Dental and hygiene students who take the American Dental Licensing Examination (ADLEX) will be able to apply for licenses in 42 U.S. states in 2013, following a new alliance with the Southern Regional Testing Agency (SRTA).
The addition of SRTA to the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX) means that 34 dental schools and 78 dental hygiene schools are participating in the ADLEX, with results accepted for licensure in 42 states beginning next year, ADEX President Bruce Barrette, DDS, told DrBicuspid.com.
The alliance represents a step toward the creation of a uniform national exam, Dr. Barrette said.
The Florida Board of Dentistry recently voted to switch to the ADLEX, joining the majority of states with reciprocal agreements that allow out-of-state dentists to practice there.
Florida is one of the last states to switch from administering its own state board exam to accepting dental graduates who have passed the ADLEX, one of the six regional tests in the U.S.
ADEX serves 28 member state dental boards in developing initial licensure examinations for dentistry and dental hygiene. ADLEX is administered in Nevada, Florida, and Hawaii, as well as member states in the North East Regional Board of Dental Examiners. SRTA currently has six member states: Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. Three regional testing agencies (the Council of Interstate Testing Agencies, Western Regional Examining Board, and the Central Regional Dental Testing Service), the state of Delaware, and the Virgin Islands administer their own examinations.
