NDECC (ACS) hands-on prep checklist
Last reviewed 2026-09-27
Software can't train your hands, but it can keep your practice organized. Print this page, or tick it off on your phone as you go.
Per-procedure practice log
For each procedure, do repeated timed attempts on the same typodont type, then self-assess against the criteria below. Ask a mentor to grade your preparations blind before exam day.
| Procedure | Self-assessment focus | Done |
|---|---|---|
| Class II amalgam preparation | Outline, isthmus width, proximal box walls and clearance, pulpal and axial depth, retention form, no damage to adjacent tooth | ☐ |
| Class II amalgam restoration | Contact, contour, marginal ridge height, occlusion, carving, no overhang or flash | ☐ |
| Class II composite restoration | Isolation, matrix and wedge, incremental placement, contact, finishing and polish | ☐ |
| Class IV composite restoration | Bevel, layering, incisal-edge form and translucency, contour, polish | ☐ |
| Endodontic access cavity | Location, unroofing, straight-line access, no gouging or perforation, all orifices found | ☐ |
| Crown preparation (metal-ceramic or all-ceramic) | Reduction depths suited to the material, margin design and location, taper, smoothness, no undercuts | ☐ |
| Provisional crown | Marginal fit, contacts, occlusion, contour, finish | ☐ |
Before exam day
- ☐ Read the current NDECC protocol and candidate orientation materials end to end
- ☐ Practise on the same typodont and tooth types the protocol specifies
- ☐ Time full mock days: every procedure back to back, with breaks as scheduled
- ☐ Know the allowed and required instrument, bur and material list, and pack a labelled kit
- ☐ Include spares: burs, matrix bands and wedges, articulating paper, composite shades, loupes batteries
- ☐ Rehearse ergonomics and indirect vision on a manikin at exam height
- ☐ Plan your time per procedure and a fallback if one runs long
- ☐ Prepare for Situational Judgement too: five categories, pass 6 of 10 stations with at least one per category
This checklist is general guidance written for PassDental. The NDEB protocol is the only authority on what's allowed. Read it and follow it.
Back to the NDECC overview.
Frequently asked questions
What procedures are on the NDECC Clinical Skills component?
Class II amalgam preparation and restoration, Class II and Class IV composite restorations, an endodontic access cavity, a crown preparation (metal-ceramic or all-ceramic) and a provisional crown, on a typodont in a manikin.
Can I prepare for the NDECC with an app?
Not for the hands-on component. You need supervised typodont practice. An app can organize your practice log and help with the written exams that come before it.