STUDENT SPOTLIGHT | From AFK to NDECC: Dr Tejinder’s 2.5-Year Equivalency Journey
After passing the AFK and ACJ on her first attempts, Dr Tejinder Gill encountered her first major setback at NDECC. She returned six months later, passed both NDECC exams, and completed a two-and-a-half-year equivalency process she started with Scholars Dental in 2024.
Hi, my name is Tejinder, and I recently passed all of my equivalency exams.
It took me about two and a half years to complete AFK, ACJ, and both NDECC exams, and I was with Scholars throughout the entire journey.
Can you take us through your Equivalency Process from the beginning?
I did AFK in August 2024, and then I was able to pass, luckily, on my first attempt.
After that, I did ACJ in May of 2025, and I passed that on my first attempt. I took both NDECC exams in November 2025, and unfortunately I didn't pass them on my first attempt.
I reattempted them in May of 2026, and I passed both with flying colours.
August 2024
AFK → Passed on first attempt
May 2025
ACJ → Passed on first attempt
November 2025
NDECC → First attempt
May 2026
NDECC → Passed both exams
Total journey: Approximately 2.5 years
What did your AFK preparation look like?
While preparing for AFK, I took the Scholars Dental online AFK course from home and studied about eight hours a day, at least five days a week. If I could do more, I would. For example, I can work six days a week. I was not working at that time. I was studying full time, and I really put in a lot of effort.
The AFK course gave me all the information I needed, but I also put in a lot of work to memorize everything, and I passed the exam.
“The AFK course provided me with all the information I needed, but I also put in a lot of work to memorize everything.”
Did you take the same approach to ACJ?
Similarly, for ACJ, I followed the same pattern. I was taking the Scholars Dental course. It was online as well, so I was doing it at home, and even then I was not working at all. I was studying full time.
I put in around eight hours a day, at least five days a week, and it paid off because I was able to pass both AFK and ACJ on my first attempt.
How did your routine change when you reached NDECC? When I started preparing for the NDECC exams, I was working part-time, and I was still able to prepare at least eight to eleven hours a day for both exams because the NDECC exams include clinical skills and situational judgement, which are two very different exams from each other.
I was preparing for both at the same time. I came to the Scholars Dental Centre in Mississauga to prepare. I practised skills for eight hours a day, then went home and studied SJ (Situational Judgement) for at least three hours every day.
What happened during your first NDECC attempt?
On my first attempt, I went to the exam still feeling pretty confident in both my exams. Still, unfortunately, when I was doing my skills exam, one of my projects, which is a provisional crown, broke in the last ten minutes of my exam. I could not fabricate a new one in that much time. I knew as I walked out of that exam that I had failed it. And it was bad luck. It happened to me. It could happen to anyone.
During my exam, while I was working on my other projects, I felt this project should pass, so I moved on. I felt this project should pass, and I moved on.
When I came out of that exam, I knew I had failed because of my provisional crown, because you have to pass all the projects. But I felt like all my other projects should pass.
Then, when I got my results, that is exactly what had happened. I failed my provisional crown, but I passed everything else.
That’s when I knew I could trust my eye.
What do you mean by learning to “trust your eye”?
The judgement I learned at Scholars Dental from all the instructors, the tips that they gave me, the main thing they focused on was learning to train your eye to know what should pass on the exam.
You should know that on your exam day.
And when I got my results, I knew I knew. I knew what should pass and what shouldn’t.
“That’s when I knew I could trust my eye.”
What did you do differently when you returned for your second attempt?
When I went the second time, I repeated exactly what I did the first time.
I prepared eight to eleven hours every day, seven days a week. I was coming to the centre every day, practising my skills. I did three self-mocks a week for skills, and I studied SJ (Situational Judgement) every day at home. And I was still working part-time during this time as well.
Then I went to the exam and I did the same thing. I did my projects for skills. I felt like, "This should pass, this should pass," and I moved on.
This time I passed everything. So I knew I could trust my eye.
What about Situational Judgement?
For Situational Judgement, I practised my written stations more. I practised, read more articles, and did a bit more role-play. I did the same thing again, and this time I passed all ten Situational Judgement stations as well.
So I passed with a perfect score for NDECC on my second attempt.
What did this journey teach you about preparing for these exams?
If I can do it, anyone can. But it also shows it takes a lot of hard work and discipline to stay motivated enough to prepare for these exams.
What I found with Scholars while I was preparing for all of my equivalency exams was that each course is concise and to the point, with no extra information you don't need and that you're wasting time preparing.
All the information and research you need have been done for you and provided to you. All you have to do is put in the work. Make sure you are studying enough. You are repeating the concepts enough, whether that's AFK, whether that's ACJ, whether that's NDECC.
The work you put in is just as important, and the courses provide what you need.
What stood out to you about the support you received at NDECC?
When you come to NDECC, all the tips provided by each instructor are useful. They all have their own twist. They all have their own personalized approach. You have one-on-one work checks where they take as much time as you need to give you the guidance you need to pass. Similarly, for Situational Judgement, the instructors are always helpful in giving their own twist on how to approach each station. Take that information and apply it to the exams, and you should be able to pass.
Looking back at the entire process, how do you see the setback you experienced at NDECC?
I found that throughout my whole equivalency journey, I didn't have to go anywhere else. I was with Scholars Dental from beginning to end. Even though I didn't pass NDECC, I knew the tips I received were right, so I came back, did it again, and passed.
“Failure is sometimes a part of your journey. That doesn't mean that it's always the information you're being provided. Sometimes it's on us, or it's our luck. But the course at Scholars Dental provided me with everything I needed to pass..”
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