DLOSCE Study Materials: What to Use in 2026, Topic by Topic
You do not need a shelf of new books to pass the DLOSCE. You need the free official tools, the right textbook for each topic, and a lot of case-based practice. Here is exactly what to use, how much time each topic deserves, and what to skip.
The free official DLOSCE materials
The DLOSCE is now the computer-based part of the ADEX Dental Examination, so the official materials live on the ADEX website. Download these first.
2026 DLOSCE candidate manualThe rulebook: topic weights, question types, scoring, prescription tasks, test-day rules and retake policy. Read it once, fully, before you build your plan.
Official practice questions (PDF)Shows the screen layout and every question format. ADEX notes these are reviewed less strictly than real exam items, so treat them as a format guide, not your main practice.
3D model tutorialSome questions use 3D tooth models you can rotate, move and zoom. Practise with the tutorial so the controls feel normal on test day.
Acronyms and abbreviations listThe short forms that may appear in questions. Ten minutes with this list saves you from second-guessing on exam day.
All of these are on the ADEX DLOSCE test prep page.
How to split your study time
The 2026 manual gives an exact weight for each topic. Match your hours to it. Here is how 100 study hours would divide.
| Topic | Exam weight | Hours out of 100 | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restorative | 24% | 24 | Diagnosis, preparations, direct and indirect restorations |
| Prosthodontics | 19% | 19 | Removable, fixed and implants |
| Oral Pathology, Pain and TMD | 13% | 13 | Oral pathology and medicine, orofacial pain, TMD |
| Periodontics | 10% | 10 | Diagnosis, treatment planning, causes |
| Oral Surgery | 9% | 9 | Diagnosis, treatment planning, extractions |
| Endodontics | 8% | 8 | Diagnosis, planning, emergencies, follow-up |
| Orthodontics | 6% | 6 | Screening and space management |
| Medical Emergencies | 6% | 6 | Recognising and managing emergencies |
| Prescriptions | 5% | 5 | Antibiotics and analgesics |
Diagnosis, treatment planning and occlusion run through every topic. Cases include children, older adults, patients with special needs and medically complex patients, so keep medical history in mind everywhere.
DLOSCE textbooks by topic
Use the book you already know from dental school if you have one. If not, these are the standard references most programs teach from. Read for decisions (what is the diagnosis, what do I do next), not for trivia.
Restorative (24%)
Sturdevant’s Art and Science of Operative Dentistry. Focus on caries diagnosis and risk, when to restore versus monitor, preparation design and material choice for direct and indirect restorations.
Prosthodontics (19%)
Contemporary Fixed Prosthodontics (Rosenstiel, Land and Walter) for crowns and bridges, and a complete denture text such as Prosthodontic Treatment for Edentulous Patients (Zarb) for removable work. Know vertical dimension, denture problems and their causes, abutment choice and implant treatment planning.
Oral Pathology, Pain and TMD (13%)
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (Neville) for lesions, and Management of Temporomandibular Disorders and Occlusion (Okeson) for TMD and orofacial pain. Above all, learn when a lesion needs a biopsy or referral.
Periodontics (10%)
Newman and Carranza’s Clinical Periodontology. Learn the 2017 AAP/EFP staging and grading cold, plus when to do non-surgical therapy, re-evaluate or refer.
Oral Surgery (9%)
Contemporary Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (Hupp). Focus on extraction planning, complications such as dry socket and bleeding, and patients on blood thinners.
Endodontics (8%)
Cohen’s Pathways of the Pulp. Master the pulpal and apical diagnosis terms and how test results (cold, electric pulp test, percussion, palpation) lead to them, plus emergency management.
Orthodontics (6%)
Contemporary Orthodontics (Proffit). For this exam, screening and space management matter most: which space maintainer fits which case, and when to refer.
Medical Emergencies (6%)
Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office (Malamed). Know the signs, the first drug and the dose for syncope, angina, heart attack, asthma, anaphylaxis, hypoglycemia, seizures and local anesthetic overdose.
Prescriptions (5%)
Use the ADA’s clinical practice guidelines: the 2019 guideline on antibiotics for dental pain and swelling and the 2024 guideline on managing acute dental pain. Practise writing full prescriptions: strength, total dispensed, amount per dose and how often.
Choosing a DLOSCE question bank
Reading builds knowledge. Cases build judgment, and the DLOSCE tests judgment. Most of your time, especially in the last month, should go into exam-style questions. Look for these five things.
What to skip
“Recalled” exam questionsReal DLOSCE items are confidential and copyrighted. Obtaining, sharing or studying from them breaks the exam rules and can void your result.
Random free PDFsUnsourced question dumps are often outdated or wrong. One wrong “fact” learned well costs more than it saves.
Reading cover to coverTextbooks are for gaps you find in practice, not for reading front to back. Let your question results tell you what to read.
Frequently asked questions
Are the official practice questions enough to pass?
Do I need to buy all of these textbooks?
How long should I study for the DLOSCE?
Is the DLOSCE still run by the JCNDE?
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Current as of 5 October 2026. Topic weights, official resources and exam rules are from the ADEX 2026 DLOSCE candidate manual and the ADEX DLOSCE test prep page. ADEX does not endorse any textbook or review course; the books listed are standard dental school references suggested by TSB faculty. Rules can change; confirm with ADEX before you register. Educational content, not licensing advice.