INBDE and NBDHE Scores in a New State

Every dental board wants your National Board results, and almost none will take a copy from you. Here is how INBDE and NBDHE results reach a new board, what the JCNDE's results reports cost, what they show about past attempts, and the steps that most often hold up a dentist's or hygienist's application.

The written half of dental licensure is national. Every US licensing jurisdiction requires dentists to pass the Integrated National Board Dental Examination (INBDE), according to the ADA, and the JCNDE says the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination (NBDHE) "is intended to fulfill or partially fulfill the written examination requirement for licensure in all states." You take each once. The question when you move is how the result reaches the new board.

Who sends the results?

The Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations (JCNDE) owns the exams, and the ADA's Department of Testing Services (DTS) administers them. Boards want results from DTS, not from you. New York says it "must receive verification of your passing scores directly from the Joint Commission on National Dental Examinations." Florida's health access application asks for National Board scores "mailed to the Board office directly from the American Dental Association."

Some boards pull results electronically. Texas says it "will electronically validate scores that have been made available to Texas" and that the applicant "will need to contact ADA's department of testing services to ensure Texas will be able to access your results."

How do you request a results report?

Through your DENTPIN account. The 2026 INBDE and NBDHE candidate guides both say results report requests are made by signing in and going to the "Requests" tab, and that "DTS will provide a history of results to dental and dental hygiene boards and any additional recipients indicated."

Cost depends on timing:

The exam fee ($890 for the INBDE, $600 for the NBDHE) includes reports to "three licensing jurisdictions (provided result report requests are made at the time of application)," plus your school and you.
Any later report costs $55 per recipient, according to both guides.

So a dentist who passed the INBDE years ago and now wants Texas and Virginia pays for two new reports. Request them the same day you start the application. They are cheap and quick compared with every other piece of the file.

What does a board see in the report?

More than "pass." The INBDE guide says results are reported as pass or fail, but "In providing INBDE results, all previous attempts on the National Board Dental Examinations (i.e., NBDE Part I, NBDE Part II, and the INBDE) are reported." Scale scores run from 49 to 99, with 75 as the minimum passing score.

That matters for applications that ask about prior exam failures. If your history includes a failed attempt, answer that question accurately, because the board will see the attempt in the report anyway. California's residency route, for instance, asks for certification that you have not failed a state, regional or national licensure exam within five years, unless you later passed it.

Do older NBDE results still count?

Yes. The INBDE replaced NBDE Parts I and II in August 2020, according to the ADA, but boards still accept the older exams. Texas's applications ask for "National Boards Parts I and II or the INBDE." New York's page still refers to passing scores on "both Parts I and II."

Some boards add a score floor. Nevada's statute asks for a JCNDE certificate showing the applicant "passed the National Board Dental Examination with an average score of at least 75" (NRS 631.240).

Which delays come up most?

A name mismatch. A name change since the exam means the report and the application do not match. Fix the DENTPIN record or send name-change documents with the application.
A forgotten DENTPIN login. Recover it before you need it. Only you should hold it; no service should ever ask for it.
Waiting to order. The report is often the last item a board receives because the applicant assumed it was "on file."
Clinical scores ordered separately. Your National Board report does not include ADEX, CRDTS or WREB results. Those come from the clinical testing agency, and some boards want them in a sealed envelope. Texas says score reports "must remain in the original sealed envelope if they are mailed in."

What about hygienists taking the NBDHE now?

The NBDHE is given at Pearson VUE centers, and the JCNDE says results are available three to four weeks after the exam. Your dental hygiene program director determines eligibility, or you submit proof of graduation. The JCNDE has scheduled new NBDHE test specifications for November 2026 and says they "are not expected to substantially alter examination preparation." For the license itself, see hygienist license by credentials.

Can we order the reports for you?

The request runs through your own DENTPIN account, so you submit it. What we do is tell you exactly which boards need a report, how each wants it delivered, and when, as part of a Dentist License by Credentials ($799 per state) or Dental Hygienist License ($449 per state) file. We prepare the rest of the documents and a question-by-question guide, and track the board until approval. You complete, sign and submit the application. For the other verification steps, see license verifications for dentists and hygienists.

Common questions

How do I send my INBDE score to a state dental board?

Sign in to your DENTPIN account and use the Requests tab. The JCNDE's 2026 candidate guide says DTS provides a history of results to the boards you designate. Reports not chosen at application cost $55 each.

Will a new board see that I failed the INBDE once?

Yes. The INBDE guide says all previous National Board attempts, including NBDE Parts I and II, are reported. Answer any prior-failure question on the application accurately.

Do boards still accept NBDE Parts I and II?

Yes. The INBDE replaced the NBDE in August 2020, but boards such as Texas and New York still accept Parts I and II for dentists who took them.