• 50 questions

INBDE Practice Questions

Unofficial single-best-answer practice for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination, section by section.

Which dental radiograph shows one or two complete teeth from crown to root?

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Exam mode: 40 questions, 50 minutes.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE). Bank checked October 13, 2026.

The real exam, as the JCNDE describes it

Retakes
At least 60 days between attempts; pass within five years of the first attempt or five attempts, whichever comes first.
Items
500 in all, over two days. Some are experimental and not scored.
Day one
Three sections of 100 standalone items and one of 60 case items, 105 minutes each.
Day two
Two sections of 70 case items, 105 minutes each, within seven days of day one.
Whole administration
12 hours 30 minutes with the optional tutorial, breaks and survey.
Choices
Multiple choice, three to five options, one best answer.
Score
Pass or fail from a scale score of 49 to 99; 75 is the minimum.

Checked October 13, 2026 against JCNDE, Integrated National Board Dental Examination 2026 Candidate Guide (updated 08/04/2026). Rules change, so confirm with the agency itself before your test.

The JCNDE's own INBDE page

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All 50 questions

Diagnosis and treatment planning 18

  • A 4-year-old has fever, a very sore mouth and small ulcers on the gums and the inside of the cheeks. Which virus most often causes this gingivostomatitis? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Gingivostomatitis. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 4; Foundation Knowledge area 7).
  • A 6-year-old has fever, a sore throat and a few painful ulcers with a whitish-gray base and a red border at the back of the mouth. Herpangina is suspected. What usually causes it? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Herpangina. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 4; Foundation Knowledge area 7).
  • A 22-year-old student in exam week has sudden, painful gums that bleed at a touch, bad breath, a grayish film on the gums and crater-like ulcers between the teeth. What is the most likely diagnosis? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Trench mouth. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 4; Foundation Knowledge area 7).
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Diagnosis and treatment planning, continued

  • A 45-year-old woman has dry eyes, a dry mouth and trouble swallowing dry food. Which disorder destroys the glands that make tears and saliva? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Sjogren syndrome. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 8; Foundation Knowledge area 5).
  • A 60-year-old has brief, stabbing, electric shock-like pain on one side of the face. The teeth are sound. Which diagnosis fits best? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Trigeminal neuralgia. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 5; Foundation Knowledge area 1).
  • A child's enamel is soft and thin on the baby teeth and the permanent teeth alike; the teeth look yellow and damage easily. A parent has the same teeth. What is the most likely diagnosis? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Amelogenesis imperfecta. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 4; Foundation Knowledge area 4).
  • A middle-aged adult has tender bluish-white spots on the inside of the cheek that form lines in a lacy network. What is the most likely diagnosis? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Lichen planus. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 5; Foundation Knowledge area 6).
  • A patient treated for epilepsy has enlarged, overgrown gums. Which medicine lists gingival hyperplasia among its adverse reactions? FDA prescribing information, phenytoin sodium capsules (DailyMed, National Library of Medicine). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 8; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • A patient with painful mouth blisters is found to have skin that separates when unaffected skin is rubbed sideways (a positive Nikolsky sign). Which disorder does this point to? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Pemphigus vulgaris. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 7; Foundation Knowledge area 5).
  • A pipe smoker has a white patch on the inside of the cheek that cannot be scraped off. What confirms the diagnosis and looks for changes of cancer? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Leukoplakia. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 10; Foundation Knowledge area 6).
  • A teenager has retained primary teeth, an extra set of adult teeth and shoulders that can be brought together in front of the body. Which condition fits? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Cleidocranial dysostosis. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 4; Foundation Knowledge area 4).
  • An adult who uses a steroid inhaler for asthma has white, velvety patches on the tongue that bleed slightly when scraped. What is the most likely diagnosis? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Thrush - children and adults. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 8; Foundation Knowledge area 7).
  • Fuzzy white patches on the sides of the tongue are diagnosed as oral hairy leukoplakia. Which virus causes it, and what may it be a first sign of? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Leukoplakia. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 8; Foundation Knowledge area 5).
  • Most oral cancers are of which type? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Oral cancer. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 4; Foundation Knowledge area 6).
  • One side of a patient's face has suddenly become weak, and Bell palsy is diagnosed. Which nerve is affected? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Bell palsy. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 3; Foundation Knowledge area 1).
  • Pain and swelling under the jaw come on at meals, and a salivary duct stone is suspected. Which glands do such stones most often affect? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Salivary duct stones. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 3; Foundation Knowledge area 1).
  • What is the primary cause of tooth loss in adults? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Periodontitis. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 4; Foundation Knowledge area 6).
  • Which dental radiograph shows one or two complete teeth from crown to root? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Dental x-rays. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning (clinical content area 10; Foundation Knowledge area 3).

