The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) has renamed the examinations that Gateway Diplomates must take to maintain their Diplomate status in the coming years. Gateway Diplomates are those practicing orthodontists who accepted the Gateway Offer, a pathway to certification that was available from 2005 through 2007.
The ABO Board of Directors renamed the examinations to clarify the board-certification and recertification process for these individuals.
The first examination is now named the Gateway Certification Examination. The exam is offered throughout the year during the ABO’s Clinical Examination sessions. Gateway Diplomates must take this examination within 5 years of accepting the Gateway Offer, or they risk losing their board certificate. An up-to-date list of Clinical Examination session and registration deadline are listed on the ABO Web site. In addition, information on the patient source, the components of the Gateway Certification Examination, and the case criteria for the Gateway Certification Examination are available on the ABO site. The ABO will not offer this examination after December 31, 2012.
For those orthodontists who are unable to accumulate a sufficient number of cases to complete the Gateway Certification Examination by their deadline, the ABO offers the Beginning Certification Examination. Individuals may register and pay for this examination whenever they are ready to restart the board-certification process.
After completing the Gateway Certification Examination, Gateway Diplomates must take recertification examinations every 10 years to keep their board certificate current. These examinations are now named the First Recertification Examination, the Second Recertification Examination, the Third Recertification Examination, and the Fourth Recertification Examination. The ABO will begin offering these examinations starting in 2013.
