Theory Examination Candidate Handbook

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 1 Table of Contents Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………...2 Eligibility Requirements ….……………………………………………………………………..………3 Fees ................................................................................................................................................................. 4 Application Procedure..................................................................................................................................... 4 Application Transfers and Withdrawals..................................................................................................................7 Examination Emergencies and Illnesses.......................................................................................................... 8 Testing Accommodations and Special Sittings ................................................................................................ 9 Test Dates and Sites........................................................................................................................................10 Remote Proctored Exams……………………………………………………………………………………11 Examination Admission Requirements ......................................................................................................... 11 Examination Duration ................................................................................................................................... 12 Examination Format and Test Blueprint........................................................................................................ 12 FDI Tooth Numbering System ...................................................................................................................... 13 Testing Agency.............................................................................................................................................. 13 Passing Score ................................................................................................................................................ 13 Key Validation............................................................................................................................................... 14 Examination Results...................................................................................................................................... 14 NDAEB Certificate Release .………………………………………………………………….……………15 Examination Re-Writes................................................................................................................................. 15 Discontinuation of Examination Re-Scoring service.................................................................................... 16 Examination Appeals..................................................................................................................................... 17 Test Security ................................................................................................................................................. 18 References ..................................................................................................................................................... 18 Exam Preparation .......................................................................................................................................... 19 NDAEB Preparation Test…..…………………………………………………………………….…………20 Rules Of Conduct During the Exam ............................................................................................................. 21 Domain Description for Dental Assisting ..................................................................................................... 24 1. Ethical And Legal Practice as A Dental Assistant ...........................................................................24 2. Dental Sciences ........................................................................................................................... 24 3. Clinical Support Procedures........................................................................................................ 25 4. Patient Records ........................................................................................................................... 26 5. Patient Care Procedures .............................................................................................................. 27 6. Practice Management Procedures................................................................................................ 34 7. Prevent Procedures...................................................................................................................... 34 Preamble – Sample Test Questions ............................................................................................................... 38 Answer Key to Sample Questions................................................................................................................. 47

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 2 Introduction This handbook provides information to candidates preparing to take the National Dental Assisting Examining Board (NDAEB) Theory Examination. While efforts have been made to ensure the information supplied is accurate, you acknowledge the handbook and its contents are being provided to you on an “as is” basis without any warranties, representations or conditions regarding its accuracy and that all risk associated with its use is assumed by you. In no event will the National Dental Assisting Examining Board or its agents be liable to you for any loss or damage arising, whether directly or indirectly, from your use of this handbook, including any special, indirect or consequential damages, howsoever caused. Should discrepancies occur, please notify the National Dental Assisting Examining Board office by telephone: (613) 526-3424 or email: office@ndaeb.ca. In Canada, the regulation of the dental assisting profession lies within the jurisdiction of each province. Provincial governments have mandated the responsibility to a provincial regulatory body called a College, Board, Council or Association. While the NDAEB will encourage all dental assisting regulatory bodies to recognize the NDAEB certificate as the initial requirement for registration/certification/licensure/ listing in their province, acceptance of the NDAEB certificate is completely at the discretion of the Canadian Dental Assisting Regulatory Authorities (CDARA). NDAEB Office Hours & Location The National Dental Assisting Examining Board head office is located in Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) at: 2283 St. Laurent Blvd, Suite 204 Ottawa, ON K1G 5A2 (613) 526 - 3424 (Phone) | (613) 526 - 5560 (Fax) office@ndaeb.ca Hours of Operation from Monday to Friday 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. Please note: Drop-in/walk-in candidates cannot be permitted for security purposes. Should you require to meet with a staff in person, please contact the office to schedule an appointment ahead of time.