Oral health management 21

  • A parent phones: a 10-year-old's permanent incisor has been knocked out. Which advice is right? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Broken or knocked out tooth. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 17; Foundation Knowledge area 1).
  • A patient faints in the chair and is breathing. How should the patient be positioned? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Fainting. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 16; Foundation Knowledge area 1).
  • A patient given an opioid for pain is found unresponsive with slow breathing. Which drug is the emergency treatment for opioid overdose? FDA drug facts label, naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray (DailyMed, National Library of Medicine). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 27; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • A patient has jaw joint and muscle pain of recent onset. What approach to treatment do experts recommend, by NIDCR? National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIH), TMD (Temporomandibular Disorders). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 35; Foundation Knowledge area 10).
  • A patient stays too deeply sedated after a benzodiazepine. Which drug is a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist? FDA prescribing information, flumazenil injection (DailyMed, National Library of Medicine). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 27; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • A patient takes warfarin after a heart valve replacement and needs an extraction. Which laboratory value does the label say must be monitored regularly? FDA prescribing information, warfarin sodium tablets (DailyMed, National Library of Medicine). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 27; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • A patient with a total hip replacement and no other risk factors needs scaling. What does the ADA guideline say about antibiotics beforehand? American Dental Association, Oral Health Topics, Antibiotic Prophylaxis Prior to Dental Procedures. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 26; Foundation Knowledge area 7).
  • A patient with diabetes becomes shaky and sweaty before treatment. Below what blood sugar is the level considered low? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Low blood sugar. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 16; Foundation Knowledge area 1).
  • A woman who has taken alendronate for years needs an extraction. Which jaw complication does the label warn of after invasive dental procedures? FDA prescribing information, alendronate sodium tablets (DailyMed, National Library of Medicine). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 27; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • After a tooth abscess a patient has fast swelling of the floor of the mouth under the tongue, drooling and trouble breathing. What is the first concern? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Ludwig angina. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 18; Foundation Knowledge area 6).
  • An anxious patient breathes fast and deep and becomes lightheaded. What change in the blood causes many of the symptoms of hyperventilation? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Hyperventilation. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 16; Foundation Knowledge area 2).
  • For a normal healthy adult, what is the most lidocaine with epinephrine that the label allows per kilogram of body weight? FDA prescribing information, lidocaine hydrochloride and epinephrine injection (DailyMed, National Library of Medicine). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 19; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • For which patient is antibiotic prophylaxis before certain dental procedures reasonable, by the guidelines the ADA cites? American Dental Association, Oral Health Topics, Antibiotic Prophylaxis Prior to Dental Procedures. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 26; Foundation Knowledge area 7).
  • How do mouth bacteria start a cavity? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Dental cavities. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 21; Foundation Knowledge area 7).
  • In root canal treatment, what is removed from inside the tooth? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Root canal. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 28; Foundation Knowledge area 1).
  • Minutes after an injection a patient has hives, a tight throat and wheezing. Anaphylaxis is suspected and emergency help has been called. What should be given at once if it is at hand? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Anaphylaxis. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 16; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • Two days after an extraction a smoker has severe pain that spreads to the ear, a bad taste and an empty socket. What has happened? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Dry socket. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 33; Foundation Knowledge area 6).
  • What is a dental sealant, and where is it placed? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Dental sealants. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 21; Foundation Knowledge area 3).
  • What should a patient be told to expect from a chlorhexidine gluconate 0.12% oral rinse? FDA prescribing information, chlorhexidine gluconate 0.12% oral rinse (DailyMed, National Library of Medicine). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 26; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • Which medicines does the ADA recommend as first-line therapy for acute dental pain? American Dental Association, Oral Health Topics, Oral Analgesics for Acute Dental Pain. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 19; Foundation Knowledge area 8).
  • Why are tetracycline-class antibiotics avoided in children under 8? FDA prescribing information, doxycycline hyclate (DailyMed, National Library of Medicine). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Oral Health Management (clinical content area 27; Foundation Knowledge area 8).

