The Hong Kong Dental License Examination（HKDLE） in the second half of 2025.
The scores of this student from CHENGHEI Education have come out, and they passed Part 1 in one go!
Recently, we spoke with him to ask how he achieved it. Below are some methods we compiled after his review. Now, we share them with doctors currently preparing for their exams. 😄
First thing: didn’t get around to those dozen English books
At the very beginning of his preparations, he checked the recommended reading list on the official website, which consisted of over a dozen books, all in English.
After flipping through for a few days, I noticed an issue: I could get a bit into each book, but I’d forget everything after reading it, unable to connect the dots.
What I need is someone to tell me which of these dozen or so books are essential to master thoroughly and which can be skimmed through
Later, he followed our CHENGHEI’s course, attending live streams every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and watched whatever the teacher covered. It wasn’t that he avoided the original books, but rather that he didn’t read them blindly. After the live sessions, he would review the recordings a few days later.
For chapters covered in class, go back to the original book to deepen your understanding; for those not mentioned in class, leave them untouched for now.
Out of a dozen or so books, less than a third were actually read thoroughly, but all the points that could be scored were secured.
The second thing: finally understanding what multiple-choice questions are actually testing
Part 1 consists entirely of multiple-choice questions, but he was very hesitant about most of them when he first took the practice test.
It’s not that I can’t, but that I can’t choose.
For example, a question may have four seemingly correct options, but only one is the right answer. He later realized that multiple-choice questions test not whether you “know this knowledge point,” but whether you can “distinguish between similar options.”.
Later, I wrote a line next to every wrong answer: What does this question test? Is it about the difference in definitions or the judgment of clinical scenarios? After writing many, I knew which direction to think when doing exercises
Third thing: If you have a problem, ask directly—don’t hold it back
When he was reviewing on his own, some questions puzzled him, so he kept them aside, thinking he’d revisit them later to see if he could figure them out. But as time passed, he gradually forgot about them.
It was later found that this approach didn’t work.
“If you have any questions, just post them in the group. Sometimes I think my questions are silly, but others still answer them seriously. The feeling is like having someone keep an eye on things, so you don’t have to figure it out yourself.”
The fourth thing: Don’t ask so much, just finish it first
It can also be frustrating during the exam preparation.
When he couldn’t focus on reading or get stuck on problems, he had that too.
“My approach is to not overthink. Today, focus on which chapter to read and finish it. Today, tackle the questions you need to practice and complete them. Once done, go to sleep without worrying about tomorrow.”
Finally, he concluded with a remark:
I’m not the kind of person who’s particularly smart, nor do I spend much more time than others. I simply reflect on what learning methods suit me best at each step while following along, so I don’t wander off in the wrong direction for long
Passing the exam in one go isn’t about talent—it’s about the right method. If you want to learn more about the Hong Kong Dental License Exam, come find us.