INBDE Tutor: One-on-One Help From US-Licensed Dentists
A good INBDE tutor (many people still search for an “NBDE tutor”) does four things: finds your weak areas from timed tests, builds a schedule around your work, explains the reasoning behind case-based questions, and keeps you accountable until exam day. Here is how to judge one, what it costs, and how our mentorship works.
How The Study Boards helps you, one on one
Our INBDE course does the four jobs of a good tutor for every student. 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, Dr. T and Dr. Kaur, are there to assist you. You get tasks for the day sized to your pace, a nightly live test at 9 PM New York time, mentor coordination when your scores slip, and questions answered by US-licensed dentists, not AI.
See how our mentorship works below, or the full INBDE course blueprint.
NBDE tutor or INBDE tutor: same thing today
The old National Board Dental Examination came in two parts, NBDE Part I and Part II. The JCNDE built the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) to replace both, and it was first offered in August 2020.2 So if you are looking for an NBDE tutor, what you need now is an INBDE tutor.
The INBDE is not two separate science and clinical papers anymore. It is one integrated exam: 500 questions across two days, 12 hours 30 minutes in total including optional breaks and the tutorial.1 Day one has 300 standalone questions and 60 case questions. Day two is 140 case questions.1 That means 200 of the 500 questions sit inside patient cases, where you read a patient box, history and findings before you answer. A tutor who only drills isolated facts is teaching the old exam.
What a good INBDE tutor actually does
Tutoring, coaching and mentoring are used to mean the same thing. Whatever the label, these are the four jobs that move your score.
Do you need an INBDE tutor? Pick the line that fits you
Not everyone needs one-on-one help. Tap the option closest to you.
You may not need a personal tutor. You need three things: questions with full explanations, timed mixed tests every week, and at least one full-length two-day simulation before the exam. Our course gives you all three, with US-licensed dentists to check answers you are unsure about.
If your timed scores stall for three weeks in a row, get a mentor to look at your results.
You need structure more than lessons. Look for daily tasks sized to the hours you actually have, clear deadlines, and someone who notices when you miss them.
Start with our 6-month plan for working dentists.
A mentor is worth it here. Doing the same thing again usually gives the same result. You need someone to read your fail report with you, find the areas that pulled your score down, and rebuild your plan around them.
- Wait at least 60 days between attempts; you can sit up to four times in any 12 months.1
- Read the 2026 retake rules before you book.
Do not jump straight into questions. Rebuild your basics subject by subject first with our faculty-written Modules, then move to topic questions, then timed tests. A mentor keeps you from getting stuck in theory for months.
Your problem is pacing, not knowledge. You need timed sections in exam format, a rule for when to skip, and someone who tracks your time per question. Practise full-length days so you build stamina for 12 and a half hours of testing.
Questions to ask any INBDE tutor or program
Ask these on your first call and tick each one the tutor answers clearly.
Red flags in INBDE tutoring
The JCNDE says that obtaining, using or sharing exam questions is strictly prohibited, including memorised questions shared online, and that violations could lead to voided results or legal action.1 And memorised answers fail the moment the patient changes. Read why recalled INBDE questions backfire.
If every question you send gets a chatbot reply, nobody is checking it. A confident wrong explanation is worse than none, because you will remember it. Here is how to verify an answer before you trust it.
Untimed practice hides your real problem. Many dentists who know the content still run out of time or energy on day one.
If the tutor hands you a schedule before seeing a single test result, they are selling a timetable, not tutoring you.
What INBDE tutoring costs
Prices vary widely, so compare on total cost for your whole prep period, not on the headline rate.
Private one-on-one sessionsYou pay per hour. The most personal option, and usually the most expensive over several months. Ask how many hours the tutor expects you to need in total.
Session bundlesA fixed number of sessions for a fixed price. Check whether practice questions are included.
A course with mentorship built inQuestions, timed tests, simulations and a mentor for one price. Usually the lowest cost per month, as long as real people answer your questions.
Do the maths before you sign
Take the hourly rate you are quoted and multiply it by your real need. Two hours a week for six months is about 52 hours of sessions, and that is before you pay for any practice questions or simulations.
How mentorship works at The Study Boards
Your mentors work from your test results, and real dentists answer your questions.
