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Policies and Procedures

1.0 Candidate Application

i. The NDSE is offered in either of the official languages, English or French.
ii. The candidate’s choice of examination language may not be changed after the application deadline.
iii. The language of communication with the candidate will default to the official language selected for the examination unless they initiate the exchange in the other official language.
iv. Special accommodation may be granted on an individual basis on the grounds of a functional condition impacting engagement in the examination, medical condition, or religious reasons.
v. The RCDC will consider applications to challenge the NDSE that are completed within the prescribed application window without penalty.
vi. Incomplete applications to challenge the NDSE will not be considered.
vii. Applications completed after the prescribed application deadline may be refused. If considered, the application may be subject to late fees.
viii. Following the approval of an application, admission to challenge the NDSE is considered valid only for the examination session for which it is granted.
ix. Candidates whose results are unsuccessful may be eligible to re-sit the NDSE provided if they meet the application requirements of a future session.
x. Documents and deliberations associated with applications to challenge the NDSE are strictly confidential.

i. Applications completed within the prescribed application window will be considered without penalty.
ii. The application window for any session of the NDSE shall be determined by the Director of Examinations and the NDSE Committee.
iii. Candidates must satisfy one of the eligibility conditions below:
a. Have completed a dental specialty training program or be in their final year of study at the time of taking the examination. During candidate registration, this program must have been accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) or by an accrediting body with which the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada has signed a reciprocal agreement.
b. Have completed, or be in their final year of study at the time of writing the examination, a Dental Specialty Assessment and Training Program (DSATP)
for internationally qualified dental specialists of which, during of the candidate’s registration, the DSATP was part of a specialty study program accredited by the CDAC or by an accreditation body with which the CDAC has signed a reciprocity agreement, and; have a letter of permission from the program director or dean confirming that the candidate is academically prepared to sit for the examination.
iv. To complete an application, interested individuals must submit:
a. An online application form;
b. Payment for all applicable fees, and;
c. Proof of eligibility.
i. A. Canadian AND US graduates

  • An original official academic record. The final academic record must indicate the date the degree was conferred; OR
  • An original letter, issued by the Registrar’s Office, confirming completion of all components of the specialty program, the senate decision date, and the degree to be awarded. The letter must be signed by the Registrar.
    ii. Graduates of a DSATP or a Residency Program in the US:
  • An original letter issued by the Dean’s Office, confirming completion of all program components and the program and completion dates, submitted to the RCDC directly from the university. The letter must be signed by the Dean.
    v. Candidates must also submit the following documents to support the credentialling process:
    Self disclosure forms for licensure (re disciplinary action)
    a. A contact at their respective University for the purpose of verification of submitted documents.
    vi. Documents are required to be submitted in English or French. If documents provided were not originally issued in English or French, an accurate, word-for-word translation of the document is also required.
    vii. Candidates may complete the online application form in the official language of their choice. The official language in which to challenge the examination may differ than the one selected to fill out the application form.
    viii. Modification of the examination language selected at the time of application may not be approved after the closing of the application window.
    ix. Requests to modify any other information submitted at the time of application must be made in writing to the RCDC.
    x. Individuals completing an application within the prescribed window will be invoiced $6,000, broken down as:
    a. Candidate Management Fee $500 (not refundable);
    b. Examination Fee – $5,500
    xi. The above fees are required to be paid collectively at the start of the application process.
    xii. All fees are in Canadian dollars and payable online.
    xiii. Candidates may consult their online profile to verify the status of their application, and to consult which application requirements have been received and which remain outstanding.
    xiv. At the time of examination registration candidates will be asked to provided consent to:
    a. To communicate with other aspects of the RCDC organization involved with examinations regarding candidate credentialling documents and approvals.
    b. To communicate the NDSE Certification status to the Dental Regulatory Authority if the candidate successful challenges the NDSE and provides proof of completion of specialty program (see section 6.0 for more information).

