Question 1
A 46-year-old patient has smoked 15 cigarettes a day for 24 years. How many pack-years should be recorded?
Dental hygiene board exam prep
Retake and eligibility planner
Enter the dates of your attempts. The planner applies the JCNDE's rules: 60 days between attempts, at most 4 in any 12 months, and a pass within 5 years of the first attempt or 5 attempts, whichever comes first.
Plan your next attempt
| Wait after an unsuccessful attempt | At least 60 days |
|---|---|
| Attempts in any 12 months | At most 4 |
| Five years or five attempts | Pass within 5 years of your first attempt or within 5 attempts, whichever comes first |
| After that | One attempt every 6 months |
| Eligibility window | 6 months from when your application is processed |
The rules in full
An attempt counts once you are seated at the test center computer and accept the confidentiality statement. After an unsuccessful attempt you must wait at least 60 days. If you use all four attempts in a 12-month period, you cannot take a fifth until 12 months have passed from the first of them. Under the Five Years/Five Attempts rule you must pass within five years of your first attempt or within five attempts; after that you may test once every six months. Candidates who have passed may not retake unless a state board or regulator requires it.
Try a question
Next step
Questions people ask
How soon can I retake the NBDHE?
At least 60 days after an unsuccessful attempt, with at most 4 attempts in any 12-month period.
How many times can you take the NBDHE?
There is no fixed lifetime limit, but you must pass within five years of your first attempt or five attempts. After that you may test once every six months.
Can I retake the NBDHE after passing?
No, unless a state board or relevant regulatory agency requires it.