Helpdesk
A clear understanding of the legislative, financial and regulatory issues pertaining to dentistry is a vital component of the all-round competence of every dental professional as reflected in GDC guidelines for both the undergraduate dental curriculum and the profession as a whole.
This computer-administered test is aimed at assessing the extent of your knowledge in key areas while driving learning towards a broad and thorough understanding of the competencies as outlined in the VT and Dental Foundation Competency Document.
Dental Assesment Unit (DAU)
If you have any technical issues in accessing the test, please contact the Dental Assessment Unit.
Andrew Leitch (Assistant Dean)
email - andrew.leitch@nhs.scot
Calum Cassie (Associate Dean)
email - calum.cassie@nhs.scot
If you have any comments about the content of the test, or suggestions for improvement please contact Andrew Leitch or Calum Cassie.
All VDPs will be sent an e-mail from the Dental Assessment Unit in November with further details of the Test of Knowledge. The email will state that you will receive a separate email containing a username and login link which will grant you access to the Test of Knowledge. This email will come from Questionmark (please check your spam / junk folders if you do not receive it).
Please Note: The link only allows you to log in to the Questionmark site for one time only without a password, it will then automatically ask you to change your password. The link will also only be active for 2 weeks. If you do not click the link in this time, you will require a new link to be sent to you. Please do not continue to use this link each time you log in as it is only for your initial set up. Your password should be at least 8 characters long, contain a special character and an upper-case letter.
Once you have logged into the test for the first time you can access it on any device by navigating to the following link:
The test is comprised of two modules: The Prescribing module with a 100% passmark and a Main (managerial) module with a 71% passmark. The scores you obtain for both modules will determine whether you pass the test as a whole.
i.e. To pass the Test of Knowledge you will need to achieve:
100% for the Prescribing Module
plus at least 71% for the Managerial module =
The combined passmark must be at least 74%
N.B. If you score 74% or higher overall, but did not get 100% in the Prescribing module, you have NOT passed the Test of Knowledge.
Prescribing Module
You will start the test with a five-question prescribing module in which you must answer all questions correctly (passmark 100%). The use of the SDCEP ‘Drug Prescribing for Dentistry’ guidance for reference is permitted during the test.
Main (managerial) module
The second module is comprised of a random selection of forty-five questions from a large question bank. If you are taking the test more than once you will be presented with a different set of questions at each sitting. The questions are either in multiple-choice or multiple-response format.
Multiple Choice Questions Candidates select ONE answer from any number of (mutually exclusive) possible answers e.g.1. You have a pair of steel forceps that must be sent back to the manufacturer for repair. Having just used them, you have cleaned them thoroughly to remove all visible deposits. Assuming all necessary sterilising equipment is available to you, which is the most effective process to use to decontaminate the forceps before their dispatch?
Multiple Response Questions Candidates select ONE or MORE correct matching responses from any number of possible answers. To score on these questions, all of the correct responses must be selected, e.g.1. A new patient attends for routine check-up. What should you record?
Your scheme Adviser will let you know when you will be undertaking the invigilated test within an education centre as part of a study day.
Please do not practice the test after midnight on the day before the invigilated test. If you do, you will not be eligible to sit the test on the arranged date and will need to demonstrate at least one pass at practise level before being permitted to sit the invigilated test on a re-arranged date.
You will be provided with the below guidance which you can use as reference throughout the test:
You can have a maximum of three attempts to pass on the day of the test. If you fail to pass after your third attempt, you will need to practice further and pass three practice attempts prior to arranging another sitting at a future date with your Invigilator.
Please note: The system will not prevent these further attempts from happening and this could result in you believing you have legitimately passed only to find sometime later during reporting that a problem has been identified and nullified the result.
The Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme
The British National Formulary
Statement of Dental Remuneration
The National Health Service (General Dental Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2010
UK Government website and Scottish Government website