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Certifying Exam |
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Once a candidate successfully completes the Qualifying Exam, they may apply for the Certifying Exam. Successful completion of the Qualifying Exam does not guarantee that the applicant will be eligible for the Certifying Exam. All requirements must be met to be deemed eligible.
The ABDPH administers the Certifying Exam annually. Applications for the 2026 Certifying Examination are due October 21, 2025. The Application Portal will open on June 1, 2025. Please review the checklist below to have all documents ready for upload to the Portal.
Following the application deadline, the Board will review applications and determine each candidate’s Board Eligibility. Candidates will be notified of this determination no later than November 17, 2025. Candidates declared ineligible for the Exam will have up to three (3) years to meet any outstanding requirements without incurring additional fees. Once a candidate is deemed Board Eligible, they must challenge the exam within five (5) years.
The eligible candidate must submit two (2) Project Reports, each as a separate Microsoft Word file by 11:59 pm ET on December 1, 2025. The Written Project Report Rubric is available as a reference. Candidates receiving communication from the Executive Director regarding the written project reports should reply immediately. If deadlines are not met, the candidate will not be eligible to take the examination in the intended year.
Candidates will be notified of any failure of the Project Report(s) by February 15, 2026. Any candidate who fails a Project Report will be unable to proceed with the oral portion of the examination.
Candidates should thoroughly review the Certifying Exam Candidate's Guide for detailed information about the Exam. The Oral Project Report Rubric and a Sample Assigned Problem are available for review.
The oral portion of the 2026 Certification Exam is scheduled for June 22-25, 2026 at the AIME Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Before completing the online application, please have the following available for upload:
- Current Curriculum Vitae
- Evidence of Graduation from a School of Dentistry
- Certificate or graduate degree in dental public health or a degree in public health and residency certificate in dental public health (photo copy or official transcripts)
- Two letters of recommendation from current ABDPH Diplomates
- Additional documentation as requested. The Board may request transcripts or course syllabi to support transcripts. For example, for degrees other than a MPH, a transcript may be required to document that all requirements have been met. For courses with vague names, a syllabus may be required to document that requirements have been met.
For a Printable Version of this checklist, click here.
Payment for the Certifying Exam is made in two parts. A $500 fee is due at the time of application for the Board to determine a candidate’s eligibility. A $1000 exam fee is due when Project Reports are submitted. Fees are non-refundable and will be collected when applications/project reports are submitted. If you prefer to pay via check rather than by credit card, please contact the Executive Director at executive.director@abdph.org.
 Dental Public Health (DPH) is one of the dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA). The American Board of Dental Public Health (ABDPH) is the certifying board for dental public health specialists. | Contact Us19 Colonnade Way, Email: executive.director@abdph.org | Quick Links |