Dental Infection Control Exam Study Guide
Use this Dental Infection Control Exam Study Guide to plan your preparation, try a free question and check the official exam requirements.
Last updated 2026-11-01
For dental assistants preparing for the DANB® ICE® exam: start with the official outline, work through all four domains, and use explanations to repair gaps. The study schedule below is a Dentovio suggestion, not an examination-board requirement or a promise of passing.
Know which exam and fee you are preparing for
The ICE exam is a component of several certifications; a component pass alone does not complete a multi-exam certification. Its outline lists no eligibility prerequisites, but application, background-information and identification rules still apply. Follow the current official application for your circumstances.12
| Planning fact | Current official information |
|---|---|
| Exam format | 75 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. |
| Delivery | Test center or online proctoring, subject to the applicable requirements. |
| Scheduling | Take the exam within the 60-day authorization window shown in your notice. |
| 2026 traditional-candidate examination fee | US $270, including a $75 nonrefundable application fee. |
Sources: official outline, printed pp. 1–2; 2026 application packet, printed pp. 4 and 9.
The application packet is labeled 2026 and accepts applications through December 31, 2026. Do not treat these fees as a 2027 quote. A preparation-course purchase does not apply for the examination, establish eligibility or award a credential.2
Try one original question
Choose an answer before reading the explanation. This is one practice question, not a diagnostic or score predictor.
A dental assistant has just removed examination gloves. What should happen before a new pair is put on for the next patient?
Make a study plan you can actually follow
Use this four-week example if it fits your background and available time. Extend it when unfamiliar practice still reveals broad gaps. Four weeks is neither an official minimum nor a sufficient-preparation claim.
| Week | Main work | Evidence to keep |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Download the official outline and handbook. Check application/ID needs. Study transmission, hand hygiene, PPE and aerosols/spatter. | Your full-domain checklist and explanations for errors or uncertain answers. |
| 2 | Work on surfaces, barriers, trays, waterlines, evacuation, equipment, impressions and waste. | A comparison sheet for concepts you keep confusing, with source locations. |
| 3 | Work through instrument processing, sterilization and monitoring, then occupational safety and program documentation. | An explanation of each missed distinction, checked against its source. |
| 4 | Revisit weak topics across all four domains. Use fresh mixed questions and a timed rehearsal. Confirm appointment and technology/ID arrangements. | Fresh-work results, remaining gaps and a practical test-day checklist. |
For each study session, choose one small topic, read its explanation, close the notes and explain it aloud or in writing. Then answer an unfamiliar question. Review correct guesses as well as errors. Do not count repeated, memorized answers as fresh evidence.
Keep a short error log:
| Topic | What changed the answer? | Why I missed it | Source and next check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Example: glove removal | Hand hygiene is indicated after removal. | I treated new gloves as a replacement for hand hygiene. | CDC hand-hygiene recommendations; explain a fresh scenario. |
Label the cause: missing knowledge, confused concepts, misread wording, or time pressure. Choose the next task for that cause rather than rereading everything.
Rehearse timing without inventing a pass percentage
The published 60 minutes for 75 questions works out to 48 seconds per question on average. That is arithmetic, not a per-question limit. A suggested short rehearsal is ten unfamiliar questions in eight minutes, followed by untimed explanation review. Some items will need longer; practice moving forward after your best supported choice.
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