i. College Staff will forward applications for the Registrar, or designate, to review within ten (10) business days of having notified the candidate that the application is complete.
ii. The Registrar, or designate, will review complete applications, and notify College Staff of their decision within ten (10) business days.
iii. The Registrar, or designate, may issue one of the following credentialing decisions:
a. The application is approved;
b. The application is refused, or;
c. The application requires further review by the NDSE Committee.
iv. College Staff will notify candidates of the status of their application within ten (10) business days of the decision of the Registrar or designate.
v. When required, the Registrar, or designate, will notify the Chair of the NDSE Committee of any applications requiring further review.
vi. The Chair of the NDSE Committee shall convene the NDSE Committee and conduct any inquiries that they deem useful.
vii. The NDSE Committee shall issue one of two decisions on the merits of an application within fifteen (15) business days. Either:
a. The application is approved, or;
b. The application is refused.
viii. When applicable, College Staff will notify candidates of the status of their application within five (5) business days of the decision of the NDSE Committee.
ix. Candidates whose application has been approved will officially become candidates registered to challenge the next NDSE offering.

i. If the Registrar refuses an application, then the Candidate may appeal the decision to refuse the application to the NDSE Committee.
ii. If the candidate wishes to appeal the decision of the Registrar then the candidate must file a notice to appeal within fifteen (15) days after the candidate receives the rejection of the application from the Registrar.
iii. Upon receipt by the NDSE Committee of the notice to appeal, the NDSE Committee within fifteen (15) days of receiving the notice of appeal from the candidate, will provide to the candidate the following documents (if the documents are in the possession of the College):
a. The candidate’s application.
b. The candidate’s file and all documentation contained in the file.
c. The detailed notes of the Registrar.
d. The educational profile for the documents in question.
iv. Upon receipt by the candidate of the documents in item iii, the Candidate may provide a written appeal submission to the NDSE Committee Board within fifteen (15) days after the receipt of the documents listed in iii.
v. Upon receipt by the NDSE Committee of the documents in item 3 and the Candidate’s written appeal submission, the NDSE Committee Board will:
a. grant the candidate’s appeal; or
b. deny the candidate’s appeal; or
c. make such other decisions as it deems fair and just in the circumstances.
vi. The decision of the NDSE Committee will be in writing and sent to the candidate within thirty (30) days after the documents in provided by the candidate.
vii. The decision of the NDSE committee will be final.

i. Applications completed after the closing of the application window may be refused. The Director of Examinations will notify College Staff whether a specialty is able to accommodate any additional candidates.
ii. If an application can be accommodated in the specialty of choice, the candidate may proceed with a late application. If the application is approved, the candidate will officially become eligible for the upcoming examination session.
iii. Late applications may be subject to late fees calculated on a base amount of $575 to which $115 are added for every week that elapses after the closing of the application window.
iv. Late fees will continue to accrue until all of the requirements to complete an application are received and are not refundable.
v. College Staff will forward applications for the Registrar, or designate, to review within ten (10) business days of having notified the candidate that the application is complete.
vi. The Registrar, or designate, will review complete applications and notify College Staff of his or her decision within ten (10) business days.
vii. The Registrar, or designate, may issue one of the following credentialing decisions:
a. The application is approved;
b. The application is refused, or;

c. The application requires further review by the NDSE Committee.
viii. College Staff will notify candidates of the status of their application within ten (10) business days of the decision of the Registrar or designate.
ix. When required, the Registrar, or designate, will notify the Chair of the NDSE Committee of any applications requiring further review.
x. The Chair of the NDSE Committee shall convene the NDSE Committee and conduct any inquiries that he or she deems useful.
xi. The NDSE Committee shall issue one of two decisions on the merits of an application within fifteen (15) business days. Either:
a. The application is approved, or;
b. The application is refused.
xii. When applicable, College Staff will notify candidates of the status of their application within five (5) business days of the decision of the NDSE Committee.

