Dental hygiene students and graduates should be adequately prepared by knowing the content in their dental hygiene program. The NDHCB Web site provides a variety of resources to assist a candidate for preparing to write the NDHCE. The following steps are suggested:

Candidate Guide

The NDHCE Candidate Guide includes a lot of information about the exam: it's objective, eligibility criteria, application procedures, development process, format, content, security measures, scoring and exam review application process.

How to understand/use the Blueprint

The purpose of the Blueprint is to describe how the examination is to be developed. It is not designed explicitly for study purposes but does provide valuable information about the examination content.

Please click here to access how the exam is developed or here to download a copy of the latest version of the National Blueprint

Reference Material

The NDHCB offers a list of resource materials to assist you in preparing for and taking the NDHCE. Click here to access the NDHCE Reference List.

Sample Questions, Answers and Rationale

The sample questions illustrate the types of questions found in the certification examination, and give an overall idea of how they may relate to day-to-day dental hygiene practice. They also familiarize you with the question format, the rationale behind them and the competency they refer to. Click here to access the sample questions, answers and rationale.

Preparation Test

The NDHCB offers a 75-item Preparatory Test now available online.
The cost of the Prep Test is $20 + GST and payment is by credit card only through a secure web service.

Lexicon

The English/French Lexicon was developed by the French Focus Group as a tool to assist for the translation of the Examination. It will also give you a list of most terms used within the examination.

Click here to access the English/French Lexicon or here for the French/English Lexicon

Useful Information

• Exam Format
  
  There are about 225 to 250 multiple-choice questions on the NDHCE. The questions are divided in two booklets and the examination is administered in one day, in a morning and an afternoon session, each 3 hours in length. Generally, the first session runs from 09:00 to 12:00 hours and the second session from 13:00 to 16:00 hours. It is recommended that candidates show up 30 min. before the start of the exam.
  
  Practicing dental hygienists created the questions to reflect the common oral health situations that a dental hygienist may encounter. Each question has an introductory statement followed by four possible answers. These questions may appear as cases (i.e., an introductory text followed by four to six questions), or as independent questions (i.e., single questions unrelated to other questions). You will record your answers on a computer-scan answer sheet.
• FDI Numbering System
  
  The FDI two-digit tooth numbering system (below) is used in all examinations.
• Useful Tips
  
  Understanding multiple-choice questions will allow you to apply your dental hygiene knowledge and skills to the testing situation effectively. A multiple-choice question is constructed so that only one option appears to be correct to someone who has mastered the subject. To someone who lacks a firm grasp of the subject, other options look equally plausible. The following suggestions may help you prepare and feel more comfortable on the examination day. Learn and use a few of these techniques.
  
  Read the Questions Carefully
  
  • Read the question carefully and understand it. Use your dental hygiene knowledge and skills to try to deduce the correct answer before looking at the choices.
  • Concentrate on what is actually being asked and relate it to the data provided. Try to understand the client’s oral health situation and the oral health care the client is likely to require.
  • On the examination, each question has four possible answers. Select the answer that you think is correct, or the best of the four alternatives.
  • Avoid reading too much into the question.
  • In the introductory text of a case or in a question, use a highlighter or colored pen to underline the most important details to remember. Reread the question before filling in your answer.
  One Question at a Time
  
  • Deal with each question separately. Try not to let a difficult question make you anxious when you read the next one.
  • Limit your time on each question so you can finish the examination.
  • If you don’t know the answer to a question, make a note of it, skip it, and return to it later.
  Consider Types of Questions
  
  • Examination questions will relate to dental hygiene competencies and will test certain knowledge, skills, abilities, attitudes, and judgments.
  • Although you may not have experienced oral health care situations exactly like those on the certification examination, you should be able to apply the specialized knowledge and skills acquired while in your education program or working in your practice.
  • Try to prepare for questions that test your ability to recall information and facts, to apply principles and procedures to the dental hygiene process of care, and to use your judgment about dental hygiene care.
  Use the Process of Elimination
  
  • If, after reading a question, you are unsure of the correct answer, try to eliminate the absolutely incorrect options.
  • Focus on the key idea in the question.
  Guessing
  
  • There is no penalty for guessing. You will not lose marks for an incorrect answer; use your experience to choose what you think is best or most correct.
  Complete Your Answer Sheet Carefully
  
  • The most efficient way to write the examination is to answer questions in the order they appear.
  • If you skip questions and return to them later, ensure that the number of the oval you fill in on your answer sheet matches the question number.
  • Do not circle answers in the test book and transfer them after you have completed the examination—you could run out of time. You only receive credit for answers on your answer sheet.
  • Double check that you have filled in the oval that matches the answer you believe is correct; if the wrong answer is filled in, no credit will be given.
  Changing Answers
  
  If you decide to change one of your answers, completely erase the original choice on your answer sheet. If the answer is not completely erased, the computer may read it as though two options were selected and your answer would be scored as incorrect.
  
  • Avoid making stray marks that the computer may interpret as answers on the answer sheet.
  • Be cautious when changing an answer. Do it only if you are confident that your new choice is correct.