INBDE Timeline for US Dental Students: D1 to D4

  • Dr. T
  • October 14, 2026
  • 0 Comments
INBDE for US dental students · Updated October 2026

INBDE Timeline for US Dental Students: D1 to D4

At CODA-accredited US dental schools, the INBDE is usually taken in D3 or the first half of D4, once the dean (or the dean’s designee) confirms you are prepared. Your school sets the exact window, so the real plan starts in D1 and fits around your school’s dates and your clinical licensure exam.

$890INBDE exam fee for CODA students, 2026
500questions over 2 testing days
92.8%first-attempt pass rate, CODA students, 2025
75minimum passing scale score

How we helpEligibilityFeesWhen schools testLicensure examsD1 to D4 roadmapThe new standardFAQ

How The Study Boards helps you fit the INBDE around dental school

Our INBDE course is built so a student can finish it in 3 to 4 months of consistent work, which fits the gap between your school’s approval and your test date. You get faculty-written Modules for every subject, 35,000+ focused questions, tasks for the day, 8-hour Grand Test mock exams and a surprise live test every night at 9 PM New York time. The course is extremely personalised: red lines and assignments are given to you on the go, the course learns from the way you are studying, and our faculty are there to assist you. Questions are answered by US-licensed dentists. See the details in the INBDE course blueprint.

Can you sit it yet?

INBDE eligibility for students at CODA-accredited schools

You do not pick your own date in D1. Your dean decides when you are ready.

The JCNDE’s rule for current students is short: a current student in a CODA-accredited program is eligible “when the dean (or their designee) provides confirmation that the student is prepared in all applicable disciplines.”1 Students at Canadian schools accredited by CDAC follow the same rules if they seek US licensure. At The Study Boards we mostly teach internationally trained dentists, but we also prepare US dental students for this exam, and this school-approval step is the part they most often misunderstand.

Now

Current studentEligible once your dean or the dean’s designee confirms you are prepared in all applicable disciplines.1

Left

Former studentIf you left your program, you are eligible only if admitted or conditionally admitted to another CODA-accredited program, confirmed by a letter from that dean.1

Grad

GraduateADA active, life or retired members need no further documents. Others submit a copy of the diploma or other proof of degree.1

How the application works

Get your DENTPINEvery application runs through your DENTPIN account. Our guide to DENTPIN registration covers it.

Apply and paySubmit the application and the $890 fee. Your dean decides your eligibility, and you receive an eligibility email from the Department of Testing Services.1

Use your six-month windowAfter processing you are eligible to test for six months. If you do not test in that window, the fee is forfeited.1

Book two days at PrometricThe exam runs over two days. Day 2 must fall within 7 days of day 1, at the same test centre.1 See INBDE Prometric booking and rescheduling.

For screenshots of each screen, follow our INBDE registration step by step.

What it costs

INBDE fees for US dental students (2026)

Good news: you pay the base fee only. The $435 processing fee is for students and graduates of programs not accredited by CODA.1

Examination fee, includes results to you, to three licensing jurisdictions (if requested at application) and to your dental program$890
Processing fee for international candidates (non-CODA programs only)Not for you
Extra results report, per recipient not chosen at application (optional)$55
Results audit (optional, within 30 days of reporting)$105
45-day eligibility extension, once per application$150
Prometric rescheduling, depending on notice (30+, 5 to 29, 1 to 4 business days)$50 / $70 / $150
Your total for one attempt, if nothing changes$890

All fees are in US dollars and non-refundable. Each new attempt needs a new application and fee.1

Real school policies

When do dental schools let you take the INBDE?

Every school writes its own policy. Three published examples show how much they differ.

School Earliest date Deadline or target Pass needed to graduate?
University of Minnesota 1 March of D3, after all didactic courses through spring of D33 Must pass by 31 January of D4 Yes. Two failures mean loss of clinical privileges and a committee referral
Marquette University Any time after 15 June of D3, with Academic Affairs approval4 Encouraged before 1 November of D4; most take it end of D3 or start of D4 No, but it is required for licensure
Nova Southeastern Must be in good academic standing5 D4 students challenge it between 1 May and 31 January Challenging the INBDE is needed for dean’s approval to sit early Florida licensure exams
Your action this weekFind the INBDE policy in your school’s handbook or catalog. Write down three dates: the earliest you can sit, the deadline, and any graduation or clinic consequence. Your whole roadmap hangs on those three dates.

How US dental students actually do2

Year CODA students, first attempt pass CODA students, retake pass
2023 99.6% 86.0%
2024 (new standard from 1 June) 95.2% 67.9%
2025 92.8% 73.0%

Pass rate = 100% minus the failure rate the JCNDE publishes for CODA-accredited candidates.