i. It is not possible to defer an application from one session of the NDSE to another. If a candidate is unable to challenge the examination during the session for which they applied, they must withdraw and re-apply during the appropriate application window for a future session.
ii. Requests to withdraw from the NDSE must be submitted in writing to the RCDC
iii. Refunds are calculated in accordance with the date of receipt of the written request and the notice period in advance of the examination.
iv. The Candidate Management Fee and Late Fees are non-refundable.
v. Candidates are entitled to receive 100% of refundable fees when withdrawing prior to the closing of the application window.
vi. vi. Candidates are entitled to receive 100% of refundable fees when withdrawing less than thirty (30) days from the closing of the application window.
vii. vii. Candidates are entitled to receive 50% of refundable fees when withdrawing more that thirty (30) days, but less that sixty (60) days, from the closing of the application window.
viii. viii. Candidates are not entitled to a refund when withdrawing more then sixty (60) days from the closing of the application window.
ix. Refunds are issued in Canadian funds.

2.0 Special Accommodation

i. Candidates may petition to receive special accommodation at the NDSE on the grounds of a medical condition, functional condition impacting engagement in the examination or for religious reasons.
ii. The special accommodation policy is compliant with accessibility standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
iii. Special accommodation will only be granted for the same session for which the candidate’s application has been approved.

i. Candidates requiring special accommodation to challenge the NDSE must identify their requirements when completing the online application form.
ii. College Staff will follow up with candidates who identify their accommodation needs at the time of application to assist with the submission of a special accommodation request form.
iii. The completed special accommodation request form must be received by the RCDC within sixty (60) days of the examination for which the individual is seeking special accommodation.
iv. The type of supporting documentation may vary depending on the nature and extent of the accommodations requested.
v. Appropriate documentation that would support a candidate’s request for accommodation could include a medical report, a detailed physician’s note, or an official letter from the leader of a religious congregation.
vi. Supporting documentation must be dated no more than twelve (12) months prior to the date of the examination.
vii. College Staff will review requests for special accommodation, ensure their confidentiality, and discuss available options with the Director of Examinations, the Associate Examiner-in-Chief, and the Examiner-in-Chief, when required.
viii. College Staff will notify the candidate in writing whether special accommodations will be granted and, if that is to be the case, list the ways in which the accommodations will be provided.
ix. The candidate must signal in writing whether they agree to the accommodations offered, if any.
x. When required, the Director of Examinations will ensure that examination teams, or a portion thereof, receive the adequate training in order to administer the examination(s) in accordance with the accommodations granted to the candidate.

3.0 Formal Reviews

i. Formal Reviews of examinations are conducted only on the basis of an alleged significant irregularities in the procedures of the administration of the examination, rather than on examination content.
ii. Procedural irregularities of sufficient magnitude to materially affect a candidate’s performance must be reported to College Staff immediately after the examination.
iii. The Director of Examinations and their designate(s) are authorized to act on the spot to correct a process irregularity whenever possible. Such intervention does not preclude a candidate from submitting a request for a Formal Review.

iv. Incomplete requests for a Formal Review, or those completed after the prescribed deadlines shall not be considered or processed.
v. Documents and any deliberations associated with the Formal Review process are strictly confidential.
vi. The decision of the Formal Review Panel at the Oral Hearing shall be final and binding. There shall be no proceedings for further review or appeal following this decision.

i. Candidates results will be published within 10 weeks days of the examination; a Pass or Fail notice will be published.

i. If the candidate receives a failing grade, they have 30 days to request a verification of your result.
ii. Candidate who have taken and failed the NDSE may request re-evaluation of their score for the constructed responses only. This type of result verification is called a Regrade request. The regrade fee is $2000.

i. If, during an examination, the candidate believes they have been prevented from demonstrating their ability due to serious medical circumstances or unanticipated exceptional circumstances beyond their control, they can submit a compassionate appeal to void your result.
ii. Upon consideration, the NDSE Committee may grant a refund of fees.

