National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) - 2026 Candidate Guide

Sep 17, 2026

National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) 2026 Candidate Guide explains the application and examination program, including examination content, test security expectations, and rules of conduct. It outlines program governance and administration responsibilities across JCNDE, ADA, DTS, and the Pearson testing vendor. The guide details examination specifications, preparation materials, sampling (testlets and item formats), scoring and result reporting, eligibility requirements, and candidate procedures from fees and scheduling through identification, rescheduling, and accommodations.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages40

Reading Time1 h 41 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

About this Guide and Examination Program

Purpose of the National Board Examinations

Examination Fairness

Dental Hygiene Licensure and the NBDHE®

Ethical Conduct

Examination Content and Preparation Materials

Examination Specifications

Scope of the Examination

Patient Box

Dental Charts

Testlet

Sample Testlet on Community Health/Research Principles

Sample Item Formats

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Examination Preparation and Resources

Confidentiality of Examination Materials

Sample Questions, Practice Test Modules, and Test Administration Tutorial

Results Information

Scoring of Examination

Results Audits

Results Reports

Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility for Re-Examination

Examination Information

Examination Fees

Eligibility Extension Requests

Administration Schedule

Application Procedures

Test Center Procedures

Identification Policy

Reschedule or Cancel a Testing Appointment

No-Show Policy

Emergencies on the Day of a Testing Appointment

Testing Problems on the Day of the Testing Appointment

Testing Accommodations

Acceptable Forms of Documentation

Unacceptable Forms of Documentation

Examination Regulations and Rules of Conduct

Rules of Conduct

Privacy and Security

Examination Misconduct

Irregularities and Appeals

Non-Appealable Policies

Limited Right of Appeal for Examination Candidates

Arbitration Requirement and Agreement to Arbitrate

National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) 2026 Candidate Guide ©2025 Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. All rights [reserved. | 800.232.1694 | ADA.org/NBDHE](reserved. | 800.232.1694 | ADA.org/NBDHE) The Department of Testing Services (DTS) is a shared service of the American Dental Association (ADA) that employs testing professionals and provides professional examination services in all relevant areas (e.g., test design, content development, administration, analysis, and reporting). At the direction of the governing bodies it supports, DTS advises on policy based on testing industry best practices and professional experience, and implements policy for the orderly, secure, and fair administration of examination programs within its charge. IMPORTANT NOTE: You are required to read this Guide before you apply to take the examination. At the time of application, you will be required to confirm that you have read this Guide, understood its contents, and agree to the policies and procedures contained herein. Changes to the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) Program may occur after publication of this Guide. Updated [PDFs will be posted to](PDFs will be posted to ADA.org/NBDHE. You will be subject)[ ADA.org/NBDHE](PDFs will be posted to ADA.org/NBDHE. You will be subject)[. You will be subject](PDFs will be posted to ADA.org/NBDHE. You will be subject) to the policies and procedures currently in effect at the time of your test administration. Table of Contents OVERVIEW .............................................................2 About this Guide and Examination Program ................................................2 Purpose of the National Board Examinations ..................................................2 Examination Fairness ................................................3 Dental Hygiene Licensure and the NBDHE® .......................................................3 Ethical Conduct .........................................................4 EXAMINATION CONTENT AND PREPARATION MATERIALS........................5 Examination Specifications .......................................5 Scope of the Examination .........................................5 Patient Box ..............................................................11 Dental Charts ..........................................................12 Testlet ......................................................................13 Sample Testlet on Community Health/Research Principles .....................................13 Sample Item Formats ..............................................14 Acronyms and Abbreviations ..................................15 Examination Preparation and Resources ........................................................15 Confidentiality of Examination Materials .............................................16 Sample Questions, Practice Test Modules, and Test Administration Tutorial .............................16 RESULTS INFORMATION ...................................17 Scoring of Examination ...........................................17 Results Audits .........................................................18 Results Reports .......................................................18 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ............................19 Eligibility for Re-Examination...................................21 EXAMINATION INFORMATION........................... 22 Examination Fees ................................................... 22 Eligibility Extension Requests ................................. 23 Administration Schedule ......................................... 24 Application Procedures ........................................... 25 Test Center Procedures .......................................... 26 Identification Policy ................................................. 26 Reschedule or Cancel a Testing Appointment .........................

FAQs

What must candidates do before applying for the NBDHE 2026 exam?

Candidates are required to read the guide before applying and confirm they understand it and agree to the contained policies and procedures at the time of application.

Can the NBDHE program policies change after the guide is published?

Yes. Changes may occur after publication, and candidates will be subject to the policies and procedures currently in effect at the time of test administration.

What does the guide cover regarding examination operations and candidate conduct?

It covers examination content and preparation materials, test security and confidentiality expectations, results scoring and reporting, eligibility and application procedures, and regulations including rules of conduct, privacy/security, misconduct, appeals, and arbitration requirements.

Sep 17, 2026

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