Preparing for the Exam

Current and potential applicants to the ABDSM exam are advised that the only official, authorized study materials for the exam are as follows: ABDSM Exam Blueprint, Nomenclature for Device Characterizations, and ABDSM Required Reading List. Other ways to prepare for the exam include:
 

• Taking the AADSM Board Review Course.
• Reviewing the AADSM Standards for Practice.
• Reviewing AADSM Mastery/Mastery Accredited Course Materials

 
Any phone apps, study guides, and other materials – even those that may use AADSM, ABDSM, or American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine in their titles or descriptions -  are not sanctioned by either organization as official study tools. Applicants should also be aware that AADSM and ABDSM study tools do not guarantee a passing exam score. It is at the discretion of each candidate to determine how to best study for the exam.

Confidentiality and Applicant Conduct

The examination and all related materials are ABDSM’s confidential, proprietary and copyrighted intellectual property. Any disclosure of the contents of the examination is strictly prohibited.
In order to sit for the exam, all applicants must review and agree to the terms of the ABDSM Exam Confidentiality and Conduct Policy:

ABDSM Exam Confidentiality and Conduct Policy

Exam Content Areas

Applicants are encouraged to use the ABDSM Test Blueprint when studying for the exam. The blueprint describes the content areas covered in the exam along with the approximate percentage of questions in each area.
 
Download Test Blueprint
 

Terminology

The ABDSM uses an approach to nomenclature that uses categories, rather than product or brand names, to describe oral appliances

Nomenclature for Device Characterizations 

 

Required Reading List

The reading list contains the most recent and relevant articles to help you to prepare for the ABDSM examination. Links to the full articles have been added to the list to make them easily accessible. The reading list is presented with the understanding that no reading list can span the entire range of topics covered by the ABDSM exam.  While many exam questions are based on these readings, many are developed from other materials with similar content.

Download the ABDSM Required Reading List