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 3 Eligibility Requirements To be eligible with the NDAEB, candidates MUST complete both theoretical and clinical formal education in all essential National Core Skills from an education program recognized by the NDAEB. These Core Skills are detailed in the Dental Assisting Domain Description section of this handbook. Since June 1999, NDAEB policy mandates students to finish their practical training before taking the exam. The hands-on experience gained during these placements can be advantageous when preparing for the test. Eligibility of Graduates of Registered Dental Assisting Programs Applicants applying from dental assisting programs which are accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC), or from non-accredited dental assisting education programs which have been granted exam eligibility by the NDAEB, are considered graduates of a “registered program”. Registered program graduates may directly apply to register for the NDAEB Theory Examination with proof of education. No further curriculum verification is required. Important Notice: Effective January 1, 2031, to maintain NDAEB registered dental assisting program status, dental assisting programs must be accredited with the CDAC. Registered non-accredited dental assisting programs that do not obtain CDAC accreditation by this date, will no longer be considered a “registered program” with the NDAEB and graduates will no longer be granted automatic exam eligibility and will be considered graduates of a non-registered program. For a comprehensive list of registered dental assisting programs, please see the NDAEB website. Graduates 2017 and Prior: Candidates who have completed a registered dental assisting program before 2017, must submit their diploma and transcript for assessment to determine current exam eligibility. Please email your credentials to office@ndaeb.ca. Eligibility of Graduates of Non-Registered Programs Applicants from any other dental assisting program (or other allied dental health program) which is not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada (CDAC) and/or is not listed on our website as a registered program, will be considered “graduates of a non-registered program” (GNRP). To be considered for NDAEB eligibility, applicants must have their academic credentials assessed through a formal evaluation process in order to determine their theoretical and clinical education meets Canadian national standards as outlined in the NDAEB Dental Assisting Domain Description. Following receipt of the Credential Assessment Fee and required documents for assessment, the NDAEB Candidate Eligibility Assessment Committee (CEAC) will review the applicant’s credentials to determine their eligibility and equivalency to the national standard. A candidate may then apply for the Clinical Practice Evaluation (CPE) or Theory Examination after they have formally received a letter of approval. See the NDAEB website for further details.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 4 Two-Part Certificate Process Effective January 1, 2026, candidates who have not graduated from a CDAC accredited dental assisting program will be required to successfully complete the Clinical Practice Evaluation (CPE) (Part I) BEFORE being granted eligibility for the Theory Examination (Part II). Upon successful completion of both the CPE and Theory Exam, the NDAEB Certificate will then be issued. Please note the following considerations: 1. Candidates of registered non-accredited dental assisting programs granted “registered program” status prior to December 31, 2025, will be bridged and exempted from this policy change until December 31, 2030; as such, the CPE requirement will not apply with the NDAEB for issuance of the NDAEB Certificate. The CPE requirement may still apply however if required by a CDARA for provincial licensure/registration. Please contact your CDARA if you are unsure of your CPE requirements before applying for the examination. 2. Non-registered program graduates who had their credentials assessed by December 31, 2025, and have completed or attempted an initial attempt on the Theory Examination, but have not yet been awarded the NDAEB Certificate, must continue to follow the former process of completing the Theory Examination first, followed by the CPE in order to be issued the NDAEB Certificate. 3. Non-registered program graduates who had their credentials assessed by December 31, 2025, or who were in the process of having their credentials assessed by that date and have not completed an initial attempt on the Theory Examination, must follow the new Certificate process and required to successfully complete the CPE before being eligible to take the Theory Examination. Fees Theory Exam Fee (initial or rewrite attempts) - $730.00 (CAD only). ✓ Exam fee includes a $100 non-refundable application fee. ✓ Due to the cost of administration, the NDAEB does not reimburse overpayments of $20.00 or less. ✓ The Theory Exam fee covers the cost of the exam service. After completing the exam, the full Theory Exam fee is non-refundable whether awarded a pass or fail. Application Procedure • Candidates must complete and submit their Theory Exam application online through the NDAEB website: www.ndaeb.ca. • Theory Exam applications for the current year will be made available online, on the 2nd week of January each year. Candidates will be able to select the March, June, September or December Theory Exam sittings, on the application form. • Application deadlines for each exam session will apply. Visit the NDAEB website for the applications opening and deadline dates.