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Growth of the National Board
92/410 • THE J O U R N A L O F THE A M E R IC A N DENTAL A S S O C IA T IO N
Growth of the National Board
C O U N C IL O F N A T IO N A L BOARD O F D E N T A L E X A M IN E R S
By the end of 1961 over 21,000 N ational Board Certificates will have been issued: 1,000 from 1934 to 1950; 20,000 since 1951. N ational board exam inations for den tistry, like national board program s for other h ealth professions, were proposed, considered and discussed for m any years before becoming a reality. References in the literature to a national board pro gram for dentistry date back to 1902. H. J. Allen, m em ber of the D ental Board of Exam iners for the District of Colum bia, recom m ended th a t a national board of dental exam iners “give an exam ination . . . equal or superior to the best and strictest given by any state . . .” and th at the standard “be set so high as to m ake it unreasonable for any state board to attem pt setting a higher one. . . .”1 Al most 60 years have passed since Dr. Allen voiced these ideals, but the objectives quoted express the aims of the present Council of N ational Board of D ental Ex aminers in conducting its exam ination program . T h e program includes a series of w ritten exam inations designed as reli able and valid m easures of competencies in the sciences related to dentistry and in the principles of dental practice. I t was not a quick or easy move from Dr. Allen’s original recom m endation to the present Council program . T h e possi bility of a national board of dental exam iners was considered and proposed by various leaders of the profession from 1902 through 1924. In 1925, the House of Delegates of the Am erican D ental As sociation endorsed a proposal to establish a national board. In 1926, the N ational Association of D ental Exam iners (now
the A m erican Association of D ental Ex am iners) approved participation in a national board. In 1928, the A merican D ental Association authorized the estab lishment of the N ational Board of D ental Exam iners as a standing committee of the Association. This committee began to function the following year, administered its first exam inations in 1933 and certified the first group of candidates in 1934. U n der ideal conditions, acceptance and grow th of a national exam ination program would be gradual. However, conditions were not ideal. T here was con fusion between the terms “license” and “certificate.” T here was disagreem ent on w hether the program should properly include a clinical phase. I t was not until Association Bylaws were clarified in 1937 th a t the future of the program appeared assured.2 Since 1937 the Bylaws (C hapter IX , Section 110N) have stated clearly th a t the N ational Board of D ental Ex am iners is authorized to conduct w ritten exam inations in the principles of dental science an d practice, and to issue certifi cates of qualification in these areas. C lini cal exam inations and authority to issue licenses are clearly reserved to individual state boards of dental examiners. As indicated in the illustration, there was little grow th in terms of num bers of candidates participating until 1951. T he rapid grow th which then ensued resulted prim arily from added acceptance of the program am ong state examiners. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, the num ber of states recognizing the N ational Board exam inations in lieu of local w ritten ex am inations doubled. State board m em bers recognized the quality of the w ritten
REPORTS O F C O U N C IL S A N D BUREAUS
.V O L U M E 63, SEPTEMBER 1961 • 93/411
N ational Board Dental Examinations 1934-1961
examinations. T hey realized th a t they could devote m ore attention to the clini cal phases of their exam ination program when relieved of the chore of construct ing and grading w ritten examinations. O ne would assume th a t w ith half the states accepting the N ational Board Certificate, half the graduates would p a r ticipate in the program . As indicated in the illustration, this was not the case in 1951. Twenty-six of the 52 licensing boards recognized the N ational Board Certificate, but less th an 9 per cent of the 1951 dental graduates took the exam ina tions. Participation by graduating stu dents did not m atch recognition by state boards until 1954 when 58 per cent of the boards accepted the N ational Board Certificate and 58 per cent of the g rad u ating class took the examinations. Since th a t time, participation has exceeded recognition, reflecting the position of re spect the program has attained w ith
dental students and faculties alike. At present 35 boards, or 67 per cent of the 52 licensing bodies, recognize the ex am inations in lieu of local w ritten exam i nations, and 80 per cent of the graduating class participate in the program . A prediction of the fu ture of N ational Board D ental Exam inations can be no m ore valid than most predictions. H ow ever, if the quality of exam inations and services to state boards and candidates rem ains high and if the present trends continue, there should be 100 per cent participation by 1970 and 100 per cent recognition by 1980. T h e Council of N ational Board of D ental Exam iners con siders this a conservative forecast of the future.
1. N a tio n a l A sso cia tio n of Dental Exam iners p ro c e e d in g s 1902, p. 9. 2. A m e ric a n Dental A sso c ia tio n transaction s 1937, p. 338.
