INBDE data explainer
INBDE pass rates, 2021–2025: the official JCNDE data by cohort.
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. This page reproduces that record in full — every published year, every cohort — and states plainly which numbers JCNDE does not publish. 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 are from Table 16.1 of the official JCNDE 2025 INBDE Technical Report (approved april 2026). 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. For what an individual result actually looks like — the release timeline, the “Pass”-only pass report, and the fail report’s 13-area breakdown — see the INBDE results and scoring guide.
2025 INBDE pass rates at a glance
Per the JCNDE 2025 INBDE Technical Report, Table 16.1 (approved april 2026). Pass rate = 100% minus the failure rate JCNDE reports.
- CODA-accredited, first attempt
- 92.8%passed (7.2% failed)
- CODA-accredited, repeat attempt
- 73.0%passed (27.0% failed)
- Non-accredited, first attempt
- 65.1%passed (34.9% failed)
- Non-accredited, repeat attempt
- 49.5%passed (50.5% failed)
- All candidate administrations
- 79.2%passed (20.8% failed)
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.
First attempt vs. retake: the same table, pivoted
The retake story is the least-quoted part of Table 16.1, so here it is in full: every year restated as pass rates (100% minus the reported failure rate), first attempts beside retakes.
| Year | CODA-accredited first-time pass | CODA-accredited retake pass | Non-accredited first-time pass | Non-accredited retake pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 98.7% | 84.0% | 66.9% | 44.2% |
| 2022 | 99.2% | 86.8% | 74.7% | 55.3% |
| 2023 | 99.6% | 86.0% | 84.1% | 66.2% |
| 2024* | 95.2% | 67.9% | 74.7% | 47.2% |
| 2025 | 92.8% | 73.0% | 65.1% | 49.5% |
In every published year, in both cohorts, retakes pass less often than first attempts. In 2025 the gap was 19.8 percentage points in the CODA-accredited cohort (92.8% first attempt vs. 73.0% retake) and 15.6 points in the non-accredited cohort (65.1% vs. 49.5%). A retake after an unchanged preparation is, statistically, a worse bet than the attempt that just failed — which is why JCNDE encourages formal remediation before re-examination.
The plain-language reading: your first attempt is the one to protect. Before booking, know the current eligibility, fee, and retake rules — a 60-day wait between attempts and no more than four administrations in one year — and test where you actually stand with a free practice test rather than a feeling. If you are already retaking, your official JCNDE performance report is the most specific data you own; the readiness self-check organizes it into a review order without pretending to predict a score. And if you want structured coverage of the full blueprint behind that first attempt, see the full INBDE prep.
The trend: more candidates, and a larger retake pool
Two movements are visible inside Table 16.1's own numbers. First, volume: total candidate administrations grew from 4,578 in 2021 to 12,239 in 2025 — more than two and a half times as many test events in four years, with the non-accredited cohort supplying 4,815 of the 2025 total (39.3%).
Second, the retake share turned around in 2025. Retake administrations fell as a share of the total for three straight years — from 26.6% in 2021 (1,216 of 4,578) to 14.7% in 2022, 11.9% in 2023, and 9.2% in 2024 (1,087 of 11,860) — then rose to 15.9% in 2025 (1,943 of 12,239). CODA-accredited retakes alone went from 168 administrations in 2024 to 608 in 2025, and non-accredited retakes from 919 to 1,335. That rise follows the higher failure rates recorded after the June 2024 standard change: more failed attempts in 2024 means more candidates back in the pool in 2025. The table cannot prove that mechanism, but the arithmetic is consistent with it — and it means a larger share of today's candidates are preparing for the exam's statistically hardest configuration. If that is you, plan a real runway with the three- and six-month study schedules rather than rebooking on the 60-day minimum.
How to read these numbers
Administrations, not unique candidates
Table 16.1 counts candidate administrations — test events. One person who tests twice in a calendar year appears twice, once in a first-attempt column and once in a retake column. Yearly totals are therefore larger than the number of unique people who tested, and no column here is a count of individuals.
“Non-accredited” is an accreditation label, not a nationality
JCNDE splits candidates by whether their dental program is accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation. The non-accredited cohort includes many internationally trained dentists, but the report does not record nationality or country of training, and the two categories are not interchangeable. If you are planning the U.S. pathway from a non-CODA program, the guide for internationally trained dentists covers where the INBDE fits among the other requirements.
Pass rate = 100% minus the reported failure rate
JCNDE reports failure rates. Every pass rate on this page is computed by subtracting the published failure rate from 100% — a restatement, not a separate measurement. The failure-rate table above is the record as published; the JCNDE report itself is the authoritative version of both.
