ADEX Endodontic Exam 2026: What Is on It and How It Is Graded

Up to three hours for two procedures: an anterior procedure on tooth #8 (access preparation, canal preparation and obturation) and a posterior procedure on tooth #14 (access preparation and canal identification).

The clinical exams are performed on simulated patient manikins and proprietary typodont models, in a clinic or simulation laboratory.

It is one of the clinical exams of the ADEX Dental Examination series. The ADEX Dental Examination combines the computer-based DLOSCE with five clinical exams: Periodontal, Endodontic, Prosthodontic, Anterior Restorative and Posterior Restorative. All parts must be passed within 18 months of the first attempt of any part.

Examiners rate each criterion Clinically Acceptable, Marginally Substandard or Critically Deficient. ADEX describes the three ratings like this:

ACC · Clinically Acceptable

The treatment is of acceptable quality, demonstrating competence in clinical judgment, knowledge, and skill.

SUB · Marginally Substandard

The treatment is of marginal quality, demonstrating less than expected clinical judgment and/or skill.

DEF · Critically Deficient

The treatment is of unacceptable quality, demonstrating critical areas of incompetence in clinical judgment, knowledge, and/or skill.

If a criterion is rated critically deficient by two or more examiners, no points are awarded for that procedure and the candidate fails it.

Candidates are not told the outcome of any procedure during the exam. Results are reported as pass or fail to candidates and licensing jurisdictions for each part. A score of 75 or greater is required to pass each part, and results are reported as pass or fail.

Every check on the ADEX criteria sheet the guide covers (criteria v26.8), explained one by one with real graded work.

1. 01Where you opened
2. 02How big you opened
3. 03The walls inside the opening
4. 04The cervical third
5. 05The mid-root
6. 06How far you took the file
7. 07How far the filling goes
8. 08Voids
9. 09Where the filling sits against the CEJ
10. 10Separated file

These are the titles of the checks in our guide, not an ADEX document. The official criteria are on the ADEX criteria sheets in the candidate manual. Read the ADEX candidate manual (opens in a new tab)

If a criterion is rated critically deficient by two or more examiners, no points are awarded for that procedure and the candidate fails it.

A 10-day waiting period applies before any retake, and three failed attempts of the same part fail the entire exam series.

$2,995 for the full ADEX Dental series, plus a facility fee that varies by location and a $150 typodont fee per procedure. It includes one complimentary retake per clinical procedure.