i. A candidate shall bring any procedural irregularities that may materially affect their performance to the attention of the Examination Staff during an examination.
ii. Following each examination, candidates will be asked to identify any procedural irregularities that may materially affect their performance in an Incident Report form sent by College Staff.
iii. College Staff will ensure that the Director of Examinations receives a full account of the alleged process irregularities following the administration of the examination.
iv. The Formal Review Process includes the following 4 steps:
a. Submitting a Written Formal Review Request
b. Review by the Director of Examinations
c. Document Review by a Formal Review Panel
d. Oral Hearing by a Formal Review Panel

3.2.4.1 Step 1 – Submitting a Written Formal Review Request

i. Candidates whose examination results were unsuccessful may request a formal review from the Director of Examinations on the grounds of the procedural irregularities reported as part of 3.2.4.
ii. The RCDC must receive a complete request for a Formal Review within fifteen (15) calendar days of the communication of examination results.
iii. A complete request for a Formal Review includes a written statement outlining the details and circumstances relating to the alleged process irregularities and a payment for the administrative fee of $575.
iv. Candidates wishing to petition for a Formal Review who did not report any procedural irregularities in the manner outlined in 3.2.4 must include in their written statement the extenuating circumstances, if any, that prevented them from doing so.
v. Completed requests shall be acknowledged in writing within ten (10) business days of receipt.

3.2.4.2 Step 2 – Review by the Director of Examinations

i. College Staff shall submit completed requests for a Formal Review received within the prescribed timeframe to the Director of Examinations within ten (10) business days.
ii. The Director of Examinations to address the candidate’s request and obtain the appropriate supporting documentation from Head Office, with College Staff support.
iii. The Director of Examinations shall submit completed requests for a Formal Review and the appropriate supporting documentation to the Appeals Committee within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the completed request.
iv. The Director of Examinations shall evaluate the request and conduct any inquiries that they may deem useful.
v. The Appeals Committee to provide non-binding recommendations on the Formal Review to the Director of Examinations
vi. The Director of Examinations shall reply to the candidate in a non-binding written opinion letter within thirty (30) calendar days from receiving the supporting recommendations from the Appeals Committee.
vii. The letter of opinion shall confirm whether the alleged grounds for a Formal Review are founded and, if so, what remedy should be accorded, if any.
viii. The Director of Examinations shall forward their letter of opinion to the Chair of the Appeals Committee.
ix. The Examiner-in-Chief or Associate Examiner-in-Chief may notify the Examination Team Lead in the candidate’s specialty of the Formal Review and of the outcome of their review as part of Step 2.
x. Candidates who wish to have their request considered further may request a review by a Formal Review Panel.
xi. Candidates are responsible for completing an application for a future session within the prescribed deadlines, even while their Formal Review is in progress. Doing so will ensure their registration to challenge the examination at the next opportunity in the event that the appeal is unsuccessful.

3.2.4.3 Step 3 – Document Review by a Formal Review Panel

i. The candidate, or their agent, must submit the request to proceed to a document review by a Formal Review Panel in writing within fifteen (15) calendar days of the communication of the Director of Examinations’ letter of opinion.
ii. The written request explaining in detail the facts and circumstances relating to the alleged process irregularities must be accompanied by a payment of $1,150 for the administrative fees of the Formal Review Panel.
iii. The written request for a review by a Formal Review Panel must outline and explain in detail the facts and circumstances relating to the alleged process irregularity and why the remedy or explanation offered by the Director of Examinations are insufficient.
iv. The request shall be acknowledged in writing and forwarded to the Chair of the Appeals Committee within five (5) business days.
v. The Chair shall notify the Director of Examinations of the request to proceed to Step 3, and formally convene the Appeals Committee to address the candidate’s request to proceed with a document review by a Formal Review Panel within ten (10) business days of receiving the completed request.
vi. Within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the request to proceed with a document review by a Formal Review Panel, the Chair of the Appeals Committee shall appoint a Formal Review Panel consisting of three Members-at-Large who are licensed specialist in Canada, for a minimum of three years, and who are not Examiners in the candidate’s specialty, faculty members in the candidate’s specialty training program, or certified in the candidate’s specialty.
vii. The Chair of the Appeals Committee will ensure that the members of the Formal Review Panel have no other conflicts of interest with the candidate, or with any individual identified by the candidate in their request.
viii. The Chair of the Appeals Committee will designate one of the Formal Review Panel members to serve as Chair.
ix. The Chair of the Appeals Committee shall provide the Chair of the Formal Review Panel with procedural instructions, the templates for panel deliverables, and the materials relevant to the review, such as:
a. The original written request for a Formal Review provided by the candidate.
b. The Director of Examinations’ letter of opinion.
c. All available and relevant documents and information pertaining to the examination in question. Documentation the candidate wishes to submit to the Formal Review Panel.
xii. The Formal Review Panel shall set a date for its consideration of that documentation under conditions of strict confidentiality and conclude its deliberations within thirty (30) calendar days from the receipt of the supporting documentation.

