction.” (Currently mandated in New York; accepted in Washington, Minnesota, California and Connecticut.)

This desire for alternatives springs from concerns about the ethics and accuracy of the current exams. To outline those facts, ASDA is drafting a licensure “white paper,” which is a document intended to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. It’s also working to eliminate live-patient licensure examinations at the state level through work with state dental associations, state dental boards, state legislators, and national dental organizations.

The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) has also formed a task force to report back to its 2015 House of Delegates with recommendations about how to help dental schools transition from patient-based clinical examinations to an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). We’re excited to hear those recommendations in March 2015.

In the meantime, the licensure reform process is moving forward, and the state-by-state requirements for licensure continue to evolve-- so make sure to check back with your state dental board's website as your exam date approaches!  Does all that make sense?  Don't worry if it doesn't!  It’s easy to get lost in the forest of jargon and acronyms surrounding licensure, so make sure to post your questions in the comments section below!

~Christian Piers, Class of 2016, Colorado ASDA President

Many components have an effect on the profession and the day-to-day life of dentists, including changing technology and educational requirements, among others.  An often under-looked component regarding the dental profession, that may affect dentists and future dentists substantially, is the changing landscape of state and federal laws that impact the dental profession.

In most respects, state laws and policies have the most direct impact on dentists; the state regulates dentists who practice within it.  In Colorado, the State Board of Dental Examiners, a regulatory board under the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), bears the authority for dental regulation.  The State Board of Dental Examiners is subject to the “Sunset Process”, meaning that the Board’s existence terminates if the state legislature does not act to continue the board by a certain date, usually after an extensive review of and often with modifications to how they operate.

The Colorado legislature completed its sunset review of the State Board of Dental Examiners earlier this year and voted to continue the Board through September 1, 2014 (Colorado House Bill 14-1227).  It also made changes to the Dental Practice Law of Colorado, many of them administrative or technical, but it also included changes which have a tangible impact on dentists.  For example, one change addresses discipline for certain, unauthorized anesthesia usage on patients; another change mandates 30 hours of continuing education, every 2 years, for dentists and dental hygienists.

The Colorado legislature implemented the changes, largely based on recommendations from DORA itself and other interested parties, such as the Colorado Dental Association.  One recommendation that the legislature did not address in its completed sunset review, however, was a recommendation from DORA to address potential alternatives for the clinical component of dental licensure testing.  In its recommendation to the legislature, DORA specifically requested the legislature to “Revise the clinical examination requirement to allow the Board to accept other methods of evaluating clinical competency….” In its recommendation, DORA noted that “[t]he notion that a clinical examination can be something other than a one-time, high-stakes examination performed on a real patient is gaining broader acceptance…the General Assembly should expand the law to allow the Board, at its discretion, to accept alternate methods of evaluating clinical competency…” (The entire DORA recommendation is available HERE.)

Despite DORA’s recommendation, the Colorado legislature failed to address changing certain clinical examination requirements.  The Colorado legislature may address this in a future piece of legislation; however, it is also possible that the legislature will not address this until the next sunset review deadline, around 2023.  If the Colorado legislature addressed this recommendation by DORA, the proposed changes to the clinical examination process would surely be in students’ best interest, as it could expand the opportunities for licensure applicants to demonstrate their clinical acumen.

This recent sunset review of the Colorado Board of Dental Examiners demonstrates how the law and legislature may have a large impact on our careers.

~Becky Bye, JD, Class of 2018, Colorado ASDA Alternate Delegate

Like most students in the 21^st century, you probably use the internet as your primary source of information. The downside is the abundance of information. Some good, some bad, and some that may not be applicable to your situation. A great solution to this problem is the American Student Dental Association (ASDA). ASDA memberships go far beyond getting the information that you need. They also offer helpful tips for bettering your chances of being accepted into dental school. You’ll also get their publications for free. The experiences, networking opportunities, and member discounts that are available are worth the membership fee itself.

