Trial Class-ADC Part 1

Introduction

The Australian Dental Council (ADC) Part 1 Examination is the first stage of assessment for internationally-qualified dentists seeking registration in Australia. It evaluates a candidate’s theoretical knowledge, clinical reasoning, and professional understanding of dentistry within the Australian context.

The exam is a computer-based written assessment conducted over two consecutive days, covering the following domains:

Professionalism & Health Promotion
Clinical Information Gathering
Diagnosis & Management Planning
Treatment & Evaluation

Questions are scenario-based and require the candidate to integrate biomedical sciences, clinical dentistry, patient safety, ethics, evidence-based practice, and contemporary dental standards.

Knowledge areas include restorative dentistry, pharmacology, oral pathology, medicine, radiology, periodontics, prosthodontics, endodontics, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics, oral surgery, infection control, and public health.

The exam emphasizes:

Interpretation of case scenarios
Evidence-based decision-making
Accurate diagnosis and planning
Understanding of safe and ethical practice
Appropriate selection of investigations and treatments

Successful completion of Part 1 is mandatory before progressing to the ADC Part 2 Practical Examination.

How the ADK Courses Will Proceed

ADK offers two structured pathways based on candidate preparation needs and timelines:

1. 4–6 Week Crash Course (Intensive Program)

2. 16-20 week Comprehensive Course (Full Theory Program)

1. 4–6 Week Crash Course (Intensive Program)

Course Purpose

Designed for candidates with prior preparation who require accelerated, high-yield revision, focused problem-solving practice, and targeted coverage of exam-critical domains.

Each week of the Crash Course helps students revise and practise intensively by focusing on a single topic block, providing daily high-yield summaries, topic-specific SBQs. The week ends with a mock exam and a shown their outcome so students reinforce what they studied, fix weaknesses immediately, and move to the next week with a strong foundation.

Structure

Week 1

Rapid review of Professionalism, Ethics, and Health Promotion
Infection control and evidence-based standards in Australia
High-yield MCQs and case-based discussions

Week 2

Clinical Information Gathering
Radiographic interpretation workshops
Medical conditions and special-needs dentistry
Fixed-time practice tests

Week 3

Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine
Oral Surgery: diagnosis, complications, emergencies
Paediatric/Orthodontic essentials
Daily micro-tests

Week 4

Restorative Dentistry, Endodontics, Prosthodontics
Periodontics and occlusion-focused scenarios
Integrated case management
High-yield recall sessions

Optional Weeks 5–6 (Extended Crash)

Full mock exams (2-day structured simulation)
Detailed performance analytics
Personalised correction sessions
Final revision blocks and strategy refinement

Learning Methodology

Fast-paced lectures
Daily mixed-topic practice
Repeated mock cycles
Focus on weak areas through intensive correction
Strategy and time-management mastery

Outcome

Suitable for candidates sitting the exam soon and needing structured, high-yield consolidation.

2. 16–20 Week Comprehensive Course (Full Theory Program)

Course Purpose

Designed for candidates who require full foundational strengthening, detailed concept-building, progressive assessments, and long-term guidance.

Each week of the Comprehensive Course builds knowledge gradually through detailed concept teaching, guided revision, and structured practice. Students strengthen foundations, apply concepts through case-based learning, practise with weekly tests, and receive continuous feedback. This slow-paced, layered approach ensures deep understanding, steady improvement, and long-term retention across all exam domains.

Course Structure

Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1–4)

Professionalism, ethics, communication
Public health, health promotion
Biomedical sciences refresh
Infection control as per Australian standards
Early MCQs to establish baseline understanding

Phase 2: Core Knowledge Development (Weeks 5–10)

Clinical Information Gathering

Diagnostics, history taking, radiology
Medically compromised patients
Risk assessment frameworks

Diagnosis & Management Planning

Oral pathology, oral medicine
Paediatric and orthodontic fundamentals
Oral surgery principles
Medical emergencies

Phase 3: Clinical Dentistry Mastery (Weeks 11–16)

Restorative dentistry (materials, caries management, adhesives)
Endodontics (instrumentation, failures, retreatments)
Prosthodontics (fixed/removable, occlusion)
Periodontics and maintenance therapies
Pharmacology integrated with case scenarios
Implants, pain control, behaviour management

Phase 4: Mock Exam Training & Advanced Revision (Weeks 17–20)

Full mock exams at exam-level difficulty
Sectional timed tests
Analytical reports identifying improvement areas
Mentor-led correction and targeted revision
Strategy workshops (time management, decoding scenarios)

Learning Methodology

Detailed concept building
Weekly tests and progressive evaluation
Live interactive teaching
Structured notes and reading plans
Case-based learning and clinical reasoning development
Comprehensive mock exam cycle

Outcome

Ideal for candidates starting from the basics or aiming for deep understanding and mastery of the ADC framework.

