Dental Hygiene Examination Content
The examination consists of two (2) individual, skill-specific parts: one written part, and one patient-based part.
- Part I: Computer-Based Examination (National Board Exam)
- Part II: Clinical Examination
Part I- Computer Based Examination (National Board Exam)
CITA requires for Part I of the CITA examination, proof of the candidate’s successful completion of the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination as administered by the Joint Commission on Dental Accreditation. Candidates have one year from successful passing of the CITA dental hygiene clinical examination to successfully complete the Dental Hygiene National Board Examination. National Boards are not necessary to take the examination but are required for CITA Status.
Part II- Patient Based Examination
The clinical examination consists of Patient Assessment, Scaling, Plaque/Stain Removal and Pocket Depth Measurements.
The Case Acceptance procedure is evaluated based on whether the patient meets the published examination requirements and the teeth to be treated and the surfaces of calculus on those teeth meet the stated criteria.
For the Treatment Evaluation procedure, candidate performance is evaluated as to whether calculus, determined originally present on selected teeth surfaces, has been removed, whether plaque/stain also has been removed from these teeth surfaces, and whether pocket depth measurements were accurate +/- 1.0 mm on the designated teeth. In addition, patient comfort and damage to adjacent soft and hard tissues are evaluated.