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 5 • To complete the online Theory Exam application, candidates must provide the following: ✓ A valid email address, phone number and mailing address. Please make sure the email address provided is correct and accessible (do not use school or work emails). All official communication with NDAEB will be done via email. ✓ Proof of completed dental assisting education (diploma and/or final official transcript for Level I and II if taken separately). ✓ Digital photo of yourself. ✓ Examination fees. • Candidates that have not yet completed their dental assisting program and do not have a final diploma or official transcript, must submit a Letter of Enrolment from their current dental assisting school. The Letter of Enrolment must: • Be on official school letterhead and signed by a designated faculty member. • Be current (dated within the last three (3) months). • Include the candidate’s full name as it appears on your application. • Confirm the start date and anticipated program completion date, which must be no later than the last business day prior to the date of the examination being applied for. • Candidates that have completed a dental assisting program but have not yet received a final diploma or official transcript, must submit a Letter of Completion from their dental assisting school. The Letter of Completion must: • Be on official school letterhead and signed by a designated faculty member. • Include the candidate’s full name as it appears on the application. • Confirm the program start and completion date. • Candidates submitting the Letter of Enrolment or Letter of Completion with their application, are required to submit to the NDAEB a copy of their diploma and/or final signed transcript as soon as it’s been received. It can be emailed in PDF format at anytime to office@ndaeb.ca • Digital photo. The photo must be in colour and taken against a plain white or light-coloured background (resembling a picture that would appear on a license or passport). This photo will be used for identification purposes on exam day. Do NOT submit low resolution pictures and copies of ID / licenses / passports, they will NOT be accepted. Additionally, candidates must not submit an altered photo. If a picture is suspected to have been altered/enhanced/filtered/ in any way, it will not be accepted. Candidates who do not follow the requirements for the photo risk having their application registration delayed and/or withdrawn. • Examination fees are payable online at the time of application. Candidates must use a valid credit card. Please be aware, a non-refundable credit card processing fee will be applied. Cash, money order/bank drafts or personal cheques will NOT be accepted. Please do NOT submit more then one exam application. Non-refundable application fee of $100 CAD will apply to duplicate application(s). Candidates unsure if their application/payment went through, may contact NDAEB at office@ndaeb.ca. • In the event of a refund, fees will be credited back to the credit card used at the time of payment. Refund cheques or credits towards alternate cards will not be permitted.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 6 • Documents are to be submitted in PDF format. Scanned copies of academic documents must be full-size and of high quality. Poor quality copies and/or unsecure (editable) official digital records of documents will not be accepted and will delay the application registration process and/or may result in an application being withdrawn. Do NOT upload password-protected documents. • Candidates are responsible for reviewing all information provided on the application form to ensure information is correct. • The online Theory Exam application form, required documentation and payment must be received by the NDAEB no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the application deadline date. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. • Requests for exam site changes and/or testing accommodations MUST be made prior to the exam application deadline. Changes/additional requests cannot be made following the application deadline. • Should NDAEB require any further information about a candidate’s application, or if any documents are missing/not acceptable, candidates will be contacted directly by the NDAEB office by telephone and/or email. Candidates are responsible for checking their email, provided during the application process (including “Spam” and “Junk” folders) for communication from NDAEB to ensure timely processing before the application deadline. Candidates who do not follow these requirements risk having their application withdrawn. Note: After the application deadline, candidates who received follow up communication regarding their pending application are required to respond and submit the requested documents within two (2) business days. If the required documents are not received within this timeframe, their Theory Exam application will be withdrawn. • Candidates must allow up to two (2) weeks to receive an official reply from NDAEB after online Theory Exam application was submitted. Following an application being approved, candidates will receive an email directing them to the NDAEB Candidate Portal, where they can access Theory Exam Registration Letter and receipt. Note: Candidates must review their Theory Exam Registration Letter carefully to confirm that all information—such as exam dates, testing site, accommodations, name, and address—is accurate. If there are any discrepancies or errors, candidates must email office@ndaeb.ca immediately. Discrepancies reported more than two weeks after the registration letter is issued will not be accepted. • Three (3) weeks prior the exam date candidates will receive an Exam Booking Confirmation email from the NDAEB’s third-party testing provider. The Booking email will provide candidates with information and directives regarding their scheduled date, time and location of their examination, and exam day password setting procedures. Please be aware, the NDAEB exams are computer-based at established testing centers authorized by the NDAEB. Candidates may not request remote online proctored exams. Remote online proctored examinations may only be used in extreme situations approved by the NDAEB as an accommodation. Two (2) weeks prior to the exam date, candidates will receive an email notification from the NDAEB advising that their Admission Letter is available, and one (1) week prior to the exam date they will also receive a secondary confirmation email from the third-party testing provider. This is to act as a reminder to ensure that candidates have received their exam booking confirmation and have read all required information needed to prepare for exam day. • Candidates who have not received their NDAEB Admission Letter notification or booking confirmation email two (2) weeks before the examination date, must contact the NDAEB office immediately by email office@ndaeb.ca.