In 2025, about 1 in 14 US and Canadian students failed on their first attempt, up from 1 in 250 in 2023. Most students still pass, but “everyone passes” is no longer true. A fail in D4 can collide with clinic requirements, residency applications and your licensure exam, so plan the INBDE as seriously as any course.

The bigger picture

How the INBDE fits with your licensure exams

The ADA lists three basic requirements for a US dental licence: education, a written exam and a clinical assessment.6

1

EducationA DDS or DMD from a CODA-accredited program, which you are earning now.

2

Written: the INBDEEvery US licensing jurisdiction requires it.6 This is the exam on this page.

3

Clinical assessmentRequired in most jurisdictions, run by third-party testing agencies. Which exams a state accepts varies.6

The ADEX Dental Examination (what used to be CDCA-WREB-CITA)

CDCA-WREB-CITA and ADEX are now one organisation, the American Board of Dental Examiners.7 Its ADEX Dental Examination has two parts:

CBT

Computer-based: the DLOSCEThe ADA’s DLOSCE became a required part of the ADEX Dental Examination from 1 June 2026, replacing the older DSE OSCE.7

5

Five hand-skill exams on a manikinPeriodontal, endodontic, fixed prosthodontic, anterior restorative and posterior restorative. The periodontal exam is required from 1 August 2026.78

$2,995ADEX exam fee, plus a facility fee that varies by site8
18 monthsto pass every part, from your first attempt at any part7
School sign-offcurrent students need authorisation from a designated school representative9

Two things students often missFirst, the ADEX eligibility rules for US students ask for school authorisation, not an INBDE pass, so the two exams can run in either order your school allows.9 Second, some states do not use a clinical exam at all. New York requires all applicants for initial licensure to complete an approved dental residency of at least one year.10 Check the state where you plan to practise on the ADA’s licensure map before D4.

For the full ADEX breakdown, read the ADEX Dental Examination and DLOSCE explained. For the computer-based part, see the DLOSCE course blueprint.

Year by year

Your INBDE roadmap from D1 to D4

The overview first, then pick your year for the details.

D1Build the foundation, file it the INBDE wayYour basic science courses feed the exam’s 10 foundation knowledge areas. Learn them well once.
D2Connect science to patientsPharmacology, pathology and preclinical work. Take a baseline set of INBDE-style questions at the end of the year.
D3Get approved, plan, sit or scheduleCheck your school’s window, apply through DENTPIN, block focused study weeks and book Prometric.
D4Finish the INBDE early, then the clinical examClear the INBDE before residency interviews and the busiest clinic months; complete ADEX or your state’s route.
After graduationLicence, residency, or a retake planApply for your state licence, or retake with a new plan if needed.

Choose your year above to see your plan.
D1

No INBDE prep course yet. Just learn well and keep good notes.

  • Anatomy, biochemistry, physiology, histology and microbiology map onto the INBDE’s foundation knowledge areas. See what is tested on the INBDE.
  • Keep your notes by topic in one place you will still have in D3. Future you will thank you.
  • After each block exam, write a one-page “clinically relevant” summary. The INBDE asks how science applies to patients.
  • Build healthy study habits now: active recall, spaced review and enough sleep.
D2

Start linking science to clinical decisions.

  • Pharmacology, pathology and preclinical dentistry are the bridge between foundation knowledge and patient care. Learn drug interactions and medical conditions with dental impact carefully.
  • At the end of D2, do a timed baseline of 50 to 100 mixed INBDE-style questions. It shows your weak areas early.
  • Look up your school’s INBDE policy now so D3 brings no surprises.
  • Read when to start studying for the INBDE to set your start date.
D3

The planning year. Many schools open the INBDE window during D3.

  • Confirm your school’s earliest date and deadline, and when the dean’s approval is released.
  • Count back from your target test date. Block focused study weeks around your clinic schedule, and leave room for a retake before any school deadline.
  • Apply through DENTPIN. You then have six months to test, so do not apply too early.
  • Book Prometric early for two days within one week at the same centre. Use our INBDE study schedule and INBDE test day guide.
D4

Clear the INBDE early, then focus on clinical exams and next steps.

  • If you have not passed yet, sit it as early in D4 as your school allows. Results usually arrive within three weeks; the JCNDE aims for four.1
  • Plan your clinical licensure route with your school: ADEX needs your school’s authorisation, and all of its parts must be passed within 18 months.
  • If you are heading to a GPR, AEGD or specialty residency, finish the INBDE before your busiest application and interview months.
  • If you plan to practise in New York, your route is a residency year, not a clinical exam.
After graduation

Your next step depends on whether you have passed.

  • Passed: send results to the state boards you need, finish your clinical requirement and apply for your licence.
  • Not yet passed: as a graduate you apply with ADA membership or a copy of your diploma.1 Wait at least 60 days between attempts, with no more than four attempts in any 12 months.
  • You must pass within five years or five attempts, whichever comes first. After that you may test once every six months.1
  • Read INBDE retake rules for 2026 and how to handle INBDE test anxiety and burnout.