xiii. As part of its deliberations, the Formal Review Panel must address the following:
a. Whether the Director of Examinations’ letter of opinion addressed the alleged process irregularities presented in the candidate’s original Formal Review request.
b. Whether the remedy offered in the Director of Examinations’ letter of opinion was appropriate, if any.
c. Any new supporting documentation that may have been brought to the panel’s attention.
xiv. Following its review of the matter, the Chair of the Formal Review Panel shall deliver its decision in writing to the Chair of the Appeals Committee by completing the templates provided for:
a. The Report to the Chair of the Appeals Committee; and,
b. The Letter to the Candidate.
xv. The available decision options are as follows:
a. No process irregularity has occurred.
b. There was a process irregularity, but not of such magnitude that it could affect materially the candidate’s performance or results.
c. There was a process irregularity of sufficient magnitude to affect materially the candidate’s performance or results.
d. A repeat examination is allowed at the next examination session of the specialty.
xvi. In cases in which a repeat examination is granted:
a. The examination subjected to review is to be treated as null and void.
b. The Formal Review Panel shall immediately waive the associated examination and application fees.
xvii. The Chair of the Appeals Committee shall notify the Director of Examinations of the outcome of the panel deliberations and inform Head Office of the panel’s decision that is to be communicated to the candidate.
xviii. The Formal Review Panel may, at its discretion, waive the $1,150 administrative fee, and order, when justified, that other expenses incurred by the candidate as part of the Formal Review (e.g.: travel and accommodation) be paid by the RCDC.
xix. The Director of Examinations may notify the Examination Team Lead in the candidate’s specialty of the Document Review by a Formal Review Panel and of the outcome of Step 3.
xx. If the candidate, or their agent, is not satisfied with the decision of the Formal Review Panel, they may request a reconsideration of the matter at their expense by way of an oral hearing before the Formal Review Panel, or such other review panel as may be appointed if it is impossible or impractical to reconstitute the original Formal Review Panel.
xxi. Candidates are responsible for completing an application for a future session within the prescribed deadlines, even while their Formal Review is in progress. Doing so will ensure their registration to challenge the examination at the next opportunity in the event that the appeal is unsuccessful.