Growth of the National Board
C O U N C IL O F N A T IO N A L BOARD O F D E N T A L E X A M IN E R S
By the end of 1961 over 21,000 N ational Board Certificates will have been issued: 1,000 from 1934 to 1950; 20,000 since 1951. N ational board exam inations for den tistry, like national board program s for other h ealth professions, were proposed, considered and discussed for m any years before becoming a reality. References in the literature to a national board pro gram for dentistry date back to 1902. H. J. Allen, m em ber of the D ental Board of Exam iners for the District of Colum bia, recom m ended th a t a national board of dental exam iners “give an exam ination . . . equal or superior to the best and strictest given by any state . . .” and th at the standard “be set so high as to m ake it unreasonable for any state board to attem pt setting a higher one. . . .”1 Al most 60 years have passed since Dr. Allen voiced these ideals, but the objectives quoted express the aims of the present Council of N ational Board of D ental Ex aminers in conducting its exam ination program . T h e program includes a series of w ritten exam inations designed as reli able and valid m easures of competencies in the sciences related to dentistry and in the principles of dental practice. I t was not a quick or easy move from Dr. Allen’s original recom m endation to the present Council program . T h e possi bility of a national board of dental exam iners was considered and proposed by various leaders of the profession from 1902 through 1924. In 1925, the House of Delegates of the Am erican D ental As sociation endorsed a proposal to establish a national board. In 1926, the N ational Association of D ental Exam iners (now
the A m erican Association of D ental Ex am iners) approved participation in a national board. In 1928, the A merican D ental Association authorized the estab lishment of the N ational Board of D ental Exam iners as a standing committee of the Association. This committee began to function the following year, administered its first exam inations in 1933 and certified the first group of candidates in 1934. U n der ideal conditions, acceptance and grow th of a national exam ination program would be gradual. However, conditions were not ideal. T here was con fusion between the terms “license” and “certificate.” T here was disagreem ent on w hether the program should properly include a clinical phase. I t was not until Association Bylaws were clarified in 1937 th a t the future of the program appeared assured.2 Since 1937 the Bylaws (C hapter IX , Section 110N) have stated clearly th a t the N ational Board of D ental Ex am iners is authorized to conduct w ritten exam inations in the principles of dental science an d practice, and to issue certifi cates of qualification in these areas. C lini cal exam inations and authority to issue licenses are clearly reserved to individual state boards of dental examiners. As indicated in the illustration, there was little grow th in terms of num bers of candidates participating until 1951. T he rapid grow th which then ensued resulted prim arily from added acceptance of the program am ong state examiners. In the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, the num ber of states recognizing the N ational Board exam inations in lieu of local w ritten ex am inations doubled. State board m em bers recognized the quality of the w ritten
REPORTS O F C O U N C IL S A N D BUREAUS
.V O L U M E 63, SEPTEMBER 1961 • 93/411
N ational Board Dental Examinations 1934-1961
examinations. T hey realized th a t they could devote m ore attention to the clini cal phases of their exam ination program when relieved of the chore of construct ing and grading w ritten examinations. O ne would assume th a t w ith half the states accepting the N ational Board Certificate, half the graduates would p a r ticipate in the program . As indicated in the illustration, this was not the case in 1951. Twenty-six of the 52 licensing boards recognized the N ational Board Certificate, but less th an 9 per cent of the 1951 dental graduates took the exam ina tions. Participation by graduating stu dents did not m atch recognition by state boards until 1954 when 58 per cent of the boards accepted the N ational Board Certificate and 58 per cent of the g rad u ating class took the examinations. Since th a t time, participation has exceeded recognition, reflecting the position of re spect the program has attained w ith
dental students and faculties alike. At present 35 boards, or 67 per cent of the 52 licensing bodies, recognize the ex am inations in lieu of local w ritten exam i nations, and 80 per cent of the graduating class participate in the program . A prediction of the fu ture of N ational Board D ental Exam inations can be no m ore valid than most predictions. H ow ever, if the quality of exam inations and services to state boards and candidates rem ains high and if the present trends continue, there should be 100 per cent participation by 1970 and 100 per cent recognition by 1980. T h e Council of N ational Board of D ental Exam iners con siders this a conservative forecast of the future.
1. N a tio n a l A sso cia tio n of Dental Exam iners p ro c e e d in g s 1902, p. 9. 2. A m e ric a n Dental A sso c ia tio n transaction s 1937, p. 338.