INBDE retake calculator

How we calculate this

Every rule below is quoted from the 2026 INBDE Candidate Guide(JCNDE, "Updated: 08/04/2026"), printed page 21 ("Retesting Policy and Additional Eligibility Considerations") unless noted. The calculator applies them in order:

1. 1. The 60-day wait and annual cap. "Candidates must wait a minimum of 60 days between each unsuccessful INBDE attempt, with a maximum of four (4) such administrations permitted during any one-year period of time." With three or fewer recent attempts, your earliest date is your most recent attempt plus 60 days.
2. 2. The fifth-attempt rule. "If a candidate completes the maximum four (4) administrations during any 12-month period, they will not have an opportunity to take a fifth attempt until 12 months have passed from their first testing attempt within the aforementioned 12-month period. The restrictions indicated in this bullet point are not subject to appeal." With four attempts in the past 12 months, your earliest date is 12 months from the first of those attempts (or the 60-day mark, whichever is later).
3. 3. The 5 Years/5 Attempts rule. "Under the JCNDE's 5 Years/5 Attempts Eligibility Rule, candidates must pass the examination within a) five years of their first attempt or b) five examination attempts, whichever comes first." Past that limit: "Subsequent to the fifth year or fifth attempt, candidates may test once every six (6) months after their most recent examination attempt. The restrictions indicated in this bullet point are not subject to appeal."
4. 4. The fees."A new application and fee must be submitted before each testing attempt" (CG p. 26). The 2026 examination fee is $890, and candidates from non-CODA-accredited programs pay an additional $435 processing fee (CG p. 22) — $1,325 per attempt for most internationally trained candidates.
5. 5. The eligibility window. After processing, "that candidate is eligible to test for a six-month period, unless other considerations — including retest rules and program requirements — limit the eligibility period to a shorter timeframe" (CG p. 26). That is why the booking note says to schedule ahead of your eligibility date rather than on it.

One definition that governs all of the above, from the same page: an examination attempt is "any examination administration where the candidate has been seated at a computer at a test center, and electronically agreed to the confidentiality statement presented at the beginning of the examination."

Frequently asked questions

How long do you have to wait to retake the INBDE?

Per the 2026 INBDE Candidate Guide (p. 21), candidates must wait a minimum of 60 days between each unsuccessful attempt, with a maximum of four administrations in any one-year period. After four administrations in a 12-month period, a fifth attempt is possible only after 12 months have passed from the first attempt in that window. These restrictions are not subject to appeal.

How many times can you take the INBDE?

Under the JCNDE's 5 Years/5 Attempts Eligibility Rule, candidates must pass within five years of their first attempt or five examination attempts, whichever comes first. After the fifth year or fifth attempt, the 2026 Candidate Guide allows testing once every six months after the most recent attempt — a change from the 2025 guide, which said once every 12 months. INBDE attempts are counted independently of any prior NBDE attempts.

How much does it cost to retake the INBDE?

The Candidate Guide states that a new application and fee must be submitted before each testing attempt (p. 26). The 2026 examination fee is $890, and candidates from non-CODA-accredited programs — most internationally trained dentists — pay an additional $435 processing fee, so a retake is $1,325 before study materials and travel.

Does this calculator tell me when I am authorized to test?

No. It computes an eligibility date under the JCNDE's published rules from the dates you enter. The JCNDE's own determination of your eligibility controls, your application must be processed before you can schedule, and the guide states its retest restrictions are not subject to appeal. Confirm your situation against the current Candidate Guide and your DENTPIN account.

Sources used