NDEB

Overview

The National Dental Examining Board of Canada (NDEB) sets the national examinations that lead to NDEB certification, which dentists need before they can be licensed in Canada. Certification is not a licence. After you are certified, you apply for a licence with the dental regulatory authority in the province where you want to work, and that authority may ask for more documents, a jurisprudence test or proof of language ability. Some US states also accept NDEB certification or parts of the process.

There are two entry routes, depending on where you earned your dental degree.

• Certification Process: for graduates of accredited dental programs. Its exam is the Virtual OSCE.

• Equivalency Process: for graduates of non-accredited programs (DDS, DMD or BDS). It has three exams in order: the AFK, the ACJ and the NDECC. Passing them lets you move on to the Certification Process.

A dental program counts as accredited if it is recognised by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada. All Canadian dental faculties are accredited, as are most programs in the United States, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, and some others elsewhere. Graduates of non-accredited programs have two other options besides the Equivalency Process: a Qualifying or Degree Completion Program at a Canadian dental faculty, or a program called the BTDPC for people who have started the Equivalency Process and not yet passed the NDECC. Completing either makes you eligible for the Certification Process.

Who can apply

Certification Process (Virtual OSCE). You must apply to the process before you can register for the exam. You can apply if you are in one of these groups:

• within 4 months of completing an accredited dental program or an accredited degree completion program

• a BDS, DDS or DMD graduate of an accredited program, within the last 5 years or more than 5 years ago

• someone who has completed the NDEB Equivalency Process

The Virtual OSCE can be taken as early as four months before you graduate. Your graduation is verified with your university, and if it is not confirmed at least 15 days before the exam you may be withdrawn.

Equivalency Process. You need a dental degree from a university authorised by its government to award it, in a program not accredited by the Canadian commission. You do not need to be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to apply or sit the exams. You apply by creating an NDEBConnect account and submitting your documents for credential verification. At the time of review, the NDEB listed the credential verification time as 10 weeks. Once approved, you can register for the AFK.

Exam pattern

Levels or stages

Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge (AFK)

The AFK tests biomedical science and applied clinical science knowledge. You must pass it before you can continue to the other Equivalency Process exams. Each question is worth one mark. It is delivered electronically at Prometric test centres, or on paper at selected exam sites. You can take it up to three times. The NDEB offers a free web-based self-assessment of 100 multiple-choice questions to gauge your readiness. Its result does not stop you from sitting the AFK and does not predict your score.

Assessment of Clinical Judgement (ACJ)

You become eligible to register once you pass the AFK. The ACJ assesses your ability to reach a diagnosis and make clinical decisions, and your knowledge of oral radiology and your ability to interpret radiographs. Each section has case-based questions on diagnosis, treatment planning and clinical decision-making, plus radiographic interpretation questions. Cases can include dental charts, radiographs and photographs. It is taken on computer at Prometric and other test centres, and you can take it up to three times.

NDECC

The NDECC is the final step of the Equivalency Process and assesses the clinical competence and judgement of dentists trained in non-accredited programs. Its clinical skills component covers skills and techniques relevant to current Canadian standards. Its situational judgement component covers the judgement needed to solve problems in work situations. You are offered registration for a first attempt after you pass the ACJ. Candidates have five years to pass both components. From May 2027, candidates who cannot show minimal competence on both components within five years stop being candidates in the Equivalency Process. Extensions are possible only for exceptional medical circumstances or if you could not register for the NDECC at least three times in five years.

Virtual OSCE

The Virtual OSCE is a summative exam that tests the problem-solving and decision-making skills of a beginning dental practitioner in Canada. Questions can include photos, radiographs, charts and other supporting material. The content areas and their approximate share of questions are in the exam protocol on the NDEB site. You can take the Virtual OSCE up to three times. Earlier attempts at the older Written Examination or OSCE count towards that limit.

Marking and results

The NDEB keeps a standardised passing score of 75 on all its exams. It uses test equating, so scores on different versions of an exam are comparable. For the AFK and ACJ, a test-equated, re-scaled score of 75 or above is a pass and anything lower is a fail. The result shows your re-scaled score and no further breakdown. The AFK and ACJ pages also cover appeals and rescoring. The NDEB publishes more on its scoring and equating page.

Important dates

Dates change, so check the NDEB dates page before you plan. At the time of review (October 2026):

• ACJ: 9 November 2026 in Canada and 10 November 2026 in Australia and New Zealand, with a registration deadline of 7 October 2026.

• Virtual OSCE: 23 November 2026 (registration deadline 26 October 2026). The next sitting is 1 March 2027, with a registration deadline of 18 January 2027.

• AFK: 5 February 2027 in Canada and 6 February 2027 in Australia and New Zealand, with a registration deadline of 4 January 2027. For this sitting registration opens 15 September 2026 for North America and 22 September 2026 for Australia and New Zealand.

• NDECC: sessions run through the year. One session ran from 28 September to 26 November 2026, with registration closed on 10 August 2026.

• Virtual OSCE application deadlines: for the 1 March 2027 exam, applications open 5 October 2026 and close 5 January 2027. For 20 May 2027, they open 26 January 2027 and close 5 April 2027.

From 1 September 2026, registration for the AFK, ACJ and Virtual OSCE has two periods. The first opens on a set date and closes when all locations are full. A second period opens about 6 to 8 weeks before the exam so that you can register or transfer if seats free up.

Fees

All fees are in Canadian dollars. The NDEB lists these fees as effective 1 July 2025, and they are subject to change.

Certification Process

• Application fee (one time): $450

• Virtual OSCE: $1,750

Equivalency Process

• Application fee (one time, non-refundable): $900

• Re-application fee: $400

• AFK: $1,000

• ACJ: $1,350

• NDECC: $6,500 in total, split into$3,250 for the clinical skills component and $3,250 for the situational judgement component

Verification of a score is $200 for each exam. From 1 September 2026, withdrawing from the AFK, ACJ or Virtual OSCE costs 50% of the exam fee before the registration deadline and 100% after it. Approved withdrawals for medical or other unforeseen exceptional circumstances are treated separately.

How to apply

1. Pick your route: Certification Process if your program is accredited, Equivalency Process if it is not.

2. Create an NDEBConnect account. For the Equivalency Process you need a current photograph, a desktop or laptop computer and a valid credit card.

3. Submit the required documents listed in your account and pay the application fee. Required documents for the Certification Process depend on your eligibility category.

4. Wait for your application to be approved. Then log in to NDEBConnect to register for each exam and pay.

5. For electronic exams, schedule your seat with Prometric after the registration deadline, following the instructions posted in your account.

After the exam

When you pass the Virtual OSCE and provide proof of graduation, the NDEB issues your certificate. Graduates of Canadian dental programs are usually confirmed directly by their school. Graduates of accredited programs outside Canada must have an official transcript sent to the NDEB. Graduates of non-accredited programs who finished the Equivalency Process do not need proof of graduation. The NDEB says that, from the time you are eligible to take the certification exams, it can take 6 to 18 months to become certified. It does not cap the number of certificates it issues. You then apply for a licence with the provincial dental regulatory authority.

The NDEB and the New Zealand Dental Council have an agreement that lets people who complete the Equivalency Process apply for dental registration in New Zealand.

FAQs