Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2020 - 13

ABO Report

PCSO News and Events

American Board of Orthodontics
Report, Fall 2020
American Board of Orthodontics Response to
COVID-19
We are certainly living in unprecedented times,
and in light of this, like all organizations, we've
had to weigh options and identify adjustments
that best allow us to accomplish our mission,
serve orthodontists, and maintain the highest
commitment to health and safety.
Dr. Jae Hyun Park
Director, American Board of
Orthodontics

Our board, staff, and consultants have been
working diligently to identify every viable method
of administering both the written examination
and the scenario-based oral clinical examination,
given the uncertainty regarding the future of
travel and in-person gatherings.
Therefore, in response to COVID restrictions and
the safety requirements recommended by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
the American Board of Orthodontics has made
modifications to the administration of both the
ABO written examination and the scenario-based
clinical examinations for 2020-2021.
ABO Implements Changes to Written Examination
and Announces Results from the 2020 Written
Examination
Because of COVID-19 concerns, our original
testing centers were only able to offer limited
appointment availability, which directly affected
our written examination originally scheduled on
April 7, 2020. Identifying an appropriate solution
to this problem was our top priority because this
examination is often used as an exit examination
for many orthodontic programs.
In response, the examination was postponed
to June 2020, with two separate testing dates
offered. The administration of the examination
was modified to include a live online proctored
written examination, overseen by Scantron and
Examity. Examination content and test reliability
did not change.

Fall 2020 PCSO Bulletin

The 2020 written examination was administered
to 409 examinees. The reliability of the exam
was 87%, with a 99% pass rate. Once the written
examination has been successfully completed,
the outcome never expires. The ABO would like
to thank the many educators and residents who
were affected by this change for their understanding and patience while we determined
the best alternative format for completing their
examination in a fair and timely manner.
ABO Announces Changes to Clinical Examination
In response to safety requirements recommended by the CDC relating to COVID-19, the ABO
researched and evaluated alternative options to
conduct our scenario-based oral clinical examination. Our current examination format and
structure are not conducive to social distancing requirements and restrictive air travel. The safety of
all involved is our top priority and necessitated a
change in the administration of the examination.
As a result, the examinations originally scheduled in 2020 and 2021 will now be conducted at
Scantron Testing Centers throughout the United
States and Canada. Travel to St. Louis will not be
required.
This decision was made after serious deliberation
and consideration of multiple options. Our goal
was to find the best way to balance honoring our
commitments to exam candidates and maintaining the integrity of the exam while protecting the
health and safety of all participants. The clinical
exam will continue to be administered in a scenario-based format with the same exam components and testing criteria. The validity of the
exam will be maintained with changes only made
to accommodate how answers are submitted.
To learn more about the clinical examination
format in 2020 and 2021, please visit the ABO
website.

Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2020