3.2.4.4 Step 4 – Oral Hearing by a Formal Review Panel

i. The candidate, or their agent, must submit a written request for reconsideration by way of an oral hearing within fifteen (15) calendar days of the communication of the Formal Review Panel’s decision.
ii. The written request for an oral hearing must be accompanied by an administrative fee in the amount of $1,725.
iii. The candidate must outline the reasons for requesting an oral hearing and the basis upon which they dispute the decision of the Formal Review Panel.
iv. Head Office shall notify the Chair of the Appeals Committee of the candidate’s request to proceed to an oral hearing within five (5) business days.
v. Except under exceptional circumstances, no additional information will be considered if it was not previously provided to the Formal Review Panel if it could have been provided prior to the initial consideration of the matter.
vi. The Chair of the Appeals Committee shall formally convene the Appeals Committee to discuss the candidate’s request within ten (10) business days of receiving it.
vii. The Chair of the Appeals Committee shall notify the Formal Review Panel of the candidate’s request within ten (10) business days of receiving it so that it may set a date, time, and place for the oral hearing.
viii. The Formal Review Panel shall set a date, time, and place for an oral hearing and notify the Chair of the Appeals Committee within ten (10) calendar days. The date for the hearing must fall within forty-five (45) calendar days of the receipt of the request to proceed with an oral hearing.
ix. The Chair of the Appeals Committee will notify Head Office of the date, time, and place for the oral hearing so that the candidate may be informed.
x. The oral hearing will be held via video teleconference (i.e. Zoom) at the discretion of the Chair of the Appeals Committee.
xi. The candidate may attend such an oral hearing, with or without counsel or another personal representative, and shall be entitled to make oral submissions at the hearing, and/or have oral submissions made on behalf of his/her person by his/her counsel or personal representative in attendance.
xii. If the candidate wishes to attend the oral hearing with counsel, they must advise Head Office at least fifteen (15) calendar days. The RCDC may have its counsel present at the oral hearing.
xiii. The oral hearing shall be conducted in a manner that the Formal Review Panel Chair considers appropriate.
xiv. The Formal Review Panel will not be bound by the rules of law concerning evidence applicable to judicial proceedings.
xv. The candidate may be given information pertaining to the documentation review, at the discretion of the panel.
xvi. The Formal Review Panel may redact any information pertaining to the examination that, in its opinion, may undermine the integrity of the examination process if disclosed.

xvii. The Formal Review Panel shall issue its decision in writing within fifteen (15) calendar days of the oral hearing. The decision, along with any recommendation, shall be forwarded to the Chair of the Appeals Committee by completing the templates provided for:
a. The Report to the Chair of the Appeals Committee; and,
b. The Letter to the candidate.
xvii. The decision options of the Formal Review Panel following an oral hearing are as follows:
a. No process irregularity occurred.
b. A process irregularity did occur, but not of sufficient magnitude to have materially affected the candidate’s performance or results.
c. A process irregularity of sufficient magnitude to have materially affected the candidate’s performance or results did occur and warrants that the results of the original examination be nulled.
xviii. The review panel may, at its discretion, waive the $1,725 administrative fee or any portion thereof and/or, in exceptional circumstances, order the RCDCto pay the reasonable candidate expenses in relation to the oral hearing, including travel and accommodations.
xix. The Chair of the Appeals Committee shall notify the Director of Examinations of the outcome of the oral hearing and inform Head Office of the panel’s decision that is to be communicated to the candidate.
xx. The Director of Examinations may notify the Examination Team Lead in the candidate’s specialty of the Oral Hearing by a Formal Review Panel and of the outcome of Step 4.

4.0 Candidate Conduct

i. Candidates are required to maintain the confidentiality of the examination content and information that they encounter at any point during the examination process. Failure to do so will result in disqualification from the examination process and/or legal action by The Royal College of Dentists of Canada.
ii. Unless otherwise instructed by The Royal College of Dentists of Canada, candidates are not permitted to use or have in their possession electronic, recording and/or communication devices from the time of registration until the time they sign-out at the end of the examination day.
iii. Candidates cannot communicate directly with the Examiner-in-Chief, Associate Examiner-in-Chief, Examination Team Leads, Examiners, and/or Members of the Board of Directors about their examination or examination content. All communication must go through Head Office of the RCDC.
iv. Candidates who are caught engaging in alleged misconduct or violating any of the rules or regulations during the administration of the examination may be immediately disqualified from the examination process.

v. Candidates who are found to have engaged in alleged misconduct or violated any of the rules or regulations following the administration of the examination may be immediately disqualified from the examination process.
vi. The decision of the Formal Review Panel is final and binding. There shall be no proceedings for further appeals following this decision.