Questions answered by US-licensed dentists, not AIWhen you are confused about a question or a concept, a US-licensed dentist answers you. No chatbot.
A Task for the DayEach morning your TSB account opens with that day’s task. Complete it and mark it done, so your prep stays on track.4
Ranked against your batchSubject tests are taken alongside 350+ peers per batch, and rankings are calculated automatically. Landing in the last 50 is the signal for mentors to step in and change your strategy.4
Full-syllabus tests built around your weak areasAfter revision, 10 to 12 full-syllabus tests are designed from your earlier accuracy and the days left before your exam.4
Nightly live tests at 9 PM New York timeA surprise test goes live every night and can only be taken at that time, switching subjects question by question like the real exam.4
Grand Tests that match exam lengthMock exams of 8 hours with a 15-minute break, plus daily tests and 60-second Rapid Fire drills for speed.4
If you do the work and still do not pass, we refund you
Finish the course on time with no overdue days and score 60% or more on every TSB test. If you still do not pass the INBDE, we refund your course fee plus your INBDE exam registration fee (about $1,000).4
Plans: $299 for 3 months, $499 for 6 months or $899 for 12 months. Every plan unlocks the same 12 sections, the same mentors and the same nightly live tests.4
How to prepare: our full plan
Whichever help you choose, start with a plan that covers every area of the exam.
INBDE Premium BoardsThe full course, mentored by US-licensed dentists:
- 12 sequenced course sections, from faculty-written Modules to Grand Tests
- 35,000+ focused questions, with Master Files and Master Test Series
- Beginner and Advanced Beginner levels: same content, different pace
- Nightly live tests at 9 PM New York time and the Pass Guarantee
Pick a schedule that fits your lifePlans with every step mapped out:
Where the INBDE takes you
Your tutor should know which route you are aiming for, because it changes your timeline.
Advanced Standing (IDP)Earn a US DDS or DMD in two to three years. Most programs take applications through ADEA CAAPID.5
AEGD programsSome states give a limited licence after an AEGD; the rules vary by state. Applications go through ADEA PASS.6
Residency directlyApply to specialty residencies through ADEA PASS. More competitive for internationally trained dentists.6
TeachingSome dentists start in teaching and research roles at dental schools.
The full Advanced Standing route usually costs roughly $250,000 to $450,000 all-in. Almost everyone finances it with loans: private loans, co-signer loans with a US citizen or green-card holder, and a few international lenders that need no co-signer. It is a big number, and dentists manage it every year. Read the real costs of becoming a US dentist.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a tutor to pass the INBDE?
Is an NBDE tutor the same as an INBDE tutor?
How much does INBDE tutoring cost?
What is the difference between INBDE coaching, tutoring and a mentor?
Can a tutor give me recalled INBDE questions?
Do you run live classes?
INBDE Premium Boards by The Study Boards
12 course sections, 35,000+ questions, Grand Tests and nightly live tests.
Not sure what kind of help you need?
Tell us your exam date, your working hours and what has not worked so far. Our Admin Team with Dr. T and Dr. Kaur will contact you over WhatsApp.
References
- Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE). INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide (updated 08/04/2026): administration schedule, fees, retest rules, confidentiality of examination materials. jcnde.ada.org
- JCNDE. INBDE Technical Report, 2025 edition: INBDE development timeline (supplanting NBDE Parts I and II; first administered August 2020). jcnde.ada.org
- JCNDE. INBDE Technical Report, 2025 edition, Table 16.1: 2025 first-attempt failure rate of 34.9% for candidates from non-accredited programs. jcnde.ada.org
- The Study Boards. INBDE Premium Boards Course Blueprint: sections, plans, mentor role, Pass Guarantee. parmjitllc.com
- American Dental Education Association (ADEA). Foreign-Educated Dentists: Advanced Standing programs, two to three years, ADEA CAAPID. adea.org
- ADEA. ADEA PASS: Applicants. adea.org
- The Study Boards: first-attempt results of students who complete the INBDE Premium Boards course. parmjitllc.com
Current as of October 2026. *99% refers to The Study Boards students who complete the INBDE Premium Boards course. Exam fees and rules change; confirm them with the JCNDE before you apply.