ABP Reaccreditation and Maintenance 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under ABP reaccreditation requirements, board-certified periodontists must recertify every how many years?
- 5 years
- 10 years (Correct answer)
- 7 years
- 3 years
Correct answer: 10 years
The ABP requires diplomates to recertify every 10 years to maintain board certification status.
Question 2: Which clinical finding during a supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) visit most strongly indicates the need to return to active periodontal therapy?
- Presence of generalized 3 mm probing depths
- Bleeding on probing at more than 30% of sites
- A single site with 2 mm attachment loss since last visit (Correct answer)
- Plaque index of 20%
Correct answer: A single site with 2 mm attachment loss since last visit
Progressive attachment loss at any site signals disease activity and warrants re-entry into active therapy.
Question 3: For a high-risk periodontal maintenance patient, what is the most evidence-supported recall interval?
- Every 6 months
- Every 12 months
- Every 3 months (Correct answer)
- Every 2 months
Correct answer: Every 3 months
Evidence supports 3-month SPT intervals for high-risk patients to prevent recurrence of periodontitis.
Question 4: During reaccreditation, ABP diplomates are required to submit documentation demonstrating which of the following?
- A minimum of 100 new patient consultations per year
- Completion of approved continuing education credits (Correct answer)
- Publication of at least one peer-reviewed article
- Participation in at least two clinical trials
Correct answer: Completion of approved continuing education credits
ABP reaccreditation requires evidence of ongoing professional development through approved continuing education.
Question 5: Which systemic condition is MOST associated with increased risk of periodontal disease recurrence during maintenance?
- Hypothyroidism
- Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (Correct answer)
- Hypertension
- Osteoporosis
Correct answer: Poorly controlled diabetes mellitus
Poorly controlled diabetes impairs immune function and tissue healing, significantly increasing recurrence risk during SPT.
Question 6: The Periodontal Risk Assessment (PRA) model uses all of the following parameters EXCEPT:
- Bleeding on probing percentage
- Furcation involvement
- Patient age at diagnosis (Correct answer)
- Number of missing teeth
Correct answer: Patient age at diagnosis
The PRA model assesses BOP%, residual pockets, tooth loss, bone loss pattern, smoking, and systemic disease — not age at diagnosis.
Question 7: During SPT, what is the PRIMARY goal of subgingival debridement at sites with residual pockets ≥5 mm?
- Eliminate all remaining periodontal pathogens permanently
- Disrupt and reduce the subgingival biofilm to a subclinical threshold (Correct answer)
- Create a new junctional epithelial attachment
- Stimulate alveolar bone regeneration
Correct answer: Disrupt and reduce the subgingival biofilm to a subclinical threshold
SPT debridement aims to suppress the pathogenic biofilm below levels that trigger destructive immune responses.
ABP Reaccreditation and Maintenance 2
Under ABP reaccreditation requirements, board-certified periodontists must recertify every how many years?