If your experience online was anything like mine, you’ve probably spent hours reading information from various sources. Needless to say, some of these sources may have made you feel like you had no chance of getting into dental school. After joining ASDA, I realized that my chances of getting accepted were greater than I had first thought. All of their information gets right to the point. I learned that the road to dental school is not as confined as some websites would lead you to believe. They have advice on which schools may be best for you, how to write those pesky personal statements, DAT preparation, and the requirements for applying. Are you interested in the field of dentistry, but not certain about the investment? ASDA can definitely help, giving information on life before, during, and after dental school by dentist and dental students.

 As an ASDA member you’re never alone, with chapters all over the nation. Depending on your location some chapters offer great pre-dental programs that allow you to talk with current dental students and other dental professionals. These events are a gold mine of information and guidance. You get to meet directly with current dental students who have been where you are currently. I attended an event that met every Saturday, over eight weeks that was about two hours away from where I live. The drive was long, but definitely worth it with mock-interviews, DAT strategies, and prize giveaways. My favorite part was working with a hand piece to fill cavities on model teeth. The best part was the welcoming and helpful environment the dental students provided. Most even gave their contact information for any questions or personal statement reviews.

Being a part of ASDA can greatly increase your odds of getting into a dental school too. This is a nationally recognized association of dental students. So imagine how good it would look to put “ASDA Member” under the Professional Experience section, of your AADSAS application. You can also build your resume by being active within the association. For example, if you’re a writer, you can apply to write for their many national publications which includes Mouth, ASDA News, and the Mouthing Off blog.

In addition to all of this, ASDA offers discounts and their publications for free. The publications are very beneficial to pre-dental students.  As a member, you’re offered discounts on auto insurance and DAT preparation material. Trust me, if you’re not looking for insurance, the discounts on the test prep material are worth the membership fee itself. You also get Mouth sent to you quarterly and ASDA News monthly for free. As a pre-dental member, you will also receive Getting into Dental School: ASDA’s Guide for Predental Students. This guide gives you information about every dental school, career options as a dentist, and details about the loans and scholarships that are available

You already know that just the application process for dental school is a big investment. Out of all the resources available to you, why not use the one that will be the most beneficial? There are a ton of places where you can learn about dentistry. But, you’ll have to take time out of your already busy schedule to find what will actually help you. With an ASDA membership you’ll have what you need to succeed. Don’t make the process harder than it has to be. Join ASDA now to help you with your journey into dentistry.

~Reggie Perdue, Pre-Dental ASDA Member

We know it has been a couple of weeks, but we just wanted to say a HUGE thank you everyone who participated in our first ever Thrush Week! For those of you who weren't able to participate, here is what happened:

Monday: Meet and Greet

We had an awesome turnout at our first Thrush Week event: the Team Meet and Greet. Participants were placed into teams and were able to come up with a team name. From there it was just chillin' with some great food, great fun, and great ASDA.

Tuesday: Dental School Selfie Competition

Tuesday we got some awesome submissions for the Dental School Selfie Competition. The Molar Mashers and Top Gunnerz were declared the winners for their creativity!

Wednesday: Lunchtime Sports

Wednesday we got some sports equipment set up for everybody to relieve some stress during lunch.

Thursday: Dental Joke Contest

Thursday's Dental Joke Contest brought a ton of laughs and earned The Ross Conners and Team Awesome some extra diamonds for their team.

Friday: Initiaion Lunch and Learn

We had a HUGE turn out for the ASDA Initiation Lunch and Learn. The Class of 2018 chowed down on Papa John's pizza while they were properly introduced to Colorado ASDA and the possibilities that can come from membership.

Saturday: The Amalgames

Thrush Week ended with a bang as teams gathered together to compete in the Amalgames. Team Whale Squid came out victorious and was awarded the Cup of Carabelli and named the Crowned Knight Guards of Anschutz.

All in all it was a great week. Thanks again for everyone that participated. We'll see you all next year for another amazing Thrush Week! And once again, Welcome Class of 2018!

