If you trained as a dentist outside Canada, you will hear two exam names again and again: the AFK exam and the ADAT exam. They are not interchangeable. The AFK is the first exam in the NDEB Equivalency Process, which leads towards a Canadian licence. The ADAT is an American Dental Association admission test that some university programs use to select applicants. Which one you need depends on the route you choose, and choosing the wrong one can cost you months.
The Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge is run by the National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB). It is the first of three exams in the Equivalency Process, followed by the Assessment of Clinical Judgement (ACJ) and the National Dental Examination of Clinical Competence (NDECC). You must pass each before moving to the next.
The AFK tests biomedical science and applied clinical science knowledge. It has 200 single-answer multiple-choice questions in two parts, with two hours for each part, and is offered electronically at Prometric centres or in booklet format at select sites. You can take the AFK a maximum of three times. Fees, dates and registration rules are set by the NDEB and change from time to time, so always confirm them on its site.
The Advanced Dental Admission Test is developed by the American Dental Association and delivered at Pearson VUE test centres. Programs differ in how they use it. In Canada, the University of Toronto’s International Dentist Advanced Placement Program (IDAPP) requires it, taken within three years before the July 2 application deadline. The ADAT is not a licensing exam.
| AFK | ADAT | |
| Run by | NDEB | American Dental Association |
| Purpose | First exam of the Equivalency Process | Admission test for advanced programs |
| Route | Direct equivalency | University route, for example IDAPP |
| Format | 200 single-answer questions, two parts of two hours | Computer-based at Pearson VUE |
| Attempts and validity | Maximum of three attempts | U of T accepts scores from the last three years |
The direct equivalency route starts with the AFK. You then work through the ACJ and the NDECC in order. There is no place quota, so the main limits are your preparation and your attempts.
The university route uses the ADAT to compete for a limited number of places. U of T lists 24 places in IDAPP, a minimum GPA of 3.0, and Canadian citizenship or permanent residency by the deadline. The program is self-funded. Other universities have their own rules, so always check the current program page. Four questions can help you decide:
Timing matters on both routes. NDEB sittings have registration windows, and exams can fill before the deadline. The ADA sets ADAT testing dates, and U of T’s application deadline is July 2, so your score has to be in hand before then. Check the NDEB dates page and the ADA site early, and work backwards from them.
Some candidates prepare for both to keep their options open, but the ADAT does not replace the NDEB exams. U of T states that IDAPP prepares students for the NDEB examinations, so those exams still follow. If you are unsure, use the overlap sensibly: biomedical science revision helps both, while question style and timing differ.
AFK preparation is about breadth. You need reliable knowledge across biomedical and applied clinical sciences, plus practice with single-answer questions under timed conditions. Our AFK prep course and the complete AFK exam guide for Canada show how we structure this. ADAT preparation leans on reasoning. Published test outlines list biomedical sciences, clinical sciences and data interpretation, so practise interpreting information as well as recalling it. Read our ADAT preparation timeline in Canada, see how an ADAT prep course fits your schedule, and use our guide to choosing an ADAT prep course in Canada.
No. Licensure runs through the NDEB. The ADAT only matters if a university program you apply to requires it.
Some candidates do, but it means splitting your preparation. Most focus first on the exam that belongs to their chosen route.
The NDEB allows a maximum of three attempts, so plan your first attempt carefully.
U of T requires the ADAT to have been taken within three years before the application deadline. Other programs set their own limits.
| Not sure which route fits you? Book a free 30-minute orientation with Dr. Sehar and talk it through. |
Dr. Sehar (Dr. Sahreen Alam) is an oral and maxillofacial surgeon and the founder of DentaBest, with 14 years of experience tutoring INBDE, ADAT and AFK candidates.