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ADC written examination or part 1 examination is composed of scenario based questions with 5 options and one single best answer. This exam is held in two days, and each day 2 papers are conducted, in 120 minutes each. Each paper consists of 70 questions scattered among 14 vignette. Each vignette consists of one scenario followed by 5 questions that follow the ADC blue print pattern.

Following table shows the approximate number of questions spread among throughout 4 papers.

Discipline	%	Approximate Questions
Restorative	12%	34
Pharmacology	10%	28
Oral Med/Path	9%	25
General Medicine	9%	25
Oral Surgery	8%	22
Endodontics	8%	22
Periodontics	8%	22
Paedo/Ortho	8%	22
Preventive	8%	22
Radiology	5%	14
Infection Control	5%	14
Dental Emergencies	7%	20
Removable Pros	6%	17
Implants	4%	11

This paper will give you an idea of the paper and help you decide in joining your course. So, best of luck for your journey towards ADC certification.

WEEK 1 — CRASH COURSE STUDY MATERIALS

ADC-aligned, heavy detail, clean teaching flow)

📘 Lecture Note 1 on ADC Written Examination: Format, Logic, Scoring & Blueprint

1. Overview of ADC Written Examination

The ADC Part 1 Written Examination evaluates whether a foreign-trained dentist demonstrates the minimum knowledge, reasoning, and judgment of a recently graduated Australian dentist.

Examination structure

2 days
4 sections
70 questions per section
Total: 280 MCQs
All scenario-based
Each scenario = vignette + 5 single-best-answer questions
Time per section: 2 hours
No backward navigation once question is answered (at Pearson VUE)

Scored vs. Unscored

240 questions scored
40 unscored (for calibration)
Unscored Qs are mixed; you cannot identify them.

2. Domains (Clusters) Assessed

The ADC blueprint divides questions into 4 clusters:

Cluster 1 — Professionalism & Health Promotion

Ethics, legal responsibilities, communication, consent, public health.

Cluster 2 — Clinical Information Gathering

History, examination, investigations, radiographs, special tests.

Cluster 3 — Diagnosis & Management Planning

Differential diagnosis, risk assessment, treatment sequencing.

Cluster 4 — Clinical Treatment & Evaluation

Restorative care, perio, endo, OS, paeds, prosthodontics.

3. Blueprint: Discipline Weighting

These percentages shape what appears on exam day:

Discipline	Target %
Restorative	12%
Pharmacology	10%
Oral Medicine & Pathology	9%
General Medicine	9%
Oral Surgery	8%
Endodontics	8%
Periodontics	8%
Pediatric/Ortho	8%
Preventive Dentistry	8%
Emergencies	7%
Removable Pros	6%
Radiology	5%
Infection Control	5%
Implants	4%

4. ADC Question Logic

What SBQ really means:

Single stem
5 options
One best answer
All distractors are plausible
Often two good answers; one is better

Reasoning is more important than knowledge

ADC prioritizes:

Patient safety
Legal responsibility
Evidence-based reasoning
Australian guidelines

ADC hates:

aggressive treatment
skipping consent
unnecessary radiographs
ignoring red flags
cowboy dentistry

5. Why Candidates Fail

Top reasons foreign-trained dentists struggle:

Over-treating (Australian standard is conservative)
Weakness in ethics/legal frameworks
Poor pharmacology recall
Underestimating diagnosis before treatment
Misinterpreting radiographs
Memorizing instead of reasoning
Cultural misunderstanding in communication scenarios

6. Exactly How You Should Study

The Crash Course Week 1 material takes care of:

ethics
consent
communication
infection control
radiology basics
medical history
public health
emergency protocols
core diagnostic logic

These are heavy-weight cluster 1 & 2 domains.

7. What to Memorize Cold

Mandatory notification rules
Informed consent components
DBA Code of Conduct
ARPANSA radiation figures
Standard infection control precautions
ASA classification
Medical emergency drug doses

📘 Lecture Note 2 — Australian Dental System: AHPRA, DBA, ADC, Competencies

1. The Regulatory Bodies

AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency)

Oversees health practitioner registration.

DBA (Dental Board of Australia)

Defines professional standards, codes, and guidelines.
Its main documents you MUST know:

DBA Code of Conduct
DBA Guidelines on Infection Control
DBA Advertising Guidelines
DBA Conscious Sedation & GA
DBA Scope of Practice

ADC (Australian Dental Council)

Conducts assessments for overseas-trained dentists.
Defines:

Accreditation standards
Written exam
Clinical exam
Competency framework

2. The Competencies Framework

ADC expects exam candidates to match a new Australian graduate.

