American Board of Periodontology

What American Board of Periodontology does

The American Board of Periodontology (ABP) is a US non-profit certifying board founded in 1939 that administers board certification in periodontology and dental implant surgery. It is recognized by the National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards and the American Dental Association as the official certifying body for the specialty — the second such recognized board in the nation after oral surgery. ABP serves two customer groups: candidates (periodontists who have completed or are completing a CODA-accredited residency and seek board certification) and Diplomates (board-certified periodontists who must maintain certification through annual registration and continuing education).

ABP's core products are two sequential examinations — the Qualifying Examination ($850 non-refundable application fee, computer-based, administered at Pearson VUE regional testing centers in the US and internationally) and the Oral Examination ($2,100 non-refundable fee, in-person, in Raleigh, North Carolina). In January 2025, ABP launched ABPerio Minute, a cloud-based continuing certification platform that replaced the prior six-year static recertification exam with quarterly 15-question assessments (60 annually), making ABP the first dental specialty board to adopt an interactive continuing certification model.

Revenue is generated entirely from examination application fees, recurring Diplomate annual registration fees ($325 per year), and ancillary fees (rescheduling, late, and reactivation fees). The organization operates with a small staff of fewer than 10 employees supplemented by an 11-member volunteer Board of Directors and more than 50 volunteer examiners, with logistics and travel support for candidates handled through contracted hotel blocks in Raleigh. Annual examination volume is roughly 230-250 Qualifying Examination candidates and 200-232 Oral Examination candidates, with pass rates of 70-76%.

Name

American Board of Periodontology

Legal name

American Board of Periodontology

Website

https://abperio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The American Board of Periodontology is a US non-profit certifying board, founded in 1939, that administers board certification in periodontology and dental implant surgery through a two-part examination process and a new cloud-based continuing certification platform for the nation's periodontists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Offices of Dentists (621210)

akta.pro primary industry

Periodontic & Implant Group Practices (HLABAKAF)

Keywords

• Board certification periodontics
• Dental specialty certification
• Continuing certification platform
• Periodontology examination services
• Professional certification body

Headquarters

HQ city

Severna Park

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

Revenue model

1. Annual Registration Fees: Annual registration fees charged to Diplomates to maintain certification. The 2025 annual registration fee is $325, due January 15. Late fees of $100 apply for late registration. Reactivation fee of $75 plus past due fees required for return to Active status.
2. Qualifying Examination Application Fees: Non-refundable application fee of $850 for the Qualifying Examination. This is a one-time fee per examination attempt.
3. Oral Examination Application Fees: Non-refundable application fee of $2,100 for the Oral Examination. Reschedule fee is $600. Candidates who take the 2027 QE in January are NOT eligible to take the 2027 Oral Examination.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The American Board of Periodontology (ABP) certifies periodontists in periodontology and dental implant surgery through a two-step examination process: the computer-based Qualifying Examination administered at Pearson VUE regional testing centers, and the in-person Oral Examination held in Raleigh, North Carolina. It also provides ongoing continuing certification for Diplomates through annual registration and the ABPerio Minute cloud-based platform, which delivers quarterly knowledge assessments to replace the prior six-year static recertification exam.

Product overview

The American Board of Periodontology offers a certification program for periodontists consisting of two core examination products: the Qualifying Examination (a computer-based multiple-choice test administered at PearsonVue testing centers) and the Oral Examination (an in-person clinical examination in Raleigh, NC). The organization recently launched ABPerio Minute, a cloud-based continuing certification platform that delivers ongoing knowledge assessment through quarterly multiple-choice questions, transitioning from the previous six-year static recertification model to a longitudinal assessment approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ABPerio Minute: A novel cloud-based continuing certification platform launched in 2025 that promotes personalized knowledge acquisition and assessment with minimal time commitment. Diplomates must answer 15 multiple choice questions each quarter for a total of 60 questions by December 31 each year.
• Leslie M. Salkin Award

Quantifiable outcome

• First dental specialty certifying board to transition to an interactive continuing certification model (ABPerio Minute)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, support and minor.

• Pearson VuecoreTechnology or IntegrationPearson Vue is the testing provider for the ABP Qualifying Examination. Candidates register with Pearson Vue to schedule seats at regional testing centers for the computer-based examination. The Qualifying Examination is offered at testing facilities throughout the US and internationally.
• American Academy of Periodontology FoundationsupportStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Bowers Fund is administered by the American Academy of Periodontology Foundation to ensure the financial stability and growth of the specialty's certifying board. The Bowers Fund supports investments that help the ABP innovate testing methods, improve the candidate and Diplomate experience, and strengthen continuing certification and lifelong learning.
• Hotels/Accommodation Providers (Raleigh, NC)minorOthersThe ABP contracts a block of hotel rooms for candidates at a nearby hotel for the Oral Examination in Raleigh, North Carolina, and provides transportation to and from the exam facility. Candidates are required to arrive the day before their scheduled exam.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• American Academy of Periodontology: The professional membership association for periodontists; closely intertwined with ABP through shared Diplomate population, director elections, and the Bowers Fund endowment. Not a certifying body but the ecosystem partner most directly aligned with ABP's mission.
• National Commission on Recognition of Dental Specialties and Certifying Boards: The ADA-affiliated body that formally recognizes ABP and the other dental specialty certifying boards. The regulator whose continued recognition underwrites ABP's monopoly and revenue base.

Direct peers

• American Board of Prosthodontics: NCRDSCB-recognized certifying board for prosthodontists operating a multi-part written and oral examination structure. Comparable in scope, revenue model, and Diplomate maintenance to ABP.
• American Board of Endodontics: NCRDSCB-recognized certifying board for endodontists using a Qualifying Examination and Oral Examination pathway. Directly comparable certification structure, candidate volume, and Diplomate maintenance model to ABP.
• American Board of Orthodontics: NCRDSCB-recognized specialty certifying board for orthodontists that uses a written-and-clinical examination pathway with annual Diplomate registration. Operates under the same regulatory umbrella and revenue model as ABP.
• American Board of Pediatric Dentistry: NCRDSCB-recognized specialty certifying board for pediatric dentists with an analogous written/clinical exam pathway and recurring Diplomate maintenance requirements. Closest scale and process match to ABP among the recognized specialty boards.
• American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: The first NCRDSCB-recognized dental specialty certifying board (predates ABP) and operates an analogous two-exam certification pathway for oral and maxillofacial surgeons, with comparable annual Diplomate maintenance fees. Most structurally comparable peer to ABP.
• American Board of Dental Public Health: NCRDSCB-recognized specialty certifying board for dental public health specialists operating a written examination pathway. Smaller-scale but structurally analogous dental specialty certification organization.
• American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology: NCRDSCB-recognized specialty certifying board for oral and maxillofacial radiologists. Smaller-scale but structurally analogous dental specialty certification body with similar two-exam pathway.

Regional players

• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Faculty of Dental Surgery): UK-based dental specialty membership and examination body (MJDF/MFD examination pathways) that competes for international periodontist candidates and represents a regional alternative to ABP certification outside North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/americanboardofperiodontology
• Instagraminstagram.com/abperio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abperio

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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