DSE OSCE QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS 2026-2027
What are the ADA recommendations for when pre-med is required - CORRECT ANSWER --
prosthetic cardiac valves, including transcatheter-implanted prostheses and homografts
- prosthetic material used for cardiac valve repair, such as annuloplasty rings and chords
- a history of infective endocarditis
- a cardiac transplanta with valve regurgitation due to a structurally abnormal valve
- the following congenital (present from birth) heart disease
--unrepaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including palliative shunts and conduits
--
any repaired congenital heart defect with residual shunts or valvular regurgitation at the site of
or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or a prosthetic device
**ADA website**
https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/antibiotic-prophylaxis
41-
yo woman, pregnant; prev rheumatic fever with heart murmur (no valvular abnormality); allerg
y to penicillin. Positive history of infective endocarditis. Does she need to pre med?
- yes
- no - CORRECT ANSWER -yes
- REVIEW HEALTH HISTORY -
on my exam, this patient had a previous history of infective endocarditis. Pre-med IS indicated
- many of the OSCE quizlets say no....
Pre-med options for pregnant woman w/hx of infective endocarditis and penicillin allergy
- amoxicillin
- cephalexin
,- clarithromycin
- ciproflaxacin - CORRECT ANSWER -*clarithromycin*
I may not be correct, the correct option may be cephalexin. however I chose clarithromycin due
to penicillin allergy, cross reaction with cephalosporins, and since clindamycin/erythromycin/azt
hromycin were not options. Ciproflaxacin is contraindicated in pregnancy. article for reference h
ttps://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/is-it-safe/antibiotics-and-pregnancy/
What procedure can a dentist perform without consulting MD if a patient is currently taking bis
phosphonates?
- endo therapy
- prophy and scaling
- extraction
- occlusal restoration - CORRECT ANSWER -*occlusal restoration*
although the main HELL NO is extraction, completing endo therapy increases risk if the apex is c
ompromised/damaged during therapy. I teetered on prophy and scaling, but since it did not spe
cify supragingival, decided that the risk of scaling can negatively affect the periosteum of a bisph
osphanate patient. ADA recommendations:
http://www.centreoms.com/admin/storage/news/ADA%20Recommendations%20for%20Treat
ment%20of%20Patients%20on%20Bisphosphon.pdf
Pregnant person afraid of needles -
stress management by putting patient in what position when in your chair (BEFORE they even g
et to the point of passing out)?
- supply oxygen
- place in Trendelenburg
- make patient sit up straight
- tell them to suck it up buttercup - CORRECT ANSWER -place her in Trendelburg position.
-
supine hypotension in 3rd trimester usually occurs (bc compression Inf vena cava) => must prev
ent this in dental chair bc it can cause patient to pass out.
,-
Best preventative treatment for supine hypotension is to turn the patient, preferably to the left
side, to displace the uterus away from the inferior vena cava. The patient can also be placed in a
sitting position with the knees flexed.
6 months pregnant had bleeding gums and mobile teeth, how should they be treated?
- immediate extractions
- do not treat until baby is born
- conservative debridement
- immediate endo - CORRECT ANSWER -conservative debridement
.-
pregnancy gingivitis: important to do ScRP (and stress good oral hygiene) to prevent plaque gro
wth. The plaque can enter blood stream and stimulate patient's immune system to produce pro
staglandins, which can trigger uterine contraction leading to early labor, premature birth, and a
small baby.
Pregnant lady with a diastema in between #8 and #9 with deep probing depth and class 1 mobili
ty on 8 and 9. What is the reason for diastema?
- chronic periodontitis
- distal drift
- normal during pregnancy - CORRECT ANSWER -chronic perio
-
increased incidence of periodontal disease during pregnancy => must emphasize good oral hygi
ene, and remove all their plaque so it doesn't lead to premature birth / low birth weight
Permanent staining as a result of tetracyline; did this happen?
- During development (as fetus)
- 0-5yrs
- 5-10 yrs
, - 10-15 yrs - CORRECT ANSWER -age 0-5 years
- remember that PERMANENT dentition does not begin calcification until birth
Pentobarbital (Nembutal) and Secobarbital (Seconal) are what type of drugs?
- benzodiazepines
- NSAIDS
- barbituates
- atypical antipsychotic - CORRECT ANSWER -barbituates
- used primarily evening BEFORE appointment
A patient has an allergic reaction to a barbiturate, how do you treat?
- epinephrine
- diphenhydramine
- send to ER - CORRECT ANSWER -benadryl (diphenhydramine)
-
And discontinuation of the drug. Obviously if there are concerns with airway, treatment may dif
fer... but this was not indicated in the question stem. However, I did not have answer choices th
at reflected this scenario nor was it addressed in the question stem
A patient is on a steroidal medication. What information do you need to obtain before treating t
hem?
- dose and pharmacy that filled the RX
- duration of prescription
- both dose and duration - CORRECT ANSWER -*dose and duration*
-
"The rule of twos": AskBwhether the patient is currently on steroids or has been on corticosteroi
ds for 2 weeks or longer within the past 2 years. You must go back 2 years in the history because
it can take 2 weeks to 2 years for the adrenal glands to bounce back to normal function.
