The examinee will provide a case report for each case presented that contains certain expected patient records and reports that are required by the Board. The patient records should be of sufficient quality and accuracy that an appropriate diagnosis and observation of treatment results may be adequately viewed by the examiner. The case report will be evaluated for quality, accuracy and completeness of the patient records and reports in meeting ABO specifications.

Currently published ABO clinical exam specifications apply to each year's exam,
no matter when the examinee began gathering records.

1. Specific areas of criteria to be verified by the ABO Examiner:
   1. Meets case submission criteria for the type of Clinical Examination
      1. Cases must fulfill case requirements by exam type.
      2. Especially note the appropriate type of molar Class II relationship for the particular examination - Class II Molar Relationships - Two Illustrations .
      3. Each case may satisfy only one case criteria.
   2. Meets case report requirements for patient records at each level of evaluation.
      
      Especially note those conditions that are cause for rejection of a case:
      1. Case does not meet exam submission criteria.
      2. Any posttreatment records are obtained beyond 12 months of appliance removal.
      3. A complete set of Interim or Pre-Surgical records are not present for two-phase treatment or for surgical cases. Interim or Pre-Surgical records to be complete are the same as pretreatment and posttreatment records.
   3. Submission of measurement instruments to be used in the evaluation of cases.
      1. See overview of Discrepancy Index Scoring System (pdf) for example records and scoring discussion.
      2. See Grading System for Dental Casts and Panoramic Radiographs (pdf).
2. Specific areas of observation by the ABO Examiner are the following:
   1. Treatment complementing facial growth
   2. Facial harmony -- balance and harmony of the soft tissue and proper proportion of facial structures
   3. Maximum esthetics of the teeth and face
   4. Dental health - maximum health of the teeth, the supporting tissues and the adjacent structures
   5. Optimal function, free of interference's and trauma
   6. Excellent occlusion
   7. Favorable intercuspation of the teeth
   8. Alignment of permanent second molars
   9. Favorable overjet and overbite relationship
   10. Favorable correction of rotations of all teeth
   11. Favorable axial inclination of all teeth
   12. Complete space closure
   13. Coordinated ideal archform with all the teeth aligned within the supporting structures
   14. Good vertical control
   15. Good stability

As part of exam registration, all examinees must sign a Rules of Examination Affidavit for the ABO affirming that all the professional judgment and treatment was provided by the examinee for each of the patient case reports that are presented to the Board. In addition, the examinee must affirm that patient records have not been altered nor have they been presented to the Board in a previous examination. Finally, the examinee will also affirm that s/he agrees to the ABO policy for documentation of examination and has read the Appeal Process for Adverse Certification Decisions.

Additional affidavit, submitted separately, is required under these circumstances:

Initial Certification Examination - all recent graduates must have a signed Confirmation of Residency Treated Cases (pdf) by the Department Chairperson and/or Program Director to confirm that each case presented was treated by the examinee under the supervision of a clinical instructor in an ADA accredited orthodontic program.

Gateway Offer - orthodontists who are certified under the Gateway Offer may present one or two cases treated in their residency program for the Gateway Certification Examination; a signed Affidavit - Two Residency Cases by the Department Chairperson and/or Program Director is needed for confirmation.

Full-time Orthodontic Educators (1 FTE per week) - a signed Educator Supervision Affidavit (pdf) by the Department Chairperson and/or Program Director that up to three cases presented by the examinee were treated in the graduate orthodontic clinic entirely under the supervision of the examinee (as a full-time educator). The supervised cases may not include a case that will be presented to the ABO by a resident of the orthodontic program.

NOTE: It is the examinee's responsibility to obtain patient release for use of records and identification.

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