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 7 Application Transfers and Withdrawals Exam Transfer Candidates may transfer their Theory Examination to any other exam sitting within the current calendar year without financial penalty, provided the request is submitted before the exam application deadline date. To request this transfer, please submit a signed written request via email at office@ndaeb.ca. After the exam application deadline date, candidates may request a one-time transfer of their NDAEB Theory Examination to the next scheduled exam sitting within the same calendar year. No supporting documentation is required for this single transfer. This one-time transfer request must be submitted through the online Withdrawal Request Form no later than 15 calendar days prior to the first day of the examination for which the candidate is currently registered. Transfer requests submitted without supporting documentation after this deadline will not be accepted. Note: Candidates are permitted one transfer only. Once the one-time transfer is used, any subsequent request will be processed as a withdrawal, and the applicable withdrawal fees will be applied. Application Withdrawal Exam applications can be withdrawn at any time; however, candidates will incur withdrawal fees as outlined below. Candidates must inform the NDAEB office of their withdrawal by completing the NDAEB online Withdrawal Request Form, accessible on our website www.ndaeb.ca . This form must be submitted as soon as possible before the exam date. Withdrawal fees will apply based on the date when the NDAEB office receives the candidate's submitted online Withdrawal Request Form. The withdrawal fee will be deducted from the candidate’s examination payment during the refund process. Fees will be credited back to the credit card used at the time of initial payment. Refunds typically take up to 14 business days to be processed. Applicants withdrawing from the examination due to circumstances related to illness or emergency (unanticipated exceptional circumstances), MUST accompany their request with a supporting documentation, issued by the regulated health care professional or a recognized institution, such as a government agency (e.g., police, social services etc.). Upon review by the NDAEB, examination withdrawal fees may be waived. The NDAEB reserves the right to determine circumstances that qualify as grounds for withdrawal without financial penalty*. In the event a candidate does not successfully complete all requirements of their dental assisting program (including practicum(s)), a candidate must formally withdraw from the exam sitting. Candidates must submit the Withdrawal Request Form with supporting documentation from their program no later than the last business day prior to the exam date(s) by 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. If the withdrawal request is not received by NDAEB in time, withdrawal fee will apply. Candidates registered for the examination and who fail to present for the sitting (“No-Show”) will be assessed the full examination fee. In the event a candidate is unable to attend the exam sitting for medical or serious personal reasons, their exam fees may be reimbursed, or the candidate may be transferred** to the next session without additional charge, provided the candidate submits a recent letter from a physician or other regulated professional, confirming the reason for failing to attend the exam. Candidates must submit their documentation to the NDAEB office via email (office@ndaeb.ca) no later than 30 days following the exam date they did not attend to receive

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 8 reimbursement* or transfer at no additional cost to the next available exam sitting. **Note: Theory Exam application can be transferred to the next available sitting only once and only within the current calendar year. If the exam application, that was transferred to the next exam sitting, needs to be withdrawn, the withdrawal terms and fees will apply as stipulated below. Applicants must re-apply for another examination if their exam fees are reimbursed. It is the responsibility of candidates to read and understand what the environmental and technical requirements are when registered for remote proctored exams. In the event a candidate withdraws due to environmental and/or technical issues and/or requirements, withdrawal fees will apply as stipulated below. No exceptions will be given. • Withdrawal Fees: ✓ Withdrawals received prior to the application deadline date – $100 non-refundable application and credit card processing fees* ✓ Withdrawal received after the application deadline date but 15 days or more from exam session date (1st day of an exam sitting) - $100 non-refundable application and credit card processing fees* + $ 210.00 withdrawal fee ✓ Withdrawal received 14 days or less from exam session date (1st day of an exam sitting) - full fees will be assessed / non-refundable ✓ Withdrawal for serious medical circumstances or unanticipated exceptional circumstances (see the above for details) if approved by NDAEB - $100 non-refundable application fee and credit card processing fees*. Must be accompanied by the supporting document(s). *The $100 application and credit card processing fees are non-refundable and applies to all withdrawals regardless of the circumstances causing the candidate to withdraw. Withdrawal fees will be applied against the first day of an exam session. If a withdrawal request form is received after 4:30 PM Eastern Time, it will be processed as if it was received the following business day. Examination Emergencies and Illnesses Candidates experiencing a severe personal circumstance beyond their control that severely disadvantages them immediately before or during the examination, must do the following: • If the event occurs at the exam site and/or during the examination, candidates must do the following two (2) steps: • Immediately notify their exam facilitator/testing center. • Submit an email to the NDAEB (office@ndaeb.ca), documenting the event, within one (1) week of this personal circumstance occurring.