The NDEB pathway for internationally trained dentists
Last reviewed 2026-09-27
If your dental degree is from a program not accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of Canada, there are two routes to a Canadian licence. Both end at the same NDEB certification exam and then your provincial regulator.
Route A — the NDEB Equivalency Process
- Apply and pass credential verification. NDEB checks your documents, identity and degree. It takes about 10 weeks when everything is right the first time. Document rules are country-specific: notarized copies, certified word-for-word translations for degrees not in English or French, or approved digital credential services. One-time application fee: $900.
- AFK — Assessment of Fundamental Knowledge. 200 single-answer MCQs in 2 parts. Tests biomedical and applied clinical science. Fee $1,000.
- ACJ — Assessment of Clinical Judgement. 120–150 single- and multi-answer questions on cases and radiographs over 5.5 hours. Fee $1,350.
- NDECC (formerly the ACS). A hands-on Clinical Skills day on a typodont, plus a Situational Judgement component. Fee $6,500 ($3,250 per component).
The steps are sequential: you can't register for the next assessment until you've passed the previous one. Completing the Equivalency Process makes you eligible for NDEB certification.
Route B — a university qualifying or degree-completion program
Several Canadian faculties run 2–3-year advanced-standing programs that end in an accredited DDS/DMD. They are competitive and expensive, but some candidates prefer supervised clinical training to the exam route. See qualifying and degree-completion programs.
Then: certification and licensure
Both routes finish with the Virtual OSCE (200 questions, fee $1,750). Your provincial or territorial regulator then issues the licence, which is a separate application with its own requirements.
Start with the AFK
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Rules that changed recently
- New NDEB By-laws (effective 1 July 2026) add an Ineligibility and Misrepresentation clause. It covers false or incomplete documents, using tools or help that aren't allowed, and breaking exam rules.
- NDECC five-year window. From May 2027, candidates who haven't passed both NDECC components within 5 years stop being Equivalency Process candidates and can't reapply. You can request an extension in exceptional circumstances.
- Exam recalls are misconduct. Candidates may not disclose or recreate exam questions. Buying or sharing "recalls" can cost you your eligibility. Every PassDental question is original.
See also: costs and a realistic timeline.
Frequently asked questions
In what order are the NDEB equivalency exams taken?
AFK first, then ACJ, then the NDECC (clinical skills and situational judgement). Each must be passed before you can register for the next. Completing the Equivalency Process makes you eligible for the Virtual OSCE certification exam.
Is the ACS still part of the NDEB process?
The hands-on Assessment of Clinical Skills (ACS) was redesigned as the NDECC. It has a Clinical Skills component on a typodont and a Situational Judgement component.
Do I need a licence after passing the NDEB exams?
Yes. NDEB certification makes you eligible to apply, but the licence to practise is issued by the provincial or territorial dental regulator, which has its own requirements.