Licensure Examinations

Customers Always Come First

March 8, 2021

Donna Armstrong

Owner and Board Member

 

 

 

PDS is proud to be a pioneer in the transformation of dental education.  Over the past few years, there has been a slow progression to move to non-human board examinations, offering an alternative version of the board exam which focuses on the ethical aspect of not using a live patient.  In addition to traditional manikins, technology is now an option for board exams with Promethean Dental Systems’ use of manikins combined with virtual-haptic simulators.  The ergonomics and dental fidelity provided are unsurpassed and the objective assessments provide standards for preps and grading for each board candidate.  

 

I have been working with our students since 2019 and have experienced the the great strides accomplished within a short period of time by Promethean Dental Systems.  From working on simple blocks to virtual teeth, our customers learn, elevate and prove their hand skills through practice.  We believe perfect practice makes perfect.  Our approach, which was developed by our dental educators, Dr. Rick Callan and Dr. Jerry Cooper, allows a variance from direct to indirect and back, training the brain in a random pattern.  The successes and confidence building is unparalleled.

 

PDS is excited to offer a new alternative to human board exams, beginning in Spring of 2021.  We want to eliminate any concern by candidates who have not worked on this virtual-haptic simulators before.  Rest assured that our board exams provide our customers time to get familiar with the technology and succeed during the scheduled exam time.   However, we also know that some groups may suggest that candidates will not be familiar with the technology and may have a disadvantage.   

 

At Promethean Dental Systems, we always put our customers first.  So we are offering our Board Prep courses, which are $400 value, free of charge, to all eligible board candidates in the Spring 2021.  We look forward to you experiencing dental education the Promethean Dental Systems way, in a safe environment, without human subjects, with COVID-19 protocols in place and with a focus on individual teaching and objective assessment.  Please visit our website and complete the contact form to schedule time in our center to practice and learn all about virtual-haptic technology.   We look forward to seeing you and being a part of your dental education life cycle!

Convenient for Candidates

Accurate and Objective

Lowers Candidate Stress

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Multimodal learning suggests that when a number of our senses – visual, auditory, kinesthetic – are engaged during learning, we understand and remember more. By combining these modes, learners experience learning in various ways to create a diverse learning style. PDS provides multimodal learning via standardized didactic and psychomotor courses using manikins and the Simodont Dental Trainer.

    1. Audience
      1. Licensure exams are provided for both dental and dental hygiene professionals
    2. Approved Testing Locations
      1. Athens, GA
      2. Coldwater, MI
      3. Associated Dental School programs
        1. Knoxville, TN at Lincoln Memorial University
    3. Approach
      1. Multimodal Hybrid Exam
        1. Simodont Dental Trainer provides the ability to prep teeth for restorations, crown preparations and endodontic access.
        2. Simulated hand scaling is under development and expected to be launched in January 2022.
        3. Manikin heads provide the opportunity to fill teeth prepared using the Simodont with final restoration.
        4. Manikin heads provide the opportunity to scale teeth.
  1. Grading
    1. Automated objective scoring using Compare software to assess individual performance on each procedure. No subjective interpretation is allowed.
  2. Scoring
    1. Final grading is provided to participants of the examination within 24 hours.
  3. Ethical
    1. No patients are used in assessing competence therefore removing the issue of unethical treatment of patients.
  1. Athen, GA
    1. 2 Simodont Dental Trainers
    2. 2 Manikin Heads
    3. 2 Private Operatories
    4. Setting: Dental Office
  2. Coldwater, MI
    1. 2 Simodont Dental Trainers
    2. 6 ADEC Simulators
    3. 12 Phantom Heads on Tables
    4. Setting: Teaching Theater
  1. The biggest difference is there is no patient involved in the exam process. Competency of a professional’s ability to work safely on a patient should be performed by dental schools.
  2. Competency of skills and confirmation of competency to work on a patient does not require the presence of a patient as determined by adjusted criteria during the COVID pandemic.
  3. Traditional Approach
    1. Current board procedures (post-COVID)
    2. Two days in duration
    3. Does not include site fees
    4. Includes testing agency fees (travel, assets, examiners)
  1. Multimodal Approach
    1. Current board procedures (post-COVID)
    2. Two days in duration
    3. Does not include site fees
    4. Includes testing agency fees (travel, assets, examiners)
    5. Improved dental fidelity
    6. Objective assessment
    7. Digital record of examination provide to candidate and state boards when requested

     

  2. Schedule

    Day One

    8:00 – 9:00 AM

    Basic Hand Skills/Calibration with 4 block exercises: X, O, Indirect X, Indirect O

    9:00 – 11:00 AM

    Preps #4 DO, #14 MO, #9DL

    11:00 – 2:00 PM

    Fill #23DL, #18 MO, #29 DO

    2:00 – 5:00 PM

    Endodontics: #14 Access, Instrument, Fill #8

    Day Two

    8:00 – 12:00 PM

    Prosthodontics: Preps for #3, #5, #9

    12:00 – 3:00 PM

    Periodontics: Perio Charting, Scaling

There is no research to support the Simodont Dental Trainer
  1. PDS has curated over 40 published research articles to support the use of the Simodont Dental Trainer. More articles done by leading dental educators are expected.
  2. The available research articles demonstrate the maturation of the Simodont Dental Trainer.
  3. The available research articles provide peer-reviewed proof of the simulation-haptic approach using the Simodont Dental Trainer
  4. See the list of research articles here: Promethean Dental Systems.