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 9 • Candidates who do not appear for the exam and/or experiencing medical emergencies or acute illnesses immediately before and/or during the exam, must notify NDAEB within one (1) week of their scheduled exam and submit their supporting documentation from a physician or other regulated professional confirming the reason for failing to attend the exam no later than 30 days following the exam date by email to office@ndaeb.ca. Future consideration may not be given by the NDAEB to candidates who have not followed the prescribed procedure. Testing Accommodations and Special Sittings Testing accommodation requests are made during the online Theory Exam application process. The NDAEB makes every reasonable effort to administer examinations in a manner that is fair and equitable to all persons. Medical accommodations or special sitting dates/accommodations for religious reasons must be approved by the NDAEB. Requests for testing accommodations MUST be made prior to the exam application deadline. Changes cannot be made following the application deadline. To request medical accommodation(s) a signed Health Accommodation Request Form, completed by a regulated health care professional, must be submitted during the online Theory Exam application process or emailed to office@ndaeb.ca no later than the application deadline date. Form is available at: www.ndaeb.ca. Requirements: Health Accommodation Request Form must be: • Completed and signed by a regulated health care professional; • Dated within six (6) months of the application deadline; • Submitted in PDF format. The Health Accommodation Request Form will be the ONLY form accepted by the NDAEB to support a medical/health related accommodation request. For example, accommodation requests submitted with only a medical or doctor’s note or Health Accommodation Request Forms that exceed the 6 (six) month timeframe, will not be accepted and will be denied. Health accommodations may include: • extra time (time and one half = 6 hours) • a quiet (separate) room • text-to speech software • an in-person exam reader and/or recorder (i.e., scribe) • medical device (glucose pump, hearing aid etc.) • other (emergency snacks, scrap paper, pencil, stress ball, noise cancelling headphones, etc.). Note: • Text to speech software varies between testing centres. NDAEB cannot guarantee which program will be used at the time of registration.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 10 • The duties of an exam in-person reader are to read aloud the test questions to the candidate, not to coach the candidate or to provide assistance that would help the candidate select the correct answers. Exam readers are selected by the NDAEB and do not have a background in dental assisting, dentistry or a related field. Candidates must understand that if requesting a recorder for health accommodations, the recorder, the NDAEB and its agents assume no liability and are not responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the Theory Examination and/or Clinical Practice Evaluation (CPE) results. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure their answers are recorded online according to the instructions given to the recorder. Be advised, at this time, accommodations for recorders and readers are only available at testing centers; recorders are not permitted with remote proctored exams. Requests for prayer time accommodations or alternate dates due to religious reasons must include original documentation signed by a religious leader confirming a candidate’s participation in designated prayer times and/or the inability to attend a scheduled examination or evaluation and include time(s) and/or date(s) required. When authorized by the Chief Administrative Officer/Registrar, NDAEB will accommodate requests for alternate examination dates. Note: The Chief Administrative Officer/Registrar reserves the right to request additional supporting documentation for all requests for accommodations and will assess requests on an individual basis and if deemed eligible may provide a reasonable accommodation, as appropriate. Accommodation(s) granted to a candidate will be valid for one examination or evaluation and are not automatically transferrable to subsequent examinations or evaluations. Candidates requiring a retake of an examination will be required to submit the Health Accommodation Request Form and may be required to supply further supporting documentation. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they included with their application the Health Accommodation Request Form. Candidates who fail to provide the Health Accommodation Request form, risk having their request(s) for accommodations unfulfilled or denied. Test Dates and Sites The NDAEB Examinations are scheduled four (4) times per year typically on the last week of March, June, September, and the second week in December. Examinations are administered in most major cities across Canada through our third-party testing provider. For a list of current testing locations, please visit our website: www.ndaeb.ca. Note: locations are limited and are subject to changes. Please visit the NDAEB website for a list of available exam dates and application deadlines. Candidates may be required to write the exam on an alternate date/or site due to site availability and/or testing accommodations. While the NDAEB makes every effort to ensure seating is available, we cannot guarantee your first-choice exam location will be available. In the event candidates are required to be scheduled at an alternate location, all efforts will be made to ensure sites are within a reasonable distance. Candidates may request an alternate exam site if they reside more than 250km from an established testing location. Note: it is at the discretion of the NDAEB to re-assign site locations and/or assign candidates to a remote proctored exam.