i. If Examination personnel observe that a candidate is committing misconduct or cheating during the examination, Examination personnel may immediately stop the examination.
ii. If the examination is stopped, the candidate will be informed by the Examination personnel on the reasons for the conclusion of their examination, as directed by the Director of Examinations
iii. If the examination is not interrupted, the candidate will be informed by the Examination personnel at the conclusion of their examination that an alleged incident was identified and the basis for the alleged incident, as directed by the Director of Examinations.
iv. Within twenty-four (24) hours of the alleged incident, the candidate will be informed by the Director of Examinations of the avenues at their disposition for appealing this decision. The candidate may also be informed that they will not be permitted to sit the remaining examination sessions (if applicable). The candidate will sign an agreement confirming that this step was taken.
v. The Examination personnel who initially observed the alleged misconduct, the Manager, NDSE and the Examiner-in-Chief or designate will complete a comprehensive incident report and submit it to the Director of Examinations or designate.

i. If any irregularities are noted following the administration of the examination, the Director of Examinations of designate will launch an investigation.
ii. The Director of Examinations or designate will review the evidence of alleged misconduct or irregularity and make a decision.
iii. The Director of Examinations or designate is able to make one of the following determinations:
a. Dismiss the allegation.
b. Fail the candidate(s) involved and prohibit the candidate(s) from sitting any future administration for a predetermined period of time.
c. Fail the candidate(s) involved and prohibit the candidate(s) from sitting any future administration of the examination.

iv. Should the Director of Examinations or designate determine that misconduct occurred, the candidate(s) in question will receive written notice of the outcomes of the investigation within five (5) business days of that decision. This notice will include information about the decision and the procedure for appeal.
v. The results of the candidate(s) will remain null until the appeal process is completed and a decision is final, or if the deadline for a candidate to launch an appeal has passed.

i. A candidate who has been found to have committed misconduct or cheated can appeal the decision by the Director of Examinations or designate by filing a written appeal to Head Office within twenty (20) calendar days of the notice being shared with them.
ii. An appeal must clearly state the specific relief being requested and detail any documentation and evidence which supports this claim.
iii. Head Office will acknowledge receipt of this appeal in writing and forward it to the Director of Examinations within five (5) business days.


4.2.3.1 Review by the Appeals Committee

i. The Director of Examinations will notify the Chair of the Appeals Committee of the appeal request within ten (10) business days of receipt.
ii. The Chair will formally convene the Appeals Committee to address the candidate’s request within ten (10) business days of receiving the completed request from the Director of Examinations.
iii. Within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the request to proceed with an appeal, the Chair of the Appeals Committee shall appoint a Formal Review Panel consisting of three Members-at-Large who are licensed specialist in Canada, for a minimum of three years, and who are not Examiners in the candidate’s specialty, faculty members in the candidate’s specialty training program, or certified in the candidate’s specialty.
iv. The Chair of the Appeals Committee will ensure that the members of the Formal Review panel have no other conflicts of interest with the candidate, or with any individual identified by the candidate in his or her request.
v. The Chair of the Appeals Committee will designate one of the Formal Review panel members to serve as Chair.
vi. The Chair of the Appeals Committee shall provide the Chair of the Formal Review panel with procedural instructions, the templates for Panel deliverables, and the materials relevant to the review, such as:
a. Any and all incident reports of the alleged misconduct.
b. The outcomes of the Director of Examinations’ investigation.
c. All available and relevant documents and information pertaining to the examination in question.