Competency Clusters

Domain 1 — Professionalism
Ethics, cultural safety, respectful behaviour.

Domain 4 — Health Promotion
Prevention, evidence-based advice.

Domain 6 — Patient Care

Clinical information gathering
Diagnosis
Management planning
Treatment
Evaluation

This is the backbone of the written exam blueprint.

3. Leadership vs. Clinical Judgment

Australia prioritizes:

conservative dentistry
shared decision-making
culturally safe communication
legal compliance
prevention over intervention
minimal treatment unless clinically justified

4. Scope of Practice (VERY heavily tested)

Key rules:

Work within competency
Seek referral when beyond scope
Must document concerns
Cannot treat beyond skill level even in emergencies
Supervision must be direct, appropriate, and documented

5. Australian Cultural Expectations

Highly tested nuances:

respect autonomy
no paternalism
open communication
inclusivity
no assumptions based on ethnicity/religion
health literacy adaptation
interpreter use when needed
child protection awareness

📘 Lecture Note 3 — Professionalism, Ethics & Mandatory Notifications

1. Fundamentals of Australian Ethics

Australia integrates four core ethical principles:

Autonomy – respect patient decision
Beneficence – act in patient best interest
Non-maleficence – avoid harm
Justice – fairness and equity

ADC questions almost ALWAYS circle around these.

2. Informed Consent

A consent is valid ONLY if it meets:

voluntary
informed
capacity
documented

Components of adequate information:

diagnosis
treatment options
risks/benefits
costs
expected outcomes
alternatives
consequences of not treating
opportunity to ask questions

Failure to document = consent not proven.

3. Mandatory Notifications (REALLY IMPORTANT)

You MUST notify AHPRA if another practitioner engages in:

sexual misconduct
impairment affecting practice
intoxication while practising
significant departure from standards
false documentation
unsafe clinical practice

Failure to notify may result in disciplinary action.

4. Confidentiality

Exceptions when disclosure is allowed:

imminent harm
child protection
legal requirement
public health risk
court order

5. Documentation Standards

Records must be:

accurate
complete
contemporaneous
legible
secure
retrievable for 7 years (adults)
7 years after turning 18 (children)

6. Scenarios ADC Loves

Patient refuses radiograph → respect autonomy, explain risks, document.
Teenage patient → parental consent unless mature minor.
Angry patient → de-escalate, apologise appropriately, not defensively.
Child abuse suspicion → mandatory reporting.
Treating beyond scope → STOP, refer, document.

📘 Lecture Note 4 — Legal Obligations: Consent, Negligence & Duty of Care

1. Duty of Care

A dentist owes a legal duty to provide safe, competent, evidence-based treatment that meets Australian standards.

Core responsibilities:

take adequate history
diagnose before treating
explain risks and benefits
warn of material risks (“Montgomery standard”)
refer when needed
follow guidelines (DBA, NHMRC, Safer Care, ARPANSA)

If you step outside this, you fail the ADC question.

2. Standard of Care

Measured against the reasonable Australian dentist, not what’s common in your home country.

ADC exam traps:

doing extractions without thorough medical history
restoring teeth before diagnosing caries activity
failing to check radiographs
treating beyond competence
ignoring red flags

3. Negligence

To prove negligence, four elements must exist:

Duty
Breach
Causation
Damage

ADC frequent scenario:
Patient suffers paresthesia → dentist ignored radiograph → breach + damage → negligent.

4. Material Risks

You MUST disclose risks that a reasonable patient would want to know.

Examples:

paresthesia after 8 impaction surgery
pulpitis risk after deep restoration
failure probability of RCT
post-op bleeding
fracture risk

Not disclosing these = breach of duty.

5. Consent Documentation

Minimum documentation:

what was discussed
risks explained
alternatives
cost
patient questions
patient agreement
interpreter used (if required)

If not written, legally “not done.”

6. When Consent is Invalid

Consent invalid if:

coerced
uninformed
patient lacks capacity
information withheld
emergency and patient unconscious (exceptions apply)

7. Capacity

Patient must understand:

nature of condition
proposed treatment
consequences
options
risks

Cognitive impairment does not automatically mean incapacity.

8. Child Consent

Under 18 → parent/guardian
Exception → mature minor doctrine
In cases of abuse suspicion → mandatory reporting

ADC loves this scenario.

📘 Lecture Note 5 — Infection Prevention & Control (Australian Guidelines)

Massive exam area. One of the top-5 most tested domains.

