What are the requirements for DHA Orthodontist exam in 2026?
DHA Orthodontist Exam Quick Summary
To sit the DHA Orthodontist exam you need a dental degree with internship, a recognised orthodontic qualification from full-time training (at least 3 years for a residency or 2 years for a clinical master's), the experience your PQR tier requires (none for Tier 1 and Tier 2, 3 years for Tier 3), a Good Standing Certificate and a positive DataFlow report. You apply through DHA Sheryan, receive an eligibility letter, then sit a Prometric computer-based MCQ exam marked Pass or Fail.
The Orthodontist specialty exam for DHA (Dubai Health Authority) follows the same route as every other dental specialty: you meet the registration requirements in DHA Sheryan, complete the DataFlow verification process, apply for the related Prometric exam, and sit an oral assessment only if your title requires one. The general rules for all dental titles are on DHA dentist qualification and experience requirements. This page applies them to orthodontists only.
Who is eligible for the DHA Orthodontist exam?
To apply as a Specialist or Consultant Orthodontist in Dubai, you need:
- A primary dental degree (BDS, DDS, DMD or equivalent) with internship completed.
- A recognised postgraduate qualification in orthodontics from full-time clinical training. The Unified PQR counts a dental specialty only if training lasted at least 3 years in a residency, at least 2 years in a clinical master's, or at least 3 years in a clinical PhD. MDS Orthodontics (India), FCPS Orthodontics (Pakistan), the Saudi Specialty Certificate and UK Royal College orthodontic memberships are the qualifications our readers most often hold.
- The licensed experience your PQR tier requires (table below).
- A valid dental licence and a Good Standing Certificate issued within the last 6 months.
- A positive DataFlow (primary source verification) report on your degree, specialty certificate, licence and experience.
- No break from clinical practice of more than 2 years, or the CME and supervised practice the PQR asks for after a gap.
How much experience does a DHA Orthodontist need?
Experience is counted after your orthodontic qualification, and only in licensed clinical practice. Teaching posts count if you also treated patients under a licence.
| Title | Tier 1 | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Specialist Orthodontist | No experience required after qualification | No experience required after qualification | 3 years after qualification (1 year for UAE nationals) |
| Consultant Orthodontist | 2 years after the specialty qualification | 5 years after the specialty qualification | Cannot be attained |
Source: Unified Healthcare Professional Qualification Requirements (PQR) 2022, dental specialist and consultant requirements. The tier depends on the country and body that awarded your qualification, and the DHA evaluation officer confirms it during your application.
Still in training? Start as a general dentist
An FCPS Part 1 or an unfinished MDS is not a specialty qualification. You can still apply for the General Dentist title with a dental degree, internship and 2 years of licensed experience. The PQR also lets a dental specialist who lacks the required experience be accepted as a general dentist, except in dental radiology, forensic dentistry, dental pathology and maxillofacial surgery. Orthodontics is not one of those exceptions, so this is a real option while you build experience.
How to apply for the DHA Orthodontist exam
What is the exam syllabus and format?
This is an MCQ based exam conducted via the Prometric testing service worldwide. The questions follow the core orthodontic syllabus or topics and test clinical knowledge and judgement rather than recall alone. Most are short cases: an age and growth stage, a cephalometric finding or malocclusion, and a question on diagnosis or the best next step.
| Exam type | Computer-based single-best-answer MCQs at a Prometric centre |
| Length | DHA's CBT guideline lists 150 MCQs in 3 hours for specialist dentists and 100 MCQs for consultant dentists. Confirm the format for your title in Sheryan, as DHA can change it. |
| Result | Pass or Fail, no percentage published, usually within 2 working days |
| Attempts | 3, with no waiting period between them. After a third fail you must wait 2 years. See DHA exam total attempts. |
| Oral assessment | Only if Sheryan assigns one to your title. See DHA oral exam. |
For revision, a standard orthodontic textbook such as Proffit's Contemporary Orthodontics covers growth, diagnosis, biomechanics and treatment planning. Leave the last 3 to 4 weeks for timed questions. Candidates who have been in practice for many years tend to lose marks on tooth movement biology and growth timing, not on clinical planning.
