INBDE data explainer
INBDE pass rates: what the JCNDE data actually shows.
The Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations publishes INBDE candidate counts and failure rates each year, split by program accreditation and first or repeat attempt. The latest result is a 20.8% overall failure rate in 2025, compared with 16.1% in 2024 and 8.7% in 2023. JCNDE implemented a new performance standard on June 1, 2024.
All figures below are from Table 16.1 of the official JCNDE 2025 INBDE Technical Report. JCNDE labels the cohorts “CODA-accredited” and “Non-accredited.” The non-accredited cohort is the closest published proxy for many internationally trained candidates, but it is not a nationality count and should not be relabeled as one.
Failure rates by cohort, 2021–2025
Candidates tested, with the failure rate for each group in parentheses. Source: JCNDE 2025 INBDE Technical Report, Table 16.1.
| Year | CODA-accredited first-time | CODA-accredited retake | Non-accredited first-time | Non-accredited retake | All administrations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,021 (1.3% failed) | 245 (16.0% failed) | 1,341 (33.1% failed) | 971 (55.8% failed) | 4,578 (22.3% failed) |
| 2022 | 5,852 (0.8% failed) | 234 (13.2% failed) | 2,154 (25.3% failed) | 1,145 (44.7% failed) | 9,385 (12.1% failed) |
| 2023 | 6,659 (0.4% failed) | 136 (14.0% failed) | 3,301 (15.9% failed) | 1,212 (33.8% failed) | 11,308 (8.7% failed) |
| 2024* | 6,636 (4.8% failed) | 168 (32.1% failed) | 4,137 (25.3% failed) | 919 (52.8% failed) | 11,860 (16.1% failed) |
| 2025 | 6,816 (7.2% failed) | 608 (27.0% failed) | 3,480 (34.9% failed) | 1,335 (50.5% failed) | 12,239 (20.8% failed) |
*JCNDE introduced a new performance standard on June 1, 2024, so the 2024 row includes administrations under both standards. The 2025 row is the first complete calendar year shown under the new standard.
The same 2025 numbers, as pass rates
Here is 2025 restated as pass rates (100% minus the reported failure rate).
| Cohort (2025) | Pass rate | Failure rate |
|---|---|---|
| CODA-accredited, first attempt | 92.8% | 7.2% |
| CODA-accredited, repeat attempt | 73.0% | 27.0% |
| Non-accredited, first attempt | 65.1% | 34.9% |
| Non-accredited, repeat attempt | 49.5% | 50.5% |
| All candidate administrations | 79.2% | 20.8% |
A new standard began in June 2024
JCNDE implemented a new INBDE performance standard on June 1, 2024. The 2024 row blends two standards; 2025 is the first full calendar year in the table under the new standard.
Accreditation cohort is the largest split
In 2025, first-attempt failure was 34.9% in JCNDE's non-accredited cohort and 7.2% in the CODA-accredited cohort. Non-accredited candidates accounted for 4,815 of 12,239 candidate administrations (39.3%). This cohort includes many internationally trained candidates, but the report does not label it by nationality.
Retakes are the hardest road
In 2025, retake failure was 27.0% in the CODA-accredited cohort and 50.5% in the non-accredited cohort. JCNDE encourages formal remediation before re-examination.
Each attempt carries real cost
The 2026 exam fee is $890, and candidates from non-CODA schools pay a $435 processing fee — $1,325 per attempt. Retakes require a 60-day wait and no more than four administrations in one year. Candidates must pass within five years or five attempts, whichever comes first; after that, testing is limited to once every six months.
What to do with these numbers
Find out where you actually stand before you book the exam.
The INBDE is pass/fail with a scaled passing score of 75, and the cohort data describes groups, not any individual candidate's odds. Use your own practice results and, if you are retaking, your official JCNDE performance report to decide what to review next. Dentovio's planning self-check organizes those inputs without predicting a score.
Last verified 2026-07-12. Source: JCNDE 2025 INBDE Technical Report, Table 16.1 (candidate administrations and failure rates, 2020–2025). Dentovio restated failure rates as pass rates by subtracting from 100%; the JCNDE report is the authoritative record. This page provides educational information, not a prediction of any candidate's result. INBDE® is a registered trademark of the American Dental Association, administered by the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE). Dentovio is an independent prep provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by JCNDE or the ADA.