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 11 Remote Proctored Exams In the event the NDAEB approves use for remote proctoring, this method of exam delivery will allow candidates to take their test at a remote location of their choosing while ensuring the integrity of the exam. Candidates are required to provide the environmental and technical requirements of this exam delivery method, and will be subject to continuous surveillance, which includes at minimum, identity confirmation, video monitoring and behaviour censoring. Remote (online) proctors are skillfully trained to monitor online behaviour of test takers and will flag candidates should anyone be suspected of suspicious behaviour. To take a remote proctored exam from an alternate location, candidates need: • Private and quiet room (no other persons are permitted in the same room) • Suitable desktop PC/laptop • Stable high-speed internet connection • Functional webcam and a mic Should a candidate be permitted to take the national examination through remote proctoring, the NDAEB and thirdparty testing provider will provide candidates with specific directives to follow. It is the candidates’ responsibility to ensure they have fully read and understand the requirements needed. Candidates who fail to properly prepare their computer systems prior to their exam day as directed risk experiencing technical issues on the day of their exam. If candidates experience technical issues on the day of their exam and NDAEB determines the candidate did not sufficiently prepare themselves and/or their computer systems for remote proctoring, they risk cancellation of their examinations; candidates will not be rescheduled, and all fees will be forfeited. In the event a candidate experiences technical issues beyond their control, they must immediately contact the third-party testing provider. Depending on the severity of the technical issue, the candidate may be required to stop the examination and be rescheduled for a re-attempt. If this occurs, the examination will be rescheduled the following business day. Note: It is the candidate’s responsibility to contact the third-party testing provider immediately if experiencing any technical issues. If the issue has not been resolved after four (4) hours of your scheduled exam, candidates must notify the NDAEB office by email describing the situation that has occurred. In the event a candidate has not been able to complete the examination due to technical problems and has not contacted the NDAEB within twenty-four (24) hours of their exam, an exam rescheduling may not be granted, and the attempt will be counted as a “No Show”. All fees will be forfeited. Examination Admission Requirements For admission to the testing facility on examination day, the candidate must: • Arrive at the examination site at least thirty (30) minutes early for registration; refer to your admission letter and/or Exam Booking Confirmation email for your reporting time. • Present a printed Exam Booking Confirmation email provided by Testing provider. Booking confirmation email presented on a smartphone screen will be accepted, provided all information is clearly viewable by the test administrator at your site. After showing the booking email to the administrator, candidates MUST turn off their device and follow the testing facilities directives in storing personal belongings. Candidates are NOT permitted to access their phones during the examination period.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 12 • Present one (1) form of original valid photo identification with signature (e.g.: driver’s license, health care card with photo, or passport). Candidate’s ID must have the first and last name matching exactly to what was applied to the NDAEB with. If there are any discrepancies in the name or other ID related issues, candidate’s must contact the NDAEB office as soon as possible before the day of your exam. Digital copies of the IDs or expired IDs will not be accepted. If a candidate fails to present valid (NOT expired) photo identification at the testing center, their exam will be cancelled, and all fees will be forfeited. Candidates are not permitted to bring anything into the testing room and must follow the Rules of Conduct set out by the NDAEB and the testing provider. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they fully read the Rules of Conduct (please refer to the section Rules of Conduct During the Exam in this handbook, also will be attached with the Admission Letter). Computers will be provided for candidates taking the exam at testing centres. Candidates will be provided a feature on the exam to use an online notepad function. Paper and pen/pencils are NOT permitted during the examination. Exam Duration Candidates will be allowed a maximum of four (4) hours to complete the examination (unless extra time is granted by the NDAEB to a candidate who has submitted a request for special testing accommodations requiring extra time). There are no scheduled breaks during the exam sitting. Extra time will not be allotted should candidates require the use of the washroom. Candidates requiring time to use the washroom/get a drink and/or snack, dismiss themselves from their exam room at the direction of the test center facilitator knowing that their allotted time is not stopped. Examination Format and Test Blueprint The examination is computer-based and composed of 200 multiple choice items (available in French or English). Many of the items found on the examination are case based (see vignette example later in this handbook). All test items come from the NDAEB test item library. The percentage of items from each of the Domain Description sections that constitutes the test blueprint is noted below. The variation of items encountered on each form of the examination will match the distribution of items as identified in the test blueprint. Test Blueprint Section 1 Ethical and Legal Practice as a Dental Assistant • 5% (approximately)