~Kyle Luis Larsen, Class of 2017, Colorado ASDA President-Elect

The first time I heard about ASDA, I didn’t even realize I was hearing about ASDA. All I knew was that I wanted scrubs with the CU School of Dental Medicine logo on it. Since then, however, ASDA has completely changed my dental school experience for the better.

When ASDA was first introduced to our class, a lot of effort went into explaining what it was, and yet, I still found myself struggling to understand it. When I would ask different members about ASDA, they would all give me different answers. Finally, after about a year, I realize that the reason I was having trouble understanding ASDA is because ASDA is everything. It is so all-encompassing that sometimes it can be hard to explain. It wasn’t that nobody knew what ASDA was, it was just that ASDA was something different to everyone.

Simply put, ASDA is the American Student Dental Association which is the nation's largest student run association whose mission centers around protecting and advancing the rights, interests and welfare of dental students. But what does that mean exactly, and more specifically, what does that mean to you?

Well, to better explain ASDA and make its mission, purpose and benefits more clear to those who are less familiar with it, we have decided to literally spell it out for everyone. The letters "ASDA" stand for the American Student Dental Association. But to us, ASDA also stands for the four pillars of Colorado ASDA: Advocacy, Service, Dentistry and Activities. We have decided to focus on these four categories because everything within ASDA can fit into them (and it also conveniently spells out ASDA). We have tried to restructure the chapter's resources to follow this theme. You may notice that even our blog categories are set up to reflect this new focus, as will our website once we get that fully up and running. Of course ASDA is more than just this, but these four words are where everything starts.

Advocacy. Advocacy is what makes ASDA unique from any of the other dental student organizations out there. Locally, we work with the Metro Denver Dental Society and the Colorado Dental Association to educate our state representatives on current issues facing our profession and topics affecting us as students. Nationally, we represent about 92% of all dental students, so people listen to us when we vote in a new policy and take us seriously as an organization.

Service. Service is why most of us sought a career in dentistry in the first place. Our chapter is always organizing service and community outreach activities. From helping out at COMOM to volunteering at the Fifth Gear Kids events, there is always something that you can get involved in to help out the community around us.

Dentistry. I have had numerous people from my class ask me what ASDA is. Before now, the only way that I could really explain it is "everything dentistry outside of dental school." Even though that answer isn't as complete of an answer as I would have liked to give, it still is true. ASDA is where you learn everything about dentistry that you don't learn in dental school. ASDA teaches you to be a leader in your practice and in your community. ASDA shows you how to manage your finances while you are in dental school and ways to manage your business when you graduate. ASDA helps you to prepare for things that you might not even realize that you want to know yet, like integrating new technology into your practice without overdoing it and what things to look for when searching for an associate position.

Activities. The activities that Colorado ASDA puts on are awesome. If you participated in Thrush Week and the Amalgames (see our Facebook Page for pictures), then you know what I'm talking about. If you didn't, then it's not too late. We still have plenty of things coming up in the near future (be on the lookout for "Shimstock," our music and talent competition coming in October).

I got involved in ASDA without even fully understanding what it was because I could see potential-- not only in the chapter, but in myself through the chapter. ASDA was the only student organization, in my mind, that had everything... and best of all, it was free!

Since deciding to get involved, I have had some of the most amazing opportunities of my life. ASDA motivates me to step just far enough outside my comfort zone that I do things I have never done before, but not far enough that I regret my participation. It pushes me to meet people, helps me find mentors and gives me the resources that I need to succeed (and not just on boards).

ASDA is a lot of things to a lot of people and our chapter here at Colorado is expanding to become more than it has ever been before. To me, Colorado ASDA is opportunity. It is fun. It is my creative outlet. It is networking. It is the best experience I have had in dental school and it has become a big part of my life. I believe in everything that this organization stands for and choosing to become involved has been one of the best decision I have ever made. I can’t imagine dental school without ASDA, nor would I ever want to. ASDA is about getting involved and having a voice-- so get involved and say something. You might just be surprised at what can happen because of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY31ouvXfLU

Tell us what #CoASDAis to you in the comments below or use the tag #CoASDAis to tell us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter by Aug 29th for your chance to win a $10 Target Gift Card!

