United States · Licensing examWhat happened to WREB, NERB and CDCA?
The American Dental Association (ADA) lists CDCA-WREB-CITA as the former Commission for Dental Competency Assessments (CDCA), Western Regional Examining Board (WREB) and The Council of Interstate Testing Agencies (CITA). WREB’s own site says it’s part of that group, and CDCA’s says it’s the American Board of Dental Examiners. ADEX’s FAQ adds NERB when it describes its score reports, which are a cumulative record of attempts at NERB, CDCA, WREB, CITA and ADEX.
So if a licensing board asks for an old NERB dental exam or WREB result, ask ADEX, for a fee.
Who decides which clinical exam you need
Your state board. The ADA says licensure has three parts: education, a written exam and a clinical assessment, and applicants in most US jurisdictions face that clinical step. It says most boards rely on third-party agencies, and that acceptance varies by state and territory.
Its licensure maps show the exams each state accepts. The ADA urges you to confirm with the board too, because the maps reflect only documented changes.
The ADA’s page for dental students says many states accept more than one route. It lists:
- A post-graduate year residency (PGY-1)
- California’s portfolio exam
- Hands-on exams from CDCA-WREB-CITA, Central Regional Dental Testing Services (CRDTS) and States Resources for Testing and Assessments (SRTA)
It notes that Delaware gives its own patient exam and New York requires an approved PGY-1.
What the ADEX Dental exam includes
ADEX says every candidate takes five hand-skill components and the computer-based DLOSCE. The five are periodontal, endodontic, prosthodontic, anterior restorative and posterior restorative, done on computer simulations and on manikins.
ADEX sets these fees and lists them on its own page. Its $2,995 includes one complimentary retake per clinical procedure, though you pay a $150 typodont fee per procedure and any facility fee.
Where the DLOSCE fits
The DLOSCE came from the ADA, and in April 2026 the ADA and ADEX agreed to fold it into the ADEX Dental exam. The ADA said new candidates could only take it that way after August 1, 2026, and that all standalone sittings would end after October 9, 2026. It doesn’t stand in for the INBDE: the ADA’s licensure page lists the written exam and the clinical assessment as separate requirements.
Sources: WREB · CDCA · ADEX and 6 more. Checked November 2026.
- WREB: Home page notice ↗
- CDCA: Home page notice ↗
- ADEX: ADEX Dental ↗
- ADEX: FAQs ↗
- ADA: Dental licensure ↗
- ADA: Licensure for dental students ↗
- ADA: Dental licensure maps ↗
- ADA: Press release on the ADEX agreement, April 14, 2026 ↗
- JCNDE: INBDE history and purpose ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.
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