d. Supporting document or evidence the candidate submitted along with their appeals request.
vii. The Formal Review Panel shall set a date for its consideration of this documentation under conditions of strict confidentiality and conclude its deliberations within thirty (30) calendar days from the receipt of the request for review by a Formal Review panel.
viii. Following its review of the matter, the Chair of the Formal Review Panel shall deliver its decision in writing to the Chair of the Appeals Committee by completing the templates provided for:
a. The Report to the Chair of the Appeals Committee; and,
b. The Letter to the Candidate.
vii. The available decision options are as follows:
a. Confirmation that there was misconduct by the candidate and the outcomes identified by the Director of Examinations or designate are appropriate.
b. Confirmation that there was misconduct by the candidate and the outcomes identified by the Director of Examinations or designate must be revised. This may include pursuing legal action by the RCDC.
c. There was no misconduct by the candidate and a repeat examination is allowed either at the next examination session for the specialty or at a special session, if deemed feasible.
d. There was no misconduct by the candidate and the initial examination results stand.
viii. The Chair of the Appeals Committee shall notify the Director of Examinations or designate of the outcome of the Panel deliberations and inform the Director of Examinations of the panel’s decision that is to be communicated to the candidate.
ix. The Formal Review Panel may recommend modified examination formats or submission requirements, subject to approval and implementation by the Director of Examinations or designate.
x. The Director of Examinations may notify the Examination Team Lead in the candidate’s specialty of the outcome of the appeals process.
xi. Candidates are responsible for completing an application for a future examination session within the prescribed deadlines, even while their appeal is in progress. Doing so will ensure their registration to challenge the examination at the next opportunity in the event that the appeal is unsuccessful.

5.0 Examination Test Centres

i. Examination dates and centres are normally established 8 months in advance and could be subject to change.
ii. Examination registration closes at 21:00 ET on the deadline date posted on the RCDC NDSE website.
iii. Candidates may be moved to another centre if the number of registrations is insufficient at a centre.
iv. An examination location may appear as tentative until a minimum number of registrations is reached.
v. Once registered, requests from candidates to be transferred to a different examination test centre location may not be approved.

6.0 NDSE Certification

i. To be awarded NDSE certification a candidate must fulfill both of the following criteria:

Provide proof of completion of a dental specialty training program or a Dental Specialty Assessment and Training Program (DSATP) for internationally qualified dental specialists.
AND

Successfully challenge the NDSE for their respective specialty.
ii. Documents related to proof of completion of specialty training program or DSATP will undergo a verification process in conjunction with the respective University.
ii.i. Candidates will be required to provide a contact at the respective University to verify the documents submitted.
iii. Candidates in the final year of their specialty training program or DSATP, do not have to provide proof of completion of program at the time of registration. However, if a candidate successfully challenges the NDSE, NDSE Certification will only be award once proof of completion of program is submitted and verified.
iv. Candidates who have been awarded NDSE Certification will be provided with a PDF copy of their NDSE Certification.
v. At the time of registering for the NDSE the Candidates will be asked to provide consent to communicate the status of their NDSE Certification to the Dental Regulatory Authorities (DRA) in Canada.
v.i Only if a candidate provides consent will they be included in the NDSE Certification registry.
vi. Each DRA will have access to the registry through a unique log in to the NDSE candidate management system.

Appendices

“Cheating” means the sharing, copying, publishing or providing to anyone examination questions or answers by any means, including in person, by telephone, electronically or digitally. Cheating also includes giving a summary or recollection of a question to someone else by any means.
“Disqualification from the examination process” means any of the following: expulsion from the examination administration; withholding, voiding or invalidation of examination results; revoking of candidate application.
“Electronic, recording and/or communication devices” means a cell phone, pager, smartphone, camera, laptop, USB or memory stick, smartwatch and any other digital device.
“Examination personnel” means any staff or volunteer of The Royal College of Dentists of Canada that is involved in the examination process.
“Irregularities” means a situation in which there could be a question about the validity of examination results in accurately reflecting the ability and skills of a candidate. These are a result of cheating and/or misconduct.
“Misconduct” means any of the following: cheating; obtaining access to unauthorized examination content; taking an examination for someone else; utilizing electronic, recording and/or communication devices to receive or share examination content; using unauthorized items during the examination.
“Process irregularity” means any procedural unfairness affecting one or several candidates.

i. Candidate Management fee – $500 (non-refundable)
ii. Examination Registration fee – $5,500
iii. Late Examination Registration fee (base rate) – $575 (non-refundable)
iv. Late Examination Registration fee (additional cost per week) – $115 (non-refundable)
v. Rescore fee – $200
vi. Regrade fee – $2,000
vii. Formal Review Panel administrative fee – $1,150
viii. Oral Hearing Administrative fee – $1,725

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