The 5-year question

Has the INBDE passing standard changed?

Yes. Older articles that talk about a future review are out of date.

The JCNDE ran a new standard-setting study using the Bookmark method. The Joint Commission approved the new performance standard in May 2024, and it took effect on 1 June 2024.2 The INBDE is still scored against a fixed standard, not a curve: a pass shows no number, and a fail shows a scale score from 49 to 99, with 75 as the minimum pass. The table above shows the effect on US students: first-attempt pass rates fell from 99.6% in 2023 to 92.8% in 2025. Read how the INBDE is scored for the full explanation.

Trained outside the US or Canada?Your path is different: ECE credential evaluation, the $435 processing fee, and a timeline built around your CAAPID applications. Follow our INBDE and CAAPID timeline for international dentists instead.

We teach the INBDE

How to prepare: our full plan

Whether your school’s window opens in March of D3 or June of D3, start with a plan that covers every area on the exam.

INBDE

The Study Boards INBDE courseBuilt by US-licensed dentists:

  • 12 sequenced course sections, 35,000+ focused questions
  • Beginner or Advanced Beginner pace; the only difference is speed
  • Grand Test Series: 8-hour mock exams that rehearse exam day
  • 3-month, 6-month and 12-month access plans

See the full course blueprint

DLOSCE

The Study Boards DLOSCE courseFor the computer-based part of the ADEX Dental Examination:

  • 4,500 DLOSCE questions and 34 timed tests
  • 45 days of full access for $399
  • A free re-teach if you score 60%+ on the course tests and still do not pass

See the DLOSCE course blueprint

Want a calendar? Use the month-by-month INBDE study plan or our INBDE study guide.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

When should I take the INBDE in dental school?
When your school allows it and you are ready, which in the school policies we checked falls between D3 and early D4. For example, Minnesota opens on 1 March of D3 and requires a pass by 31 January of D4; Marquette allows it after 15 June of D3 and encourages students to sit before 1 November of D4. Check your own school’s policy.
Can I take the INBDE in D2?
Only if your dean confirms you are prepared in all applicable disciplines. That is the JCNDE’s rule for current students. The school policies we checked open the window in D3, after the relevant courses are complete.
How much does the INBDE cost for US dental students?
$890 in 2026. The $435 processing fee applies only to students and graduates of programs not accredited by CODA, so it does not apply to you.
Do I need to pass the INBDE to graduate?
It depends on your school. Minnesota requires a pass to certify graduation. Marquette does not, but every US licensing jurisdiction requires the INBDE for licensure, so you need it either way.
How does The Study Boards help US dental students prepare for the INBDE?
Our INBDE course gives you 12 sequenced sections, 35,000+ focused questions and full-length mock exams, and it is built to be finished in 3 to 4 months. Questions are answered by US-licensed dentists, and our Admin Team with Dr. T and Dr. Kaur will contact you over WhatsApp to help you fit it around your school’s dates.
Should I take the INBDE before or after ADEX?
The ADEX eligibility rules for US students ask for school authorisation, not an INBDE pass, so the order depends on your school. We usually suggest clearing the INBDE first, then giving the hand-skill exams their full attention in D4.

Not sure where your school’s dates leave you?

Send us your year, your school’s INBDE window and your target state. Our Admin Team with Dr. T and Dr. Kaur will contact you over WhatsApp and help you map your dates.

Message the Admin Team on WhatsApp

References

  1. Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations. INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide (updated 08/04/2026): eligibility, examination fees, eligibility window, administration schedule, results, retest policy. jcnde.ada.org
  2. JCNDE. INBDE Technical Report, 2025 edition: 2024 standard setting (Bookmark method, implemented 1 June 2024) and Table 16.1 failure rates by candidate group and year. jcnde.ada.org
  3. University of Minnesota School of Dentistry. Integrated National Board Examination policy. dentistry.umn.edu
  4. Marquette University School of Dentistry. Licensure information. bulletin.marquette.edu
  5. Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine. Predoctoral Student Handbook 2025-2026. nova.edu
  6. American Dental Association. Licensure overview. ada.org
  7. American Board of Dental Examiners. 2026 ADEX Dental Candidate Manual: Computer-based Examinations: exam series, 18-month rule, DLOSCE effective 1 June 2026, organisation merger. adextesting.org
  8. American Board of Dental Examiners. ADEX Dental: components and fees. adextesting.org
  9. American Board of Dental Examiners. Candidate Guide (20260727): exam eligibility and requirements. adextesting.org
  10. New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions. Dentistry license requirements: experience requirement. op.nysed.gov

Current as of October 2026. School policies change; confirm your dates with your own school, the JCNDE and your state board before you apply.

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