COVID-19 (Coronavirus) situation:

Testing candidates: Check our COVID-19 Update Page (Opens in new window) to review the health and safety measures in place for testing and find out about any country-specific testing policies.

Appointment availability is limited due to social distancing precautions and varies by location. Please note that our customer service wait-times are also longer than usual right now. For information on rescheduling, refunds, and more, please check out our FAQs.

NBDHE, NBDHE Practice Test, and ADAT

Pearson VUE Test Center Site Capacity Limited Due to COVID-19 Restrictions

As a direct result of state and county social distancing guidelines, testing appointment availability has been substantially reduced at sites across the US, with most Pearson VUE sites operating at 50% capacity or less. Additionally, test center site capacity continues to fluctuate as guidelines are further modified at the state and county level, and as Pearson VUE extends testing hours where this is possible. In light of the situation, the Department of Testing Services (DTS) recommends the following:

  • Candidates should schedule their testing appointments as soon as possible to avoid delays in testing.
  • Candidates who have already scheduled appointments may wish to revisit their scheduling periodically to see if an earlier appointment may be available, as Pearson VUE adjusts to meet the demand.
  • Candidates whose six-month eligibility window is about to expire are invited to contact DTS at testingproblems@​ada.​org if they are experiencing scheduling issues.
  • Candidates experiencing general difficulties obtaining an NBDHE testing appointment are welcome to contact DTS at nbexams@​ada.​org.​
  • When reaching out to DTS, candidates should make sure to include their DENTPIN, preferred testing location (including city and state), and the date range in which they are trying to take the exam.

National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE)

The National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) is an examination used by US boards of dentistry to understand the qualifications of individuals seeking to obtain a license to practice dental hygiene. The NBDHE assesses candidates’ understanding of important information from the biomedical and dental hygiene sciences, and candidates’ ability to apply relevant knowledge and skills in a problem-solving context. The NBDHE is an examination of the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE), an agency of the American Dental Association (ADA) that has been charged with overseeing and administering National Board Examination programs for dentistry and dental hygiene. The ADA’s Department of Testing Services (DTS) implements the NBDHE.

Click here for additional information and to register for the NBDHE.

NBDHE Practice Test

The NBDHE Practice Test provides candidates with the opportunity to become familiar with the types of questions that appear on the NBDHE. Candidates can choose to complete individual test modules and/or a comprehensive practice test.

Click here for additional information and to register for the exam.

Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)

The Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) is used by advanced dental education programs to understand candidates’ potential for success in advanced areas of dentistry. The ADAT evaluates candidate knowledge and skills in the following areas: biomedical sciences, clinical sciences, and data, research interpretation, and evidence based dentistry. The ADAT is overseen by the ADA’s Council on Dental Education and Licensure (CDEL) and implemented by the ADA’s DTS.

Click here for additional information and to register for the ADAT.

Last updated 2021-02-10