2024 spans two performance standards
JCNDE implemented a new INBDE performance standard on June 1, 2024. The 2024 row mixes administrations scored under the old and new standards, so it is not directly comparable to either neighbor. 2025 is the first complete calendar year in the table under the new standard, which makes it the cleanest current baseline.
The exam itself is pass/fail
Candidates pass or fail against a scaled passing score of 75 on a reported range of 49 to 99. A scaled score is not a percentage of questions answered correctly, so none of these rates translate into “how many questions you can miss.” How Dentovio sources and re-checks every number on this page — including the monthly re-verification schedule — is documented on how this content is verified.
What JCNDE does not publish
Several INBDE statistics circulate online that have no official source. Table 16.1 is the outcome record JCNDE publishes; these are the numbers it does not contain.
| Number you may see quoted | Status in the official record |
|---|---|
| Per-school or per-program pass rates | Not published. The table splits outcomes only by accreditation cohort and attempt number; a school-specific INBDE pass rate is not quoting JCNDE's outcome table. |
| Pass rates by nationality or country of training | Not published. “Non-accredited” is the closest cohort, and it is an accreditation label, not a nationality count. |
| Score distributions or average scores | Not published in the outcome table. The INBDE reports pass/fail against a scaled passing score of 75 (range 49–99); no public distribution of scaled scores accompanies Table 16.1. |
| Per-section or per-topic pass rates | Not published. What JCNDE does publish is the weight each Foundation Knowledge area and Clinical Content section carries on the exam — the map Dentovio's cheat-sheet index is organized around. |
| A single combined “first-time pass rate” | Not published as one number. First-attempt outcomes are reported separately per cohort; any single figure you see is someone's computation, not JCNDE's. |
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. The cost calculator itemizes the full journey from your own numbers.
INBDE pass rates: frequently asked questions
Every answer below uses only the figures in JCNDE's published Table 16.1 and the official examination rules, with cohort context attached.
Is the INBDE hard to pass?
It depends on which cohort describes you. Per JCNDE's 2025 Technical Report (Table 16.1), 92.8% of 2025 first attempts from CODA-accredited programs passed, while 65.1% of first attempts from the non-accredited cohort — which includes many internationally trained dentists — passed. Retakes pass less often in both cohorts: 73.0% and 49.5% respectively. Across all 12,239 candidate administrations in 2025, 20.8% failed.
What percent of people fail the INBDE?
In 2025, 20.8% of all INBDE candidate administrations failed, per JCNDE Table 16.1. That single number hides large cohort gaps: 7.2% of CODA-accredited first attempts failed, versus 34.9% of non-accredited first attempts, 27.0% of CODA-accredited retakes, and 50.5% of non-accredited retakes. A failure percentage quoted without its cohort is not meaningful.
What is the INBDE first-time pass rate?
JCNDE does not publish one combined first-time pass rate. For 2025 it reported first-attempt outcomes by cohort: 92.8% of CODA-accredited first attempts passed (6,816 administrations) and 65.1% of non-accredited first attempts passed (3,480 administrations). Pass rates here are 100 minus the failure rates JCNDE reports in Table 16.1 of its Technical Report.
What is the INBDE pass rate for international dentists?
JCNDE does not publish pass rates by nationality or country of training. The closest published proxy is its non-accredited cohort — candidates from dental programs not accredited by CODA, which includes many internationally trained dentists. In 2025 that cohort's pass rate was 65.1% on first attempts and 49.5% on retakes, per the JCNDE 2025 Technical Report, Table 16.1.
What score do you need to pass the INBDE?
The INBDE is pass/fail with a scaled passing score of 75 on a reported range of 49 to 99. A scaled score is not a percentage of questions answered correctly, and JCNDE does not publish a percent-correct equivalent or a number of questions you can miss.
Did the INBDE get harder in 2024?
JCNDE implemented a new performance standard on June 1, 2024, and reported failure rates rose afterward: the overall failure rate went from 8.7% in 2023 to 16.1% in 2024 — a year that blends both standards — and 20.8% in 2025, the first complete calendar year in the published table under the new standard. The table alone cannot separate the effect of the standard change from changes in who tested.
How many people take the INBDE each year?
JCNDE's Table 16.1 counts candidate administrations — test events, not unique people. Administrations grew from 4,578 in 2021 to 12,239 in 2025. Of the 2025 total, 6,816 were CODA-accredited first attempts, 3,480 were non-accredited first attempts, and 1,943 were retakes across both cohorts.
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. If you just failed, the INBDE retake playbook walks through the fail report, the verbatim retest rules, and an evidence-cited rebuild plan.
INBDE preparation
Keep working toward the INBDE
Dentovio's free INBDE resources cover the whole run-up: understand the exam, plan a realistic runway, and practice with original items.
Last verified 2026-08-04. 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.