The American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology was established by the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology in 1979.  In 1980, the Board was incorporated in the State of Connecticut.  In 1990 the Board was re-incorporated in the State of Iowa.

The Board is administered by a Board of Directors who are Diplomates elected by the active Diplomates of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.

The objectives of the Board are to:

1.   elevate the standards of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (OMR);
2.   advance optimum patient health care;
3.   promote and improve the quality of education and knowledge in OMR among all members of the health sciences;
4.   establish eligibility criteria of candidates for examination;
5.   establish procedures for the examination of candidates, and;
6.   certify those who meet the requirements for membership.

Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology is the specialty of dentistry and discipline of radiology concerned with the production and interpretation of images and data produced by all modalities of radiant energy that are used for the diagnosis and management of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral and maxillofacial region.

The following qualifications are required to challenge the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology examination:

1.   Education:

   A.  A candidate must have graduated from a dental school accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation or other appropriate accrediting agency.

   B. A candidate must show evidence of satisfactory completion of an Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology advanced education program accredited by the ADA Commission on Dental Accreditation or the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada.

Admission to the Board examination shall be determined by the Directors of the ABOMR, whose decision is final.  Although appeals may be considered, applicants agree by virtue of applying to accept the decisions of the Directors as final.

1.   Application forms may be secured online (http://www.abomr.org), or from the Secretary/Treasurer of the Board.

2.   All required documents must be received by May 15 in order to be considered for the next examination.

3.   Application documents shall include an original and five (5) copies of the following:

   A.   Completed application form, including notarization

   B.   Proof of graduation from dental school

   C.  Official transcript and copy of the Certificate of Completion of an advanced education program in Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.  If the program has not been completed at the time of application, include an official transcript of courses completed to date and a list of courses to be completed prior to the examination.  A final official transcript must be supplied no later than 60 days prior to the examination date.

   D.  Curriculum vitae and bibliography

   E.   Recent passport photograph.  This photograph is for recognition of candidates presenting for examination only.

   F.   Completed Americans with Disabilities Act Verification Form.

4.  A non-refundable fee of $250.00 (U.S.) shall accompany the application.

5.  An original signed letter from the Program Director concerning suitability of the candidate to challenge the Board and verifying that the candidate has completed the requirements for the certifying examination.  Electronic correspondence is not permitted.

1.   An applicant will be considered as a candidate for examination if all documents are received by May 15 and approved by the Board of Directors.

2.   The time and place of the examination will be determined by the Board of Directors.

3.   Applicants will be notified of their status by July 1 and will be invited to take the examination at the next scheduled annual meeting of the Board.

4.   Applicants must confirm their intention to appear for the examination by notifying the Secretary/Treasurer of the Board in writing and remitting the examination fee of $700.00 (U.S.) by July 15.

1. The deadline to withdraw from the examination without penalty will be 8 weeks prior to the annual Board of Directors’ meeting.

2. The deadline to withdraw from the examination with a 50% examination fee penalty will be 4 weeks prior to the annual meeting of the Board of Directors. 

3. Within 4 weeks of the examination date, the penalty to withdraw from the examination will be 100% of the examination fee.

5. Should a medical circumstance prevent a candidate from challenging the examination, the candidate will be required to submit a physician’s note to the Secretary/Treasurer.  If there are non-medically-related “extenuating circumstances”, any monetary penalty will be made at the discretion of the Board.

6.There is a limit to the number of candidates that may be examined each year.  This limit will be determined annually by the Board.  Candidates will be accepted in the order that their letters of intent and examination fees are received.

7.    The examination will be comprehensive and will consist of written examinations in Radiation Biology and Protection, Imaging Physics and Technique, and Radiographic Interpretation, and an oral examination in Radiographic Interpretation.  A minimum score of 70% must be achieved in each of the Radiation Biology and Protection, and Imaging Physics and Technique portions of the examination in order to pass.  The written part of the Radiographic Interpretation examination will consist of 16 cases that will require written reports including responses to specific questions.  The oral part will be conducted individually with the 5 Directors of the Board in attendance.  The oral exam will consist of 4 cases that each candidate will be able to preview for 15 minutes prior to the 1 hour oral with the Board of Directors.  Selected images will be projected during the examination.  A candidate must pass at least 12 of the 16 written cases and 3 of the 4 oral cases in order to pass the Interpretation examination as determined by a majority of Directors.

8.   Applicants who fail any and/or all sections of the certifying examination or have been denied admission to the Board because of failure to successfully complete the certifying examination may appeal this decision by petition to the Secretary of the Board within 60 days of the postmarked date of their notification.  The petition to appeal must include the grounds on which the appeal is based.  Upon receipt of the appeal, the Secretary of the Board will notify the President.  The President of the Board will then appoint a committee consisting of three (3) individuals:  The Vice President of the Board, the current Councilor of the Board, and a Diplomate of the Board who has previously served as Director.  The Appeal Committee will then review the grounds of appeal as stated by the appellant during a meeting held in conjunction with the subsequent annual meeting of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology.  A written report of the findings of the Appeal Committee will then be submitted to the President of the Board for action.  The appellant will be notified of the decision of the Board within 30 days of the postmarked date of the written report of the Appeal Committee.

     An individual approved as a candidate for examination will remain eligible for three (3) years.  During this period the candidate must take and successfully complete the examination or forfeit the examination fee and eligibility status.  The Board of Directors may extend the limitation of eligibility, in special circumstances, but not to exceed five (5) years.  An individual may submit a written request for an extension to the Board through the Secretary/Treasurer no later than May 15 of the final year of eligibility.

Candidates who fail to successfully complete one of the three sections of the examination may be permitted, on application to the Board and payment of a re-examination fee, to repeat just that section.  Candidates who fail to successfully complete two or three sections of the examination may be permitted, on application to the Board and payment of a re-examination fee, to repeat the entire examination.

1.   A candidate failing any portion of the examination who wishes to repeat any portion must submit a written, signed request to the Board, through the Secretary/Treasurer, by July 15.  Electronic correspondence is not permitted.

2.   A re-examination fee of $250.00 (U.S.) for permission to repeat one section and $700.00 (U.S.) for permission to repeat two or more sections must accompany the request.

3.   A candidate who fails any portion of the examination three (3) times and who wishes to challenge the examination again must resubmit an application as a new applicant.  Eligibility for re-examination will be at the discretion of the Directors who will review evidence of additional study and experience to support candidacy for re-examination.

The Board of Directors will meet following the examination to determine the candidate’s certification.  This will be determined on the basis of satisfactory completion of all parts of the examination.

     Each individual certified as a Diplomate of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology will receive a certificate bearing the seal of the Board.

     The Board of Directors shall have the authority to revoke any certificate if the Diplomate:

1.   fails to pay the annual registration fee;

2.   is found guilty of an offense leading to revocation of the license to practice dentistry, or;

3.   fails to comply with re-certification standards established by the Directors.

The Board of Directors shall have the sole power, jurisdiction, and right to determine whether evidence placed before it is sufficient to constitute grounds for revocation of any certificate.  The decision of the Board of Directors shall be final.

All Diplomates are expected to attend the annual meeting to transact the business of the Board.

Revised Dec. 1, 1999; Jan. 17, 2001; Oct. 1, 2001; July 14, 2003; June 21, 2004; October 31, 2004; Nov. 12, 2006.