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 13 Section 2 Dental Sciences • 7 – 12% Section 3 Clinical Support Procedures • 10 – 15% Section 4 Patient Records • 10 – 12% Section 5 Patient Care Procedures • 40 – 50% Section 6 Practice Management Procedures • 5 – 10% Section 7 Preventive Procedures • 15 – 20% The NDAEB uses the FDI Two - Digit Notation to identify teeth by number. Each patient’s mouth is divided into quadrants: upper-right (Q1), upper-left (Q2), lower-left (Q3) and lower-right (Q4). For more information regarding the FDI World Dental Federation visit their website at www.fdiworldental.org Testing Agency The National Dental Assisting Examining Board has a contractual agreement with a third-party provider of the professional high-stakes certification testing and psychometric services. Among their responsibilities, the company guides the Theory Exam Committee in the development of exam items, scores exam results and conducts statistical analyses following examinations to determine passing scores. Passing Score The NDAEB uses the modified Angoff standard setting method to set passing scores. This standard setting method requires a panel of judges to review the items (questions) and to render judgment on expected candidate performance on each item. On average, the passing score will vary generally between the low and mid 60s% range, depending on the items (questions) appearing on each test paper. Less difficult forms of the exam tend to have higher passing scores than more difficult exams. As a result, no candidate will be disadvantaged due to having written a more difficult version of the exam. Likewise, no candidate will gain advantage due to having taken a less difficult form of the exam.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 14 Key Validation Following each exam sitting, prior to the release of exam results to candidates, the Theory Exam Committee (TEC) performs an exercise known as key validation. Key validation involves a statistical performance review of all questions appearing on the examination. Key validation allows the TEC to identify specific questions where a high percentage of candidates answered the same question incorrectly. When this occurs, committee members review the questions and answers to determine if: ✓ the question was marked correctly; ✓ there is potentially more than one acceptable answer to the question; ✓ the question is free from ambiguity; ✓ the candidates failed to answer the question correctly. If key validation indicates that either 1, 2, or 3 above are the reasons for the statistical inconsistency, the question is either remarked accordingly or deleted from the scoring. Examination Results • The contracted psychometricians review electronic examination scores and produce the statistical data required to generate examination results which are then reviewed by the NDAEB. • Candidates will receive an email notification from the NDAEB within six (6) weeks of the exam date advising them that their results have been made available on the Candidate Portal. • Examination results will not be given over the telephone, by email or other electronic means. • Examination results will only be discussed with the candidate in general terms. Candidates requiring detailed information or wishing to appeal must do so in writing. (See Exam Appeals section.) • Within two (2) weeks after the exam sitting the NDAEB will automatically release the exam results of all candidates, pass or fail, to the Canadian Dental Assisting Regulatory Authority (CDARA) in the province in which the candidates wrote the exam. Other CDARA may request exam results on individual candidates who did not write the exam in their province. The NDAEB will release pass or fail exam results to any CDARA upon request. The release of exam results to third parties, other than a CDARA, will only be possible with the written consent of the candidate. Please refer to NDAEB privacy policy for details. Note: when reviewing the exam results letter, scores are reported in each of the 7 areas of the Domain (refer to the Test Blueprint earlier in this handbook). As each of the 7 Domain areas is weighted differently (more questions in some areas than others) overall scores cannot be determined by totaling the individual Domain area scores and dividing by 7. All exam papers are scored electronically by the testing agency and failure scores reviewed to ensure no error was made before releasing exam results to candidates.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 15 NDAEB Certificate Release • A diploma or final official signed transcript verifying completion of the dental assisting education program, MUST be provided to the NDAEB office (by emailing office@ndaeb.ca) to release the NDAEB Certificate. Along with academic records, candidates must provide their full name, NDAEB ID number, and current mailing address in their correspondence. Photocopies/ scans of diplomas/transcripts must be straight, full-size, of high quality, and submitted in a PDF format. Pictures or scans of documents that are slanted, low quality, or capturing distracting background images will not be accepted and will delay the release of your certificate. NDAEB will NOT release the NDAEB Certificate if the Dental assisting program Diploma or Final Official Transcript is not received. • Candidates granted the NDAEB Certificate after successful completion of the examination and with Diploma or Final Official Transcript on file, can expect to receive their certificate in six-eight (6-8) weeks following the release of their exam results. Candidates can expect to receive an email notification for access to a secure digital certificate as well as an original hardcopy. Candidates must contact the NDAEB office as soon as possible should there be an address / name change required to avoid delays and/or additional applicable fees. • Returned NDAEB Certificate: It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure the address on file is accurate and valid. If it is determined the address provided was incorrect or was not updated by the candidate resulting in a returned certificate to the NDAEB office, candidates will be contacted and the certificate held for thirty (30) days. After this period, unclaimed certificates will not be retained, and reprint fees will apply should a certificate be requested. • Certificate Reprint Request: Candidates that have lost their original NDAEB paper certificate or wish to request a reprint of their NDAEB certificate because of a name change, can apply for a new paper and digital NDAEB certificate using the online NDAEB Certificate Reprint Application. Please be advised that the certificate reprint fee and credit card processing fees are non-refundable. Candidates are responsible for reviewing their NDAEB profile information. Names must match as on government issued identification (nicknames are not acceptable). Incorrect information provided to the NDAEB may result in a reprint of the NDAEB Certificate and the candidate will be responsible for this additional fee. Examination Re-Writes Candidates who achieve a score below the passing score established for a particular exam may apply to rewrite the exam. The application process is the same as for the initial attempt (the online application form can be found here). The NDAEB encourages unsuccessful candidates to re-write at the next available sitting date. Unsuccessful candidates may seek tutoring help from educational programs; however, the NDAEB assumes no responsibility for assuring that these programs, e.g., NDAEB Exam Preparation Courses, will prepare candidates for a successful examination. Candidates will be permitted three (3) attempts on the NDAEB Theory Examination.