Welcome back to TTD,
Today let's discuss the Assessment of Clinical Skills exam, aka ACS. It is a two-day exam. If you register for ACJ and ACS exams together, you will be taking exams for three consecutive days; the first day will be the ACJ exam, and the last two days will be ACS.
ACS is an intense exam. You will be tested in 12 different exercises for ACS. These consist of the following:
Class 2 amalgam cavity preparation
Class 2 amalgam filling
Class 2 composite filling
Class 4 composite filling
Class 3 cavity preparation
Rubber dam application (30 minutes only)
Endo access preparation
Record keeping
PFM crown preparation
Full metal preparation
Temporary crown fabrication (1hr:30 min on the second day)
Infection control
Detailed information on ACS protocol can be found on the NDEB website.
https://ndeb-bned.ca/sites/ndeb/files/pdf/Protocols/2020/revised_acs_2020_protocol.pdf
You must join a training centre for the preparation of ACS. There are many centres available for the same. I had to go to Ontario to prepare for my exam as there are no training centres in Manitoba.
ACS is the most expensive exam of all the NDEB exams. The NDEB fees is $9000, training centre fees vary, most centres allow you to pay in installments, it is usually between $ 3000-5000. You need to buy your own instrument kit, and it may cost another $5000. You can buy used instruments for cheaper price from people who have already passed their exams. Burs are an additional cost, so are the typhodonts and practice teeth.
Wait for the demos from your favourite instructor before you invest in your burs but start buying practice teeth in advance because as it gets closer to the exam, most practice teeth are sold out!
People join centres anywhere from three months to a year. I joined the Golden target training centre for three months. Dr. Raed is a very kind person, and he and his son helped me a lot with the schedule and payment plan etc. I took the double shift with them 7 am - 6 pm. I used to take a half hour break during the day, nothing more, nothing less, just like the exam. Dr. Raed took eight mock exams, which helped me figure out the order in which I was going to do procedures during the exam and build up speed for the exam. Dr. Fatemeh, and Dr. Vinayak Sharma were my favourite instructors, and they are still my mentors. My suggestion is that you stick to one centre; I have seen that people join two or even three centres, and in the end, they get perplexed by all the advice.
It is essential that you don't take any short cuts during the preparation of this exam, follow proper procedures for each exercise. Try to do every filling free hand without the use of putties and pre-forms etc Don't be afraid to ask others around you how they do a certain preparation. You might be great at class 3 preparation; they might be excellent at Class 2 preparation, don't hesitate to exchange ideas.
Don't waste your time talking to people or hanging around in groups. Set a timer and finish each prep in less than an hour. Time management is essential for this exam, and so is stress management, which is a separate blog post in itself and would be discussed in detail in the coming days.
So, prepare for this exam very seriously. The effort that you put in these three months will dictate your future as a dentist in Canada.
Finally, go in with a can-do attitude. People have done this before and so can you. Don't think that you have three chances to pass this exam; just focus on this one chance like the great archer Arjuna . Give it your best shot, and the universe is watching; your tireless dedication would not go waste.
Sending prayers and good vibes your way.
Yours truly,
The Travelling Dentist.