LOCAL ANESTHESIA - CDCA BOARD
Exam Questions and Answers | 2026
Updated Practice Questions | Grade A+
• What is the most preferred method to re-cap a needle? -✓✓one handed scoop
technique
• What is psychogenic pain? -✓✓pain with no organic cause
• If a patient is having an allergic reaction, what do you do? -✓✓give patient
epinephrine for severe allergic reaction, give patient benadryl for mild allergic
reaction
• What are the two routes of delivery for local anesthetic drugs? -✓✓topical and
submucosal injection
• Of the two major groups of local anesthetics, which one is more likely to cause an
allergic reaction? -✓✓esthers
• What compound found in esthers causes allergic reactions? -✓✓para-
aminobenzoic acid (PABA)
• What component of the local anesthetic molecule determines how lipid soluble it
is? -✓✓lipophilic aromatic ring
• What component of the local anesthetic molecule determines how it is
metabolized and what group it is? -✓✓intermediate hydrocarbon chain
,• What component of the local anesthetic molecule determines how water soluble it
is? -✓✓hydrophilic amine group
• During manufacturing, local anesthetics are formulated with what compound to
render them water soluble? -✓✓hydrochloric salt
• Why is sodium bicarbonate added to local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓to increase
the pH of the anesthetic (buffer)
• Why is sodium bisulfate added to local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓to increase the
shelf life (preservative)
• Why is sodium chloride added to local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓makes it
isotonic
• What is a drawback to adding sodium bisulfate to local anesthetic solutions? -
✓✓it decreases the pH from 6.5 to 3.0-5.5
• Where is Na+ concentrated during the resting membrane potential state? -
✓✓outside the cell
• What maintains the resting potential of a nerve fiber? -✓✓sodium potassium
pump
• What is another term for resting membrane potential (RMP)? -✓✓polarization
, • What are the benefits of adding a vasoconstrictor/sympathomimetic agents into
local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓decrease in blood flow, increased duration, reduces
toxicity, and promotes hemostasis
• What is an undesirable effect of adding a vasoconstrictor/sympathomimetic
agents into local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓increased rate and force of heart
contractions (fight or flight)
• What are the nerves that conduct signals away from the brain or spinal cord
called? -✓✓efferent nerves
• What are the nerves that conduct signals towards to the brain or spinal cord
called? -✓✓afferent nerves
• Most of the nerves anesthetized in dentistry are considered __________ nerves or
sensory nerves. -✓✓afferent
• The maxillary nerve is primarily sensory, motor, or both? -✓✓sensory
• The mandibular nerve is primarily sensory, motor, or both? -✓✓both
• What are the nerves that make up the mandibular branch? -✓✓IA, buccal, mental
(incisive)
• What is the target injection spot for an IA block? -✓✓pterygomandibular raphe
and coronoid notch
Exam Questions and Answers | 2026
Updated Practice Questions | Grade A+
• What is the most preferred method to re-cap a needle? -✓✓one handed scoop
technique
• What is psychogenic pain? -✓✓pain with no organic cause
• If a patient is having an allergic reaction, what do you do? -✓✓give patient
epinephrine for severe allergic reaction, give patient benadryl for mild allergic
reaction
• What are the two routes of delivery for local anesthetic drugs? -✓✓topical and
submucosal injection
• Of the two major groups of local anesthetics, which one is more likely to cause an
allergic reaction? -✓✓esthers
• What compound found in esthers causes allergic reactions? -✓✓para-
aminobenzoic acid (PABA)
• What component of the local anesthetic molecule determines how lipid soluble it
is? -✓✓lipophilic aromatic ring
• What component of the local anesthetic molecule determines how it is
metabolized and what group it is? -✓✓intermediate hydrocarbon chain
,• What component of the local anesthetic molecule determines how water soluble it
is? -✓✓hydrophilic amine group
• During manufacturing, local anesthetics are formulated with what compound to
render them water soluble? -✓✓hydrochloric salt
• Why is sodium bicarbonate added to local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓to increase
the pH of the anesthetic (buffer)
• Why is sodium bisulfate added to local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓to increase the
shelf life (preservative)
• Why is sodium chloride added to local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓makes it
isotonic
• What is a drawback to adding sodium bisulfate to local anesthetic solutions? -
✓✓it decreases the pH from 6.5 to 3.0-5.5
• Where is Na+ concentrated during the resting membrane potential state? -
✓✓outside the cell
• What maintains the resting potential of a nerve fiber? -✓✓sodium potassium
pump
• What is another term for resting membrane potential (RMP)? -✓✓polarization
, • What are the benefits of adding a vasoconstrictor/sympathomimetic agents into
local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓decrease in blood flow, increased duration, reduces
toxicity, and promotes hemostasis
• What is an undesirable effect of adding a vasoconstrictor/sympathomimetic
agents into local anesthetic solutions? -✓✓increased rate and force of heart
contractions (fight or flight)
• What are the nerves that conduct signals away from the brain or spinal cord
called? -✓✓efferent nerves
• What are the nerves that conduct signals towards to the brain or spinal cord
called? -✓✓afferent nerves
• Most of the nerves anesthetized in dentistry are considered __________ nerves or
sensory nerves. -✓✓afferent
• The maxillary nerve is primarily sensory, motor, or both? -✓✓sensory
• The mandibular nerve is primarily sensory, motor, or both? -✓✓both
• What are the nerves that make up the mandibular branch? -✓✓IA, buccal, mental
(incisive)
• What is the target injection spot for an IA block? -✓✓pterygomandibular raphe
and coronoid notch