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 16 Requalification Policy: Effective January 1, 2026, candidates who have been unsuccessful on three (3) attempts may pursue one of two requalification pathways with the NDAEB: 1. New Application Status: Candidates may requalify by successfully re-completing a recognized dental assisting program that includes all required theoretical and clinical components and is deemed exameligible by the NDAEB. See a list of eligible registered programs on our website (www.ndaeb.ca). 2. Fourth Attempt Request Based on Remediation: Candidates may request approval for a fourth examination attempt without re-entering a full educational program, subject to meeting specific conditions outlined below. Candidates must: i. Submit the 4th Attempt Request Form (available at www.ndaeb.ca) to the NDAEB Registrar (or delegate) within 125 business days of the date of their third unsuccessful examination attempt. A non-refundable fee is payable at the time of submitting 4th attempt request form online. ii. Clearly set out the reason(s) why they believe a fourth attempt should be approved. iii. Provide a detailed remediation plan, outlining the steps that will be taken to address identified areas of weakness and improve examination readiness. iv. Provide any supporting documentation relevant to their remediation activities (e.g., courses, tutoring, practice tests). Upon review of the documentation, the NDAEB may grant a fourth and final attempt on the Theory Examination. Candidates whose requests are approved must completely and successfully carry out the remediation plan prior to applying for the fourth and final attempt on the Examination. Documentation/evidence that the remediation plan was successfully completed within the stipulated time frame must be emailed to the NDAEB (office@ndaeb.ca) prior to submitting the Theory Exam application. Candidates whose requests are denied must successfully re-complete a registered dental assisting program to requalify for certification eligibility. For provincial licensure/ registration purposes, the NDAEB recommends attending a program accredited by CDAC as not all Canadian Dental Assisting Regulatory Authorities (CDARA) will recognize education completed at non-accredited dental assisting programs. Please see the Education section of the website for more details (www.ndaeb.ca). Notice: Discontinuation of Exam Re-Scoring Service Effective January 1, 2026, candidates may no longer request exam re-scoring services.

© 1998 – 2026 National Dental Assisting Examining Board 17 All Theory Examination results are subject to comprehensive verification and quality assurance procedures prior to release. Historical data has confirmed that since the launch of computer-based exams, no candidate’s score has ever been changed as a result of a re-score and no errors have been recorded. In light of these established quality control measures, the re-scoring service no longer serves the interest of candidates and therefore will no longer be offered after this date. Candidates who wish to contest their examination results may do so through the Appeals process detailed below. Examination Appeals Candidates who sit the NDAEB examination, may appeal their result (please refer to requirements). Requests for an appeal will only be heard if the request is based on one or more of the following grounds for appeal: ✓ Procedural grounds ✓ Environmental grounds ✓ Personal grounds Candidates experiencing any extenuating circumstances beyond their control, outside of those experienced by online remote technical occurrences previously described, should notify the NDAEB office in writing within one (1) week of the examination. Appeals received for any other reason will not be accepted and will not be heard by the Appeals Committee. REQUIREMENTS ✓ A request for an appeal of any result score and/or decision, and/or documented personal circumstance, must be done online at www.ndaeb.ca. Fees are payable online at the time of the appeal application. Candidates must use a valid credit card. Requests for an appeal must be received by NDAEB no later than 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time on the thirtieth (30th) day after the date on the exam results letter. ✓ The request for an appeal must: • Identify the appealed decision, • State the reasons for the appeal, including the basis and evidence of grounds for an appeal. ✓ If the appeal is based on personal grounds, the submission must include official medical professional documentation with the full name, office address, telephone number, and signature of the medical professional confirming the nature of the appellant’s condition and whether in their professional opinion the medical condition and/or matter may have impacted the candidate’s performance. Note: The NDAEB Appeals Committee rules on all appeals. Successful appeals will not result in the issuing of the NDAEB Certificate or a change in the score but may result in a rewrite at no cost to the candidate at the next available exam sitting. In such cases, the exam score in question may be expunged from the candidate’s file. All decisions by the Appeals Committee are final and will not be revisited. In the event an appeal is granted, the full appeal fee ($210 CAD) and appeal application fee ($50 CAD) will be refunded to the candidate. If it is determined that there are no grounds for an appeal, the candidate will be refunded the appeal fee ($210 CAD) and the appeal application fee ($50 CAD) will be assessed. If the appeal is unsuccessful, the full appeal fee ($260 CAD) will be assessed.

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