What is Dubai Health Authority (DHA) exam? A Beginner Guide for 2026
DHA Exam Quick Summary
The DHA exam is the professional assessment that the Dubai Health Authority uses to decide if a doctor, dentist, nurse, pharmacist or allied health professional can be licensed to practise in Dubai. Most candidates sit a computer-based MCQ test at a Prometric centre, some specialist titles have an oral assessment instead, and a few qualifications are exempt. The result is Pass or Fail.
If you have only just heard of the DHA exam, this page is for you. It explains what DHA is, who has to sit the exam, what the exam looks like and how it fits into the licence process, in plain words and without the detail that belongs on the step-by-step pages. Each section points you to the page that goes deeper, so you can read in the order you need.
What is the Dubai Health Authority (DHA)?
The Dubai Health Authority is the government body that runs and regulates healthcare in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Inside DHA, the Health Regulation Sector licenses healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals, inspects them and sets the rules they work under. Every licensing service for professionals runs through DHA's online system, Sheryan, so your whole file (application, documents, exam eligibility, result and registration) lives in one Sheryan account.
DHA is one of three licensing authorities in the UAE. It covers Dubai only. Abu Dhabi has the Department of Health (DOH), and the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) licenses the other emirates. Which one you choose depends on where you want to work; our MOHAP and DHA licence comparison explains the differences.
Who is required to give DHA exam?
Healthcare professionals applying for a DHA licence have to pass the DHA professional assessment before DHA will register them for the title they applied for. That covers physicians (GPs, specialists and consultants), dentists, nurses and midwives, pharmacists, and allied health staff such as physiotherapists, laboratory and radiology technologists, and optometrists. Each title has its own exam blueprint.
There are two groups who do not sit the written test:
- Exempt candidates. Some qualifications and licences are accepted in place of the exam, for example some international licensing exams or a cancelled DHA licence within the last 5 years. The list is on DHA exam exemption criteria.
- Oral assessment titles. Some specialist and consultant titles are assessed by an oral (usually virtual) instead of the CBT. See written CBT or oral assessment.
Sheryan tells you which applies to you once you submit your application. Before that, the free Sheryan self-assessment tool gives a first answer.
What does the DHA exam look like?
| Feature | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Type | Computer-based test (CBT) of multiple-choice questions for most titles; oral assessment for some specialist and consultant titles |
| Where | Prometric test centres in the UAE and in many other countries, including Pakistan and India |
| Dates | No fixed exam dates; you book any open slot once Sheryan issues your Eligibility ID |
| Length | Depends on the title; the GP and general dentist papers are 150 MCQs in 3 hours |
| Result | Pass or Fail only, shown in Sheryan; no score or topic breakdown |
| Attempts | 3 attempts with no waiting period between them; after a third fail you wait 2 years |
Question counts and times for other titles, and why online pass percentages are unreliable, are on DHA exam passing score, duration and total questions. Retake rules are on DHA exam attempts.
How does the DHA licence process work, from start to finish?
The exam is one step in a longer process. This is the order most candidates follow:
A practical point: DataFlow can take several weeks, so most candidates apply in Sheryan while they are still preparing. Fees for each stage are listed on DHA Prometric exam cost.
What are required documents for DHA Exam?
The core set is the same for most titles: passport, degree, internship certificate, experience certificates, your current licence, a Good Standing Certificate not older than 6 months, and a recent photo. Doctors and dentists have their own checklists, which we have discussed separately for Physicians and Dentists. Nurses and pharmacists can start from DHA exam for nurses and midwives and DHA exam for pharmacists.
What are Preparation Tips for DHA Exam?
The exam tests safe, everyday clinical decisions more than rare facts. A few things help almost everyone:
- Read the DHA syllabus for your health category first, so you know which subjects carry weight.
- Practise the high yield DHA MCQs compiled by Interface Medical Education. Timed blocks matter, because 150 questions in 3 hours leaves little more than a minute per question.
