# how to pass the INBDE

Answer: The INBDE is 500 multiple-choice items over two days (Day 2 within 7 days of Day 1, same Prometric center), scored pass/fail on a 49–99 scale with 75 as the minimum pass — a scaled score, not a percentage. The 2026 exam fee is $890, plus a $435 processing fee for non-CODA (internationally trained) candidates. Failers get a diagnostic report and face a 60-day wait, a 4-attempts-per-12-months cap, and a 5-year/5-attempt rule. First-attempt failure ran 7.2% for CODA candidates and 34.9% for non-accredited candidates in 2025, after the harder June 2024 performance standard.

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Answer intent ID: `how-to-pass-the-inbde`
Cluster: INBDE for international dentists
Last verified: 2026-07-22
Reviewer: see source page

## Direct answer

The INBDE is 500 multiple-choice items over two days (Day 2 within 7 days of Day 1, same Prometric center), scored pass/fail on a 49–99 scale with 75 as the minimum pass — a scaled score, not a percentage. The 2026 exam fee is $890, plus a $435 processing fee for non-CODA (internationally trained) candidates. Failers get a diagnostic report and face a 60-day wait, a 4-attempts-per-12-months cap, and a 5-year/5-attempt rule. First-attempt failure ran 7.2% for CODA candidates and 34.9% for non-accredited candidates in 2025, after the harder June 2024 performance standard.

## Query patterns

- how to pass the INBDE
- INBDE format and fees 2026
- INBDE retake rules
- INBDE eligibility for international dentists
- INBDE scoring pass fail

Source citations:
- `JCNDE-INBDE-GUIDE` Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations INBDE guide. Primary. Verified 2026-07-12. <https://jcnde.ada.org/inbde>

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- [/inbde/for-international-dentists](https://dentovio.com/inbde/for-international-dentists)
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- [/inbde/free-practice-test](https://dentovio.com/inbde/free-practice-test)

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