ABP Launches ABPerio Minute
The American Board of Periodontology (ABP) is excited to announce the launch of a novel cloud-based continuing certification platform called “ABPerio Minute.” ABPerio Minute is a user-friendly, lifelong learning platform that promotes personalized knowledge acquisition and assessment with minimal time commitment. In 2025, all Diplomates will be required to participate in ABPerio Minute with a requirement to answer 15 multiple choice questions each quarter for a total of 60 questions by December 31 each year.
ABPerio Minute is the key component of the ABP’s transition from a static recertification exam every six years to a continuing certification model with an annual requirement. Research has shown longitudinal assessment is the best way to help Diplomates maintain in-depth knowledge and proficiency in the specialty.
Pilot testing of ABPerio Minute was completed in September 2023 with a group of 90 randomly selected Diplomates. Fifty percent of pilot participants were from private practice.
Key findings from the pilot:
- 90% of the pilot participants felt the platform was intuitive to use.
- 98% felt the content was clear.
- 94% responded that the “key points” provided in the content were extremely useful.
- 88% found the format for the references was useful for further study.
- 82% preferred the ABPerio Minute concept of answering a fixed number of questions each year to enhance their knowledge rather than a single point in time exam.
- More than 90% said the questions were relevant to their practice, were useful learning tools, and helped them stay current in periodontal and implant surgery.
- 82% responded that ABPerio Minute will help them provide better care to their patients.
Following the pilot, the ABP Board of Directors approved moving to a beta test of the platform in 2024. The beta version was offered to ABP Directors, Examiners, pilot participants, and Diplomates who recertified in 2023; and it was mandated for Diplomates recertifying in 2024.
The American Board of Periodontology is the first dental specialty certifying board to transition to an interactive continuing certification model, although other dental specialties are exploring this. The National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards (NCRDSCB) requires engagement in lifelong learning and encourages continuous quality improvement. Continuing certification assures the public that board-certified periodontists continue to meet the standards of the specialty and assists Diplomates in maintaining their knowledge, skills and clinical judgement.
Research in cognitive psychology and neuroscience has advanced the understanding of how the human brain stores and retrieves information and how learning and memory can be strengthened and reinforced. We now know that many of the traditional methods used to study and reinforce learning are counterproductive and that dynamic, adaptive, and formative assessment methods like ABPerio Minute are significantly more effective. No matter how well information is learned, it becomes unrecallable after a long period of disuse.
ABPerio Minute is just one component of the ABP’s new continuing certification model. Diplomates will still be required to accumulate continuing education activity points and provide an attestation of good standing with all licensing boards and other governing agencies.
For more information, visit our Maintenance of Certification page.