- Part I is 200 single-best-answer questions in five hours at Pearson VUE, with no scheduled break.
- Implementing patient treatment carries 44% of the written blueprint - the single largest domain.
- 2027-cycle fees total $1,400 for the initial written pathway; Part II adds $1,500.
- Application deadline is December 1, 2026, ahead of the April 14, 2027 written exam date.
What DABOI/ID Actually Certifies
DABOI/ID stands for Diplomate of the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry, the credential awarded by the American Board of Oral Implantology/Implant Dentistry (ABOI/ID). It is earned in two stages: a written Part I examination and a separate Part II oral assessment involving case defense. This cheat sheet condenses the mechanics, numbers, and dates a candidate on the general-dentist pathway needs to keep straight - think of it as the one-page companion to the deeper breakdowns in the DABOI/ID Study Guide 2026 and the DABOI/ID Requirements overview.
Part I Written Exam at a Glance
The written examination is delivered on computer at Pearson VUE testing centers. Candidates answer 200 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions within a five-hour window. There is no built-in break - any time you step away from the screen is deducted from your five hours, so pacing decisions matter as much as clinical knowledge.
- Format: 200 single-best-answer MCQs
- Time: 5 hours, no scheduled break
- Delivery: Pearson VUE computer-based testing centers
- Scoring: Criterion-referenced - you are measured against a fixed competency standard, not curved against other candidates
Because the passing standard is criterion-referenced, your result has nothing to do with how the rest of the room performs on test day. For a full discussion of what that standard actually requires, see DABOI/ID Passing Score 2026.
Five-Domain Blueprint Cheat Sheet
The July 1, 2026 handbook lays out five content domains. Weight your review time proportionally - this is the single highest-leverage planning decision you'll make before test day. A full walkthrough of each domain lives in the DABOI/ID Exam Domains 2026 guide, but here's the compressed version.
Domain 1: Obtaining and Assessing Diagnostic Data (15%)
Covers imaging interpretation, medical/dental history review, and risk assessment before treatment planning begins.
- Radiographic and CBCT interpretation for implant sites
- Medical history red flags affecting implant candidacy
Domain 2: Developing and Presenting a Patient Treatment Plan (18%)
Focuses on translating diagnostic findings into a sequenced, justifiable treatment plan.
- Case sequencing and prosthetic-driven planning
- Informed consent and alternative treatment discussion
Domain 3: Implementing Patient Treatment (44%)
By far the largest domain - nearly half the exam. Surgical and prosthetic execution knowledge lives here.
- Surgical protocols, placement technique, and biomaterials
- Prosthetic restoration of implants across arch types
Domain 4: Maintaining the Effectiveness of the Dental Implant Treatment (8%)
The smallest domain, centered on long-term implant maintenance and recall protocols.
- Peri-implant tissue monitoring
- Maintenance intervals and hygiene protocols
Domain 5: Prevention and Management of Complications (15%)
Tests recognition and management of surgical and prosthetic complications.
- Peri-implantitis diagnosis and management
- Surgical complication prevention and correction
Key Takeaway
Domain 3 alone (44%) is worth nearly as much as Domains 1, 2, 4, and 5 combined - allocate your review hours accordingly, not evenly across all five.
Fees & Deadlines Snapshot
Use the dated 2027-cycle fee schedule rather than any older table you may find referenced elsewhere in the handbook. Here's the quick-reference breakdown; a line-by-line explanation is in the DABOI/ID Certification Cost breakdown.
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application fee (nonrefundable) | $600 |
| Part I written examination | $800 |
| Total initial written pathway | $1,400 |
| Part II oral examination | $1,500 |
| Written reexamination fee | $800 |
| Oral reexamination fee | $1,500 |
On the calendar side, mark two dates: the application deadline of December 1, 2026, and the Part I written examination date of April 14, 2027. Miss the application window and you push your entire timeline back a full cycle. Full scheduling logistics are covered in the DABOI/ID Exam Dates guide.