ANSWERS 2026-2027
What are the ADA recommendations for when pre-med is required - CORRECT ANSWER --
prosthetic cardiac valves, including transcatheter-implanted prostheses and homografts
- prosthetic material used for cardiac valve repair, such as annuloplasty rings and chords
- a history of infective endocarditis
- a cardiac transplanta with valve regurgitation due to a structurally abnormal valve
- the following congenital (present from birth) heart disease
--unrepaired cyanotic congenital heart disease, including palliative shunts and conduits
--
any repaired congenital heart defect with residual shunts or valvular regurgitation at the site of
or adjacent to the site of a prosthetic patch or a prosthetic device
**ADA website**
https://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/antibiotic-prophylaxis
41-
yo woman, pregnant; prev rheumatic fever with heart murmur (no valvular abnormality); allerg
y to penicillin. Positive history of infective endocarditis. Does she need to pre med?
- yes
- no - CORRECT ANSWER -yes
- REVIEW HEALTH HISTORY -
on my exam, this patient had a previous history of infective endocarditis. Pre-med IS indicated
- many of the OSCE quizlets say no....
Pre-med options for pregnant woman w/hx of infective endocarditis and penicillin allergy
- amoxicillin
- cephalexin
,- clarithromycin
- ciproflaxacin - CORRECT ANSWER -*clarithromycin*
I may not be correct, the correct option may be cephalexin. however I chose clarithromycin due
to penicillin allergy, cross reaction with cephalosporins, and since clindamycin/erythromycin/azt
hromycin were not options. Ciproflaxacin is contraindicated in pregnancy. article for reference h
ttps://www.parents.com/pregnancy/my-body/is-it-safe/antibiotics-and-pregnancy/
What procedure can a dentist perform without consulting MD if a patient is currently taking bis
phosphonates?
- endo therapy
- prophy and scaling
- extraction
- occlusal restoration - CORRECT ANSWER -*occlusal restoration*
although the main HELL NO is extraction, completing endo therapy increases risk if the apex is c
ompromised/damaged during therapy. I teetered on prophy and scaling, but since it did not spe
cify supragingival, decided that the risk of scaling can negatively affect the periosteum of a bisph
osphanate patient. ADA recommendations:
http://www.centreoms.com/admin/storage/news/ADA%20Recommendations%20for%20Treat
ment%20of%20Patients%20on%20Bisphosphon.pdf
Pregnant person afraid of needles -
stress management by putting patient in what position when in your chair (BEFORE they even g
et to the point of passing out)?
- supply oxygen
- place in Trendelenburg
- make patient sit up straight
- tell them to suck it up buttercup - CORRECT ANSWER -place her in Trendelburg position.
-
supine hypotension in 3rd trimester usually occurs (bc compression Inf vena cava) => must prev
ent this in dental chair bc it can cause patient to pass out.
,-
Best preventative treatment for supine hypotension is to turn the patient, preferably to the left
side, to displace the uterus away from the inferior vena cava. The patient can also be placed in a
sitting position with the knees flexed.
6 months pregnant had bleeding gums and mobile teeth, how should they be treated?
- immediate extractions
- do not treat until baby is born
- conservative debridement
- immediate endo - CORRECT ANSWER -conservative debridement
.-
pregnancy gingivitis: important to do ScRP (and stress good oral hygiene) to prevent plaque gro
wth. The plaque can enter blood stream and stimulate patient's immune system to produce pro
staglandins, which can trigger uterine contraction leading to early labor, premature birth, and a
small baby.
Pregnant lady with a diastema in between #8 and #9 with deep probing depth and class 1 mobili
ty on 8 and 9. What is the reason for diastema?
- chronic periodontitis
- distal drift
- normal during pregnancy - CORRECT ANSWER -chronic perio
-
increased incidence of periodontal disease during pregnancy => must emphasize good oral hygi
ene, and remove all their plaque so it doesn't lead to premature birth / low birth weight
Permanent staining as a result of tetracyline; did this happen?
- During development (as fetus)
- 0-5yrs
- 5-10 yrs
, - 10-15 yrs - CORRECT ANSWER -age 0-5 years
- remember that PERMANENT dentition does not begin calcification until birth
Pentobarbital (Nembutal) and Secobarbital (Seconal) are what type of drugs?
- benzodiazepines
- NSAIDS
- barbituates
- atypical antipsychotic - CORRECT ANSWER -barbituates
- used primarily evening BEFORE appointment
A patient has an allergic reaction to a barbiturate, how do you treat?
- epinephrine
- diphenhydramine
- send to ER - CORRECT ANSWER -benadryl (diphenhydramine)
-
And discontinuation of the drug. Obviously if there are concerns with airway, treatment may dif
fer... but this was not indicated in the question stem. However, I did not have answer choices th
at reflected this scenario nor was it addressed in the question stem
A patient is on a steroidal medication. What information do you need to obtain before treating t
hem?
- dose and pharmacy that filled the RX
- duration of prescription
- both dose and duration - CORRECT ANSWER -*dose and duration*
-
"The rule of twos": AskBwhether the patient is currently on steroids or has been on corticosteroi
ds for 2 weeks or longer within the past 2 years. You must go back 2 years in the history because
it can take 2 weeks to 2 years for the adrenal glands to bounce back to normal function.