1. Standard Precautions

Apply to all patients. Includes:

HH (hand hygiene)
PPE
sharps safety
environmental cleaning
instrument reprocessing
respiratory etiquette
safe waste disposal
aseptic technique

2. Transmission-Based Precautions

Used when infection risk is high.

Contact (MRSA, VRE)
Droplet (influenza)
Airborne (TB, measles)

ADC loves airborne scenarios.

3. Hand Hygiene

Follow 5 moments (WHO):

Before touching a patient
Before procedure
After procedure
After touching a patient
After touching surroundings

Alcohol-based hand rub is preferred.

4. PPE

gloves, masks, eye protection, gown
change gloves between patients
no washing gloves
N95 for airborne diseases
masks changed between patients or when soiled

5. Instrument Reprocessing

Cleaning → packaging → sterilization → storage → monitoring

Sterilization

Steam under pressure (autoclave)
Dry heat rarely used
Class B autoclave recommended

Monitoring

Chemical indicators: internal + external
Biological indicators weekly/monthly
Logbook maintained

6. Surface Cleaning

Two-step: clean → disinfect
TGA-approved disinfectant
Barriers replaced per patient

7. Waterlines

Flush at start of day, between patients, end of day.

Acceptable heterotrophic plate count: <500 CFU/mL.

8. Sharps Safety

No recapping (unless single-hand scoop).
Sharps container: rigid, puncture-proof, labelled, <3/4 full.

9. Management of Exposure

Stop, wash
Report
Test patient + provider
Start prophylaxis if required
Document incident
Follow follow-up schedule

10. Special Infection Risks

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
Hepatitis B/C/HIV
TB
MRSA

📘 Lecture Note 6 — Radiation Safety & ARPANSA Guidelines

1. Core Principles (ALARA/ALADAIP)

ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable)
ALADAIP (As Low As Diagnostically Acceptable, Indicated and Practicable) — newer standard
ADC loves the ALADAIP acronym.

2. Choosing Radiographs

Justification must be documented:

clinical need
medical history
signs/symptoms
diagnostic value
alternatives

Routine screening radiographs are NOT recommended.

3. Radiation Doses

You don’t need exact microSievert values, but know the ranking:

periapical < bitewing < panoramic < cephalogram < CBCT

4. Minimising Exposure

rectangular collimation
high kVp
fast receptor (digital preferred)
thyroid collar
lead apron optional (depends on guideline updates)
proper exposure settings

5. CBCT

Must be justified with:

complex cases
implant planning
trauma evaluation
impacted teeth relation to IAN

Never use CBCT as routine.

6. Pregnancy

radiographs allowed with justification
abdominal shielding
avoid unnecessary imaging
defer elective imaging

7. Children

lower exposure settings
caries diagnosis mainly via bitewings
must justify and document

8. Documentation Must Include

type of radiograph
reason
findings
interpretation
patient discussion
risks explained

📘 Lecture Note 7 — Medical History, Risk Assessment & ASA Classification

1. Purpose of a Medical History

A comprehensive medical history ensures safe practice by identifying conditions that may modify dental care.

Essential components:

demographics
chief complaint
medical conditions
surgical history
medications
allergies
social history (tobacco, alcohol, drugs)
pregnancy status
bleeding disorders
previous dental experiences
risk factors

2. ASA Classification

ADC relies heavily on ASA status for exam reasoning.

ASA I

Healthy patient.
→ Routine dental treatment.

ASA II

Mild systemic disease (controlled DM2, controlled HTN).
→ Routine care with monitoring.

ASA III

Severe systemic disease (unstable angina, MI >6 months, heart failure).
→ Dental care with caution; possible medical consult.

ASA IV

Life-threatening systemic disease.
→ Emergency dental care only. Hospital setting.

ASA V–VI

Not applicable to general practice.

3. Red Flags in History

Must pause treatment and consult:

chest pain
syncope episodes
recent stroke/MI (<6 months)
unexplained bleeding/bruising
uncontrolled HTN
severe asthma
unstable diabetes
pregnancy complications
recent chemotherapy/radiotherapy

4. Anticoagulants

ADC frequently tests anticoagulants.

Drug	Dental Advice
Warfarin	INR <3.5 safe; check INR within 24–72 hours
DOACs (rivaroxaban, apixaban)	Timing modification; avoid skipping doses
Aspirin	Continue
Clopidogrel	Continue; local measures for bleeding

5. Allergies

Commonly tested: penicillin, latex, chlorhexidine.