- Update your knowledge to current international guidelines (ACLS, BLS, WHO standards). Old textbook answers can be marked wrong.
- Understand UAE-specific healthcare regulations and ethics, such as consent, confidentiality and reporting duties.
Most GPs we teach give themselves 2 to 3 months. A full plan is on DHA GP exam study material, and dentists can use the DHA General Dentist QBank.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the DHA exam the same as the DOH or MOHAP exam?
No. DHA licenses professionals for Dubai, DOH for Abu Dhabi and MOHAP for the other emirates, and each runs its own exam and eligibility rules. The subjects overlap, but you apply to the authority where you plan to work.
Can I take the DHA exam in my own country?
Yes. The CBT is delivered at Prometric centres in the UAE and abroad, including Pakistan and India. You book after Sheryan issues your Eligibility ID, choosing any centre and date that has a free slot.
Can a fresh graduate sit the DHA exam?
It depends on the title. GPs and general dentists from outside the UAE need an internship plus 2 years of licensed experience. Registered nurses need no minimum experience. The Sheryan self-assessment tool confirms your case.
Does passing the DHA exam give me a licence?
Not by itself. A pass lets you complete DHA registration, which stays valid for 1 year. The licence is activated when a DHA-licensed hospital or clinic hires you during that year.
How many times can I attempt the DHA exam?
Three times, with no waiting period between attempts. If you fail the third attempt, you have to wait 2 years before applying again.
Your Comments
Readers have asked us these questions over time. Tap any question to open it and read our reply.
Mohammed Ameer yousuf (India): dentist jobs, procedure and exam fees
"I am a dentist in india and would like to know more about job prospects in Dubai, procedure and exam fees for DHA dentist exam in UAE.."
Name: Mohammed Ameer yousuf
Medical qualification: BDS
City, Country: India
unnikrishnan (Dubai): DHA exam with a diploma in pharmacy
"I had complet diploma in PHARMACY.so let me know about dha exam and next exam date. expecting favourable reply."
Name: unnikrishnan
Medical qualification: diploma in pharmacy
City, Country: Dubai
ashfaq ahmed nadeem (Islamabad, Pakistan): registration and finding a job as a surgeon
"i am looking for a job in UAE.kindly advise regarding registration and the procedure for applying for a job."
Name: ashfaq ahmed nadeem
Medical qualification: MBBS ,FCPS,FRCS(general surgeory)
City, Country: islamabad Pakistan
geeta (Nepal): PCL nursing with 4 years of experience
"Hi i am geeta from nepal. I have completed pcl 3 year nurdhing plus i have 4 year of experience. Am i eligible to dha exam?. What is procedure for it. any help? "
geeta
Medical Qualification: pcl nurshing
City, Country: nepal
Zeenat Fatima (Tando Allahyar, Pakistan): how to apply after MBBS
"I have completed my MBBS in dec, 2014.. I want to ask that how can apply for DHA.. what requirements I should fulfill for this exam.. "
Zeenat Fatima
Medical Qualification: MBBS
City, Country: TandoAllahyar, Pakistan
poonam (Karachi, Pakistan): gap in clinical practice before DHA, DOH or MOH
"I had done my MBBS in end of 2007 and house job till 2009. After that, i had started an MBA in health management and working in an NGO as a monitoring and evaluation officer till 2016. Afterward, i started my clinical practice again since 2017. Now im thinking for UAE exam as GP. i want to know if im eligible to take the DHA or HAAD or MOH exam. ."
poonam
Medical Qualification: MBBS and MBA Health Management
City, Country: Karachi, Pakistan
Ibrahim Douas (El Milia, Algeria): orthopaedic and trauma surgeon, steps of the procedure
"I am an orthopedics and trauma surgeon working in public sector with almost two years post graduate experience .... I would like to know more about dha exam and steps to the procedure ....thanks ."
Ibrahim Douas
Medical Qualification: ORTHOPAEDICS AND TRAUMA SURGEON
City, Country: ELMILIA.JIJEL. ALGERIA
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