# Texas dental licensure exams

> Dentist licensure exam signals for Texas, including national-board, clinical-exam, jurisprudence, and pathway-specific notes where sourced.

URL: https://dentovio.com/dental-licensure-exams/texas

Last verified: 2026-07-08

Research confidence: high

Educational summary only, not legal, admissions, testing-vendor, or board advice. Exam acceptance, score windows, jurisprudence rules, endorsement routes, and foreign-trained dentist pathways can change. Confirm current instructions with Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) before applying.

## Direct answer

For dentist licensure exams in Texas, Dentovio's sourced state record lists: National Board — NBDE Parts I & II or the iNBDE (electronically validated); plus a general-dentistry regional clinical exam dated within 7 years — TSBDE validates ADEX and CRDTS-SRTA (exams after Jan 1, 2019 must include perio/prostho sections). (WREB retired Dec 31, 2022.) Texas jurisprudence assessment also required. Confirm current iNBDE/NBDE, ADEX or other clinical exam, jurisprudence, law-and-rules, endorsement, and pathway-specific requirements with Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE).

## Exam signals

National Board — NBDE Parts I & II or the iNBDE (electronically validated); plus a general-dentistry regional clinical exam dated within 7 years — TSBDE validates ADEX and CRDTS-SRTA (exams after Jan 1, 2019 must include perio/prostho sections). (WREB retired Dec 31, 2022.) Texas jurisprudence assessment also required.

## Pathway context

CODA-accredited SPECIALTY program (min. 2 full-time academic years) — GPR/AEGD explicitly NOT accepted. Per TSBDE and 22 TAC §101, a graduate of a non-accredited (foreign) dental school qualifies for licensure by exam by presenting proof of successful completion of training in a CODA-accredited education program that is an ADA-approved specialty consisting of at least two full-time academic years. TSBDE states it will NOT recognize a General Practice Residency (GPR) or Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) in lieu of the specialty requirement. (An advanced-standing CODA DDS/DMD would also satisfy the accredited-school route.)

## Notes

Key distinction: Texas accepts a 2-year CODA-accredited ADA-recognized SPECIALTY program for foreign grads but explicitly rejects GPR/AEGD (general residency) as a substitute. Advanced-standing CODA DDS/DMD is the alternative route.

## Official board source

- Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE): <https://tsbde.texas.gov/licensing/dentists/dentist-license-foreign-educated-graduates/>

## References

- <https://tsbde.texas.gov/licensing/dentists/dentist-license-foreign-educated-graduates/>
- <https://tsbde.texas.gov/licensing/dentists/dentist-license-by-exam/>

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