6. Special Patient Categories

Pregnancy: avoid routine radiographs; local anaesthesia safe.
Epilepsy: avoid triggers; check medication control.
Asthma: avoid NSAIDs if aspirin-sensitive; have inhaler available.
Diabetes: morning appointments preferred; risk of hypoglycaemia.
Cardiac disease: avoid vasoconstrictor excess; consult for unstable disease.

📘 Lecture Note 8 — Communication, Cultural Safety & Patient-Centred Care

1. Patient-Centred Care

Core expectations in Australian dentistry:

shared decision-making
open discussion
respect for autonomy
active listening
consideration of cultural background

2. Communication Skills

introduce yourself clearly
explain findings in simple language
check health literacy
invite questions
avoid jargon
document discussions thoroughly

3. Cultural Safety

Critical for ADC:

understand the patient’s cultural identity
avoid assumptions
adapt treatment explanations
use interpreters when needed
respect beliefs affecting care
encourage partnership in care

Particularly relevant for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients.

4. Managing Difficult Conversations

stay calm
validate patient feelings
acknowledge concerns
apologise if service delivery was inadequate
do not blame other practitioners
offer solutions
document everything

5. Interpreters

Use registered interpreters, not family
Required when language barrier affects consent
Document interpreter use

📘 Lecture Note 9 — Pain, Anxiety & Behaviour Management

1. Anxiety in Dentistry

Many ADC questions revolve around anxious patients.

Signs:

sweating
restlessness
tachycardia
avoidance behaviour

Management:

rapport building
explain procedures
short appointments
distraction techniques
nitrous oxide (if trained)
sedation protocols (follow DBA guidelines)

2. Pain Assessment

Use the SOCRATES system:

Site
Onset
Character
Radiation
Associated symptoms
Timing
Exacerbating/relieving factors
Severity

3. Behaviour Management in Children

Tell–Show–Do
Positive reinforcement
Modeling
Voice control
Parental presence/absence
Nitrous oxide if indicated
GA for uncooperative or high-risk cases

4. Pharmacological Management

Local anaesthesia
Paracetamol
NSAIDs
Avoid aspirin in children
Avoid opioids unless necessary
Sedation only if properly trained and credentialed

📘 Lecture Note 10 — Public Health, Prevention & Health Promotion

1. Public Health Principles

Applied at population level:

risk factor control
community health programs
fluoridation
screening
health education

2. Health Promotion

Strategies include:

behavioural change
environmental change
policy advocacy

ADC includes a lot of prevention questions.

3. Fluoride

topical fluoride concentration
varnish use
community water fluoridation (0.6–1.1 ppm)
fluoride toothpaste recommendations by age

4. Prevention Strategies

diet advice
plaque control
salivary testing
risk assessment (CAMBRA)
recall intervals based on risk

5. Epidemiology Basics

incidence
prevalence
sensitivity
specificity
positive predictive value
negative predictive value

📘 REVISION NOTES (WEEK 1 — All 10 Modules)

Short, digestible, high-yield summaries.

Revision Note 1: ADC Exam Format

280 questions
56 vignettes
4 clusters (Professionalism, Info Gathering, Diagnosis, Treatment)
Single-best-answer
240 scored, 40 unscored
Blueprint-based discipline weighting

Revision Note 2: Australian Regulatory System

AHPRA = registration
DBA = professional standards
ADC = examinations
Competencies define exam content
Scope of practice: treat only within skills, refer appropriately

Revision Note 3: Ethics & Mandatory Notifications

Consent must be voluntary + informed + documented
Disclosure exceptions: harm, legal requirement
Mandatory notification for misconduct, impairment, intoxication
Child safety requires mandatory reporting

Revision Note 4: Legal Responsibilities

Duty, breach, causation, damage
Material risks must be disclosed
Documentation essential
Standard = reasonable Australian dentist

Revision Note 5: Infection Control

Standard precautions always
Transmission-based precautions for TB, measles
Sterilization monitoring essential
Hand hygiene 5 moments
Sharps safety: NO recapping
Flush DUWLs

Revision Note 6: Radiation

ALADAIP principle
Justify every radiograph
Children → reduced exposure
CBCT only when necessary
Document findings

Revision Note 7: Medical History

ASA classification
Identify red flags
Manage anticoagulants safely
Drug allergies
Chronic disease adjustments

Revision Note 8: Communication

Patient-centred
Interpreter when needed
Cultural safety
De-escalate conflict professionally

Revision Note 9: Anxiety & Pain

Behaviour management
Pain assessment
Pharmacology basics
Sedation guidelines

Revision Note 10: Prevention & Public Health

Fluoride protocols
CAMBRA risk assessment
Epidemiology fundamentals
Health promotion strategies