~Kyle Luis Larsen, Class of 2017, Colorado ASDA President-Elect

What is the best time to go to the dentist...?

Tooth hurty!

Got a better joke? Share it in the comments! Just make sure it is appropriate! Everyone who posts will get participation Diamonds, but best joke will earn their team 5 extra Diamonds. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook so that your joke submission counts!

Over the last few months, new students have been anxiously awaiting the start of dental school, and at last, Friday concluded DS1 summer orientation.  Students got a chance to learn about their new classmates via daily ice breakers and fun interactive activities, while also getting to know the staff and support offered at the School of Dental Medicine.  Highlights from the week include Apple support day, where IT staff helped students set up their new MacBook computers, a scavenger hunt which allowed students to work together to find important places around campus, and a barbecue in which upperclassmen had the opportunity to speak about different student organizations on campus.  DS1s also had to opportunity to attend a Colorado Rockies game and mingle with their classmates, professors, and SODM staff.

With a week of orientation under their belts, the Class of 2018 has officially begun their journey through the next four years.

On behalf of Colorado ASDA, good luck and have fun!

COMING THIS FALL...

...Colorado ASDA presents Thrush Week! Thrush Week is series of events during the first week of school that ASDA is hosting as an introduction to the new school year. Both the incoming Class of 2018 and current students are invited to register, and participation is a must! Participants will be arranged into teams where they will compete to earn "diamonds." The team with the most diamonds at the end of the week will win the Cup of Carabelli and have their names engraved on a plaque! And now, because of a grant we received from national ASDA, students will be able to attend all of the week's events for FREE! The events include:

Monday 8/11: Meet and Greet from 5:30-7:30pm. Meet your Thrush Week team over snacks and prepare to battle for the Cup of Carabelli!

Tuesday 8/12: Dental School Selfie Contest. Post your best dental school selfie on Instagram or Twitter and tag #ThrushWeek and you could win 5 diamonds for your team! However, following Colorado ASDA on Instagram or Twitter is a requirement to win!

Wednesday 8/13: Lunchtime Sports from 12:00-12:50pm. Enjoy your lunch break outdoors with us and play some volleyball, ultimate frisbee or just relax in the sun. Your team will win participation diamonds just for coming!

Thursday 8/14: Dental Joke Contest. Have a hilarious dental joke? Submit it as a post here on Colorado ASDA's blog, The Colorado Quickset. The winner will receive diamonds for their team. However, remember to like Colorado ASDA on Facebook in order to win!

Friday 8/15: Initiation Lunch and Learn from 12:00-12:50pm (Class of 2018 only). Come join us for free food and learn about everything that makes ASDA so worthwhile!

Then, for the finale, on August 16th, all students registered for Thrush Week are cordially invitedto participate in the Amalgames! This is a dentathlon (dental decathlon) tournament comprised of 10 challenges that include events such as the Inlay Onlay Relay Race, Mulberry Molar Pie Eating Contest, and much more. Alongside your Thrush Week team, all will continue the race to win the ultimate prize: the Cup of Carabelli (see picture on the right). The team bestowed this high honor will be pronounced the "Crowned Knight Guards of Anschutz" and their names will be engraved on a plaque in their honor. The Cup of Carabelli and the plaque are kept on campus so that everyone will know of the winning team's glory!

Please join us as we welcome the new students and begin the new school year!

To participate in Thrush Week and the Amalgames, register now at http://coloradoasda.org/thrush-week.html.

For more information about the Amalgames visit the official website at http://coloradoasda.org/the-amalgames.html.

~Lauren Llorente, Class of 2017, DS1 Orientation Committee Chair

http://youtu.be/GjTOV1uuCC0