Do Exam Results Matter in the NDEB Process?

In Canada, from the tender age of 7 or grade 3, test results start to play a factor in how we view education. It only gets more important as you go through the levels of schooling from the pressures of standardized testing, university admissions, and making the dean’s list. In all of these cases, exam scores are critical to progressing through the education system and eventually finding a job.

At Prep Doctors, we are really proud of the results our trainees achieve. Even with the low passing rates released by the NDEB, our trainees are not only able to get through in large numbers, but they also get really high scores. In the August 2019 AFK exam, we were the only institute to have trainees with perfect scores—not one but three! 

But besides the magical passing grade of 75, what significance do results play in the dental equivalency process? Do previous results from peers or training institutes really mean that much for your upcoming exam, and how do your mock exam and exam scores affect you? These are all key questions—so let’s dig in.

To start, your AFK score really matters. In fact, it could be the deciding factor that gets you invited to interviews/bench tests with a Canadian dental school. There is no set score that will get you in, but 90 or above is generally believed to be a qualifying score these days. It’s important to remember that the AFK score is only one of the factors and some universities give it less importance. Your GPA, resume, and interview/bench test performance are also key factors that universities consider.    

ACJ and NDECC™ results are much less important as the key is to pass these exams to get your license. Of course, there is always the prestige factor associated with scoring high in these exams, and some might use this as legitimacy when pursuing a teaching career. As any school or university student knows, it’s not always the student with the top marks who can explain the work best—so be wary. 

Results do matter in giving you some sense of how well students from certain training centres or institutes are doing, but many factors affect results in the NDEB process. For example, where you study is important, but equally important is how you study, the group of colleagues you study with, and how the NDEB has decided to curve the results in your exam cycle. 

This might seem like a given, but ultimately your exam results are down to you and how much effort you put into studying. Of course, our courses are designed to make the whole process so much more digestible, but in the end, it’s up to you.