Practice and profession 11

  • A competent adult understands the diagnosis, the options and the risks, and declines a recommended extraction. What follows? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Informed consent - adults. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 45; Foundation Knowledge area 9).
  • A new dental assistant will have occupational exposure to blood. By when must the employer make the hepatitis B vaccination available? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1030, Bloodborne pathogens (eCFR). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 47; Foundation Knowledge area 9).
  • A paper reports that a new caries detection device has a sensitivity of 90%. What does sensitivity measure? Wikipedia, Sensitivity and specificity. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 41; Foundation Knowledge area 10).
  • A patient asks in writing for a copy of the dental record. Under HIPAA, how long does the practice have to act on the request? 45 CFR 164.524, Access of individuals to protected health information (eCFR). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 46; Foundation Knowledge area 9).
  • A survey reports the incidence of oral cancer in one state for one year. What does incidence count? MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), Incidence. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 41; Foundation Knowledge area 10).
  • How does the ADA describe the relation between ethics and the law? American Dental Association, Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct (Code of Ethics page). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 44; Foundation Knowledge area 9).
  • How is sterilization of instruments best monitored? American Dental Association, Oral Health Topics, Infection Control and Sterilization. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 51; Foundation Knowledge area 7).
  • How often must a dental office review and update its Exposure Control Plan under the bloodborne pathogens standard? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1030, Bloodborne pathogens (eCFR). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 51; Foundation Knowledge area 9).
  • Under the bloodborne pathogens standard, when may a contaminated needle be recapped? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.1030, Bloodborne pathogens (eCFR). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 51; Foundation Knowledge area 9).
  • Which of these is one of the five fundamental principles of the ADA Code? American Dental Association, Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct (Code of Ethics page). Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 45; Foundation Knowledge area 9).
  • Why are participants in a randomized controlled trial allocated to groups at random? Wikipedia, Randomized controlled trial. Outline: INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide, Domain of Dentistry, Practice and Profession (clinical content area 41; Foundation Knowledge area 10).

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the Domain of Dentistry that the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) prints in its INBDE 2026 Candidate Guide (updated 08/04/2026; https://jcnde.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/jcnde/files/inbde_candidate_guide.pdf, linked from https://jcnde.ada.org/inbde, read 2026-10-13): 56 clinical content areas in three component sections, Diagnosis and Treatment Planning 36% of items, Oral Health Management 42%, Practice and Profession 22%, crossed with ten Foundation Knowledge areas. Facts: the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (National Library of Medicine), the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, FDA prescribing information on DailyMed, 45 CFR 164.524 and 29 CFR 1910.1030 on ecfr.gov, four American Dental Association public pages, and two Wikipedia articles for research methods. Each question names its own source and address. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.

How it works

These free INBDE practice questions are 50 single-best-answer sample items of our own for the Integrated National Board Dental Examination. Unofficial: not affiliated with or endorsed by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) or the American Dental Association.

Read the full guide

What the INBDE covers

The 2026 Candidate Guide, updated August 4, 2026 and read October 13, 2026, splits items over three clinical sections: diagnosis and treatment planning 36%, oral health management 42%, practice and profession 22%. Ten Foundation Knowledge areas run across them. This bank holds 18, 21 and 11.

An INBDE study guide you can check

Every answer names its source: MedlinePlus, NIDCR, FDA prescribing information, federal rules, an ADA public page or Wikipedia. It also names the clinical content area and the Foundation Knowledge area the question belongs to.

Timing

Exam mode asks 40 questions in 50 minutes, the pace of the real exam: 500 items in six sections of 105 minutes.

  • Antibiotic prophylaxis splits by implant: reasonable for a prosthetic heart valve, not recommended in general for a prosthetic joint.

Questions and answers

How many questions are on the INBDE?

500, over two days: 300 standalone items and 60 case items on day one, 140 case items on day two, by the 2026 Candidate Guide. Some are experimental and not scored.

What is a passing score on the INBDE?

A scale score of 75, on a scale from 49 to 99. Results are reported only as pass or fail, and a scale score is not a count of right answers.

How long is the INBDE?

Twelve and a half hours of administration over two days, counting the optional tutorial, breaks and survey. The second day must fall within seven days of the first, at the same test center.

Are these real INBDE questions?

No. The JCNDE's items are confidential and its practice questions are copyrighted; none is used or reworded here. These 50 were written from the public Domain of Dentistry and public sources.

How many times can you take the INBDE?

Candidates wait at least 60 days between attempts and must pass within five years of the first attempt or five attempts, whichever comes first. After that, one attempt every six months is allowed.

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