Eligibility Quick Check
General-dentist pathway candidates need three things confirmed before applying:
- A qualifying dental degree (DDS/DMD) from a CODA- or CDAC-accredited program
- Current, unrestricted dental licensure
- 670 documented implant-related continuing education hours from AGD/PACE and/or ADA/CERP recognized programs
AAID Fellows get a meaningful shortcut: a Part I exemption plus 200 CE hours credited toward the 670-hour requirement. Other approved specialist pathways also carry separate written-exam exemptions. If you're unsure which pathway applies to your background, the DABOI/ID Requirements page walks through each route in detail.
Part II Oral Exam Essentials
Part II combines standardized cases with a defense of candidate-submitted cases - and it cannot be scheduled in the same calendar year as Part I. The case-submission mechanics are specific:
- Submit eight distinct patient cases, each finally restored and functional for at least one year at the time of submission
- The credentials committee selects four of the eight for defense, without advance disclosure of which ones
- Oral case templates 2, 7, and 8 are changing for the 2027 cycle and become mandatory for all oral applicants starting in 2028
That template change is worth flagging early: if your Part II timeline stretches into 2028, plan your case documentation around the updated templates now rather than reformatting under deadline pressure later.
Key Takeaway
Start tracking eight fully restored, one-year-stable implant cases well before you plan to apply for Part II - the committee's selection process means every submitted case needs to be exam-ready, not just your strongest four.
Pass Rate Reality Check
The official July 2024 newsletter reported a 62% written-exam pass rate among 58 candidates. That's a single historical cohort snapshot - not a rolling average, not a forecast for the 2027 administration, and not a guarantee of what any future group will experience. Treat it as directional context about exam rigor rather than a number to plan around precisely. For more context on what drives outcomes and how difficulty is structured across the blueprint, see DABOI/ID Pass Rate 2026 and How Hard Is the DABOI/ID Exam?
One-Week Domain-Weighted Review Plan
Generic study systems only help if they're mapped to this exam's actual weight distribution. Here's a compressed weekly structure that mirrors the blueprint rather than treating all five domains equally.
Domain 3 - Implementing Patient Treatment
- Work original clinical cases covering surgical protocols and prosthetic restoration
- Because this domain is 44% of the exam, give it double the time of any other block
Domain 2 - Treatment Planning
- Practice sequencing multi-step cases and justifying alternative plans
Domains 1 & 5 - Diagnostics and Complications
- Pair diagnostic-data review with complication management since both sit at 15%
Domain 4 - Maintenance
- Cover peri-implant maintenance protocols; lowest weight but still testable
Mixed Review
- Run timed question blocks simulating the five-hour, no-break format
- Re-explain original clinical cases aloud, focusing on why the "best" answer beats the distractors
Run this cycle repeatedly in the weeks before your test date, always weighting Domain 3 heaviest. For a fuller multi-week roadmap, cross-reference the DABOI/ID Study Guide 2026, and use the practice test platform to simulate the five-hour question load under realistic conditions.
Maintenance & Renewal Cheat Notes
Certification isn't a one-time event. Diplomates certified from 2008 onward operate on an eight-year maintenance cycle that requires:
- 160 implant-related CE hours accumulated across the cycle
- A take-home multiple-choice maintenance examination
- Formal attestation
- A $250 maintenance fee
Separately, active Diplomates pay $450 in annual dues under the published 2025-2026 schedule. Budget for both the initial certification cost and this ongoing maintenance obligation when weighing whether the credential fits your career plans - the ROI analysis and salary guide both factor these recurring costs into the bigger financial picture.
FAQ
No. ABOI/ID rules specifically prohibit scheduling both parts within the same calendar year, so plan your timeline across at least two cycles.
The Part I written exam has 200 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions administered over five hours at Pearson VUE centers, with no scheduled break.
Implementing patient treatment (Domain 3) carries 44% of the blueprint - the largest single share by a wide margin - so it deserves the most review time.
A $600 nonrefundable application fee plus an $800 written examination fee totals $1,400 for the initial written pathway; Part II costs an additional $1,500.
Yes. AAID Fellows receive a Part I exemption plus 200 CE hours of credit toward the 670-hour implant-related CE requirement.
Keep this page bookmarked as your quick-reference sheet, but pair it with deeper prep on the main practice test site so the domain weights and question format feel familiar well before April 14, 2027.