The American Dental Licensure Examination Committee (ADLEC), a group of all testing agencies and multiple states met in 2003, laying the foundations for the American Board of Dental Examiners (ADEX). Starting in 2005, ADEX’s goal was to be a truly independent third party test developer for a national examination.  ADEX did not deliver examinations.

The first ADEX dental examinations were delivered in 2006, while Dental Hygiene examinations were first conducted in 2007. The NERB organization delivered the first examinations in 2007 and 2008, respectively.