Coming soon · INBDE · JCNDE (United States)
Integrated National Board Dental Examination.
US dental licensure exam (replaces NBDE I+II). 500 single-best-answer items over 2 days within a 7-day window, mapped to 56 Clinical Content areas × 10 Foundation Knowledge areas. Pass/Fail reporting. Year-round at Prometric.
INBDE prep isn’t live on Lumen yet. Drop your email and we’ll let you know the moment our diagnostic + mocks open.
Blueprint · topic weights
3 domains, honestly weighted.
Once INBDE prep is live, our diagnostic + mocks will sample in proportion to the published JCNDE (United States) competency document — never random.
01Diagnosis and Treatment Planning15 Clinical Content areas spanning oral diagnosis, comprehensive assessment, risk assessment, differential diagnosis, treatment planning, sequencing. Approximate weight: 36.2% per JCNDE 2026 pie-chart distribution.36%
02Oral Health Management23 Clinical Content areas spanning prevention, periodontal therapy, restorative dentistry, endodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery, orthodontic management, pediatric care, oral pathology management. Approximate weight: 42.0% per JCNDE 2026 pie-chart distribution — the largest section.42%
03Practice and Profession18 Clinical Content areas spanning communication, ethics, professionalism, jurisprudence, practice management, patient relationships, evidence-based decision-making, infection control. Approximate weight: 21.8% per JCNDE 2026 pie-chart distribution.22%
FAQ
Everything candidates ask about INBDE.
- Who writes the INBDE?
- The Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE) is the U.S. licensure exam for dentists, administered by the JCNDE. It replaced NBDE Part I and Part II and is required for dental licensure in all U.S. states.
- What is the INBDE format?
- The INBDE is a two-day computer-based exam of approximately 500 clinically integrated items across two test sessions. Items map to 56 clinical content areas combined with 10 foundation knowledge areas — there is no separate basic-science section.
- What is the INBDE pass mark?
- The INBDE is reported as pass/fail only — no numerical score is released. The JCNDE applies criterion-referenced standard-setting; first-time pass rates for U.S. dental school graduates are consistently above 80%.
- How long should I study for the INBDE?
- Most candidates allocate 8 to 14 weeks of dedicated prep, heavy on integrated case reasoning. Strong performers spend two-thirds of their time on mocks plus rationales, one-third on targeted content review of weak areas.
- Can I retake the INBDE?
- Yes. Under the JCNDE's 5 Years/5 Attempts Rule you must pass within five years of your first attempt or within five attempts, whichever comes first. You must wait a minimum of 60 days between unsuccessful attempts, with a maximum of four attempts in any rolling 12-month period. After the five-year/five-attempt ceiling, you may keep testing once every six months. Passing candidates cannot retake unless required by a dental board.
- What does Lumen's INBDE module cover?
- Lumen's INBDE module follows the JCNDE Clinical Content Outline and Foundation Knowledge framework — integrated case items with rationales mapped to specific competencies, plus topic-level gap analysis to focus your study where it moves the needle.
- How do I sign up for Lumen?
- You can take the free diagnostic without an account. To save attempts, see rationales, and unlock full mocks, sign in with email — we send a magic link, no password to forget.
- Are rationales reviewed by clinicians?
- Yes. Every item ships with a clinician-written rationale that cites the published competency guideline it maps to. Items flagged by users get re-reviewed within a business day.
In the meantime
Try a live exam while you wait.
Other dental board exams are already live — same weighted blueprints, same clinician-signed rationales.