CDCA Examination

The University of Detroit Mercy serves as a site location for the Commission on Dental Competency Assessments.

Tour Our Clinic

All non-UDM candidates are strongly urged to make an appointment to visit the dental clinic to familiarize themselves with the facility, prior to the examination. You may also want to bring your hand-pieces to try and obtain answers for any questions. To arrange a tour, contact Cheryl Baxter, CDCA Coordinator at 313-494-6750 or needhaca@udmercy.edu.

Orientation

CDCA Candidate Orientation is mandatory! Orientation will take place in an assigned classroom located in the dental clinic building.

Parking & Directions

The CDCA exam is conducted at the School Of Dentistry Corktown Campus, not at the University Of Detroit Mercy main campus. Free visitor parking is available at the Corktown Campus in our lot at the 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. entrance. Campus Security is on-site.

Hours

The dental clinic opens at 6:00 a.m. on the day of each exam. Candidates may enter the clinic building, find their chair assignment and begin setting up their area.

Chair Assignments

Chair assignments for CDCA candidates are determined by the Office of Clinic Administration and will be posted in the clinic where the exam will be taken.

Please Note: Candidates requiring a left-handed chair should notify the Office of Clinic Administration ten days in advance of the examination. Left–handed chairs are provided first come first served.

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    Equipment & Instruments

    Please Note: The University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry does not provide instruments (i.e., handpieces, cassettes) or shrouds for the Columbia manikin head. ALL Candidates MUST bring their own handpieces, instruments, scalers, tips, inserts, shrouds and protective eyewear.

    • All clinic units will adapt to electric or air-driven hand-pieces. 
    • Electric motors are provided in all clinic units.
    • All units are equipped with a disposable air/water syringe. 
    • This system is compatible with the Bien-Air electric or like hand-piece and/or Starflite and Borden high-speed air-driven hand-pieces and Midwest Quicktorque or Titan H air-driven low speed hand-pieces. 

    Consumable Materials:  Air/water syringe tips, headrest covers, patient napkins, bracket trays covers, waste receptacles, paper cups, paper towels, gauze pads, cotton rolls, gloves and face masks are provided in the clinic.  Consumable Materials also include:  gutta percha, extrude putty, bur blocks, prophy paste, composite guns, premise composite, amalgam capsules, matrix bands, etc. 

    Repairs:  The Dental School is required to have a repair technician on the premises during CDCA exams.  A repair technician from Benco will be available if repairs are needed.

    Radiographs:  Candidates are responsible for bringing all necessary radiographs. 

    Sterilization Services:  Candidates must supply all sterilized instruments and are responsible for sterilization after the exam.  The school does not provide sterilization services when the exam is over, but sterilization bags are available.
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    Fees and Payment

    Fees:

    All non-UDM dental and dental hygiene candidates participating in the CDCA exams must pay a clinic user fee prior to taking the exam. 

    •  Dental:  $300.00
    •  Hygiene: $175.00

    Payment Information:

    • Only Cashier’s Checks (Bank Check) or Money Orders are acceptable - Personal Checks are NOT accepted and will be returned
    • The candidate's name must be on cashier’s check or money order 
    • Make payable to: UNIVERSITY OF DETROIT MERCY SCHOOL OF DENTISTRY
    • The fee must be received prior to the examination date - external candidates will not be allowed to start the exam until the fee has been paid in full 

    Mail fee to:               

    University of Detroit Mercy
    School of Dentistry
    Office of Clinic Administration
    2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
    Detroit, MI 48208
    Attn: Cheryl Baxter, CDCA Coordinator