Do orthodontists need a logbook?
Generally no. DHA's registration checklist asks for a 2-year logbook from surgical specialties, and orthodontics is not usually treated as one. DHA may still request a case list for some candidates, so keep a signed list of your treated cases ready.
Can an orthodontist be exempt from the DHA exam?
Some candidates are exempt, for example those whose DHA licence was cancelled within the last 5 years, and holders of certain board qualifications. The full list is on DHA Prometric exam exemption criteria. Long experience alone, even 15 or 20 years, does not exempt you.
DHA Orthodontics sample practice MCQs
Two questions in the clinical scenario style Prometric uses. Tap a question to see the answer.
Question 1: Preventing rotational relapse
A 15-year-old girl is finishing fixed appliance treatment. At the start, her upper right lateral incisor was rotated by about 90 degrees; it is now fully corrected and the occlusion is good. Which additional procedure most reduces the risk of this tooth rotating back after debond?
A) Upper labial frenectomy
B) Circumferential supracrestal fiberotomy
C) A Hawley retainer for 3 months, then stop
D) Selective grinding of the lower incisor edges
Correct answer: B) Circumferential supracrestal fiberotomy
The principal periodontal ligament fibres reorganise within a few months, but the supracrestal gingival fibres remodel slowly, over a year or more, and pull a derotated tooth back. Cutting them around the tooth reduces rotational relapse, and it works best combined with long-term retention. A frenectomy treats a median diastema with a fleshy frenum, 3 months of retention is too short for any corrected rotation, and grinding the lower incisors does not address the cause.
Question 2: Heavy force and delayed tooth movement
During canine retraction, a heavy continuous force is applied. Two weeks later, the canine has not moved and is slightly tender. Which tissue change on the pressure side best explains the delay?
A) Frontal resorption of the alveolar bone by osteoclasts within the ligament
B) A hyalinised, cell-free area of the periodontal ligament, removed by undermining resorption
C) Ankylosis of the canine root to the alveolar bone
D) Deposition of new bone on the pressure side
Correct answer: B) A hyalinised, cell-free area of the periodontal ligament, removed by undermining resorption
A heavy force compresses the ligament enough to cut off its blood supply, so the area undergoes sterile necrosis (hyalinisation). Osteoclasts cannot work inside it, and the tooth moves only after cells from the adjacent marrow spaces resorb the bone from behind. This causes a lag of 1 to 2 weeks and more pain. Light forces allow frontal resorption and smoother movement. Bone is laid down on the tension side, not the pressure side.
See DHA Orthodontics Resources
For extra practice, use the MOH UAE Orthodontics QBank or the DOH Orthodontics QBank. All DHA QBanks are listed on the DHA exam page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the DHA Orthodontist exam?
A dentist with a BDS, DDS or DMD, internship, and a recognised orthodontic qualification from full-time training of at least 3 years (residency) or 2 years (clinical master's). You also need the experience your PQR tier requires, a Good Standing Certificate within 6 months and a positive DataFlow report.
How many years of experience does a Specialist Orthodontist need for DHA?
None after qualification for Tier 1 and Tier 2 qualifications, and 3 years for Tier 3. A Consultant Orthodontist needs 2 years (Tier 1) or 5 years (Tier 2) after the specialty qualification; a Tier 3 qualification cannot lead to the consultant title.
Is the DHA Orthodontist exam written or oral?
It is a computer-based MCQ exam at Prometric, marked Pass or Fail. DHA's CBT guideline lists 150 MCQs in 3 hours for specialist dentists. An oral assessment applies only if Sheryan assigns one to your title.
Do orthodontists need a logbook for DHA?
Generally no. The 2-year logbook is asked from surgical specialties. DHA may request a case list from some candidates, so keep one ready.
Can I work as a general dentist in Dubai while I build orthodontic experience?
Yes, if you meet the General Dentist requirements: dental degree, internship and 2 years of licensed experience. The PQR allows a dental specialist without enough experience to be accepted as a general dentist, and orthodontics is not among the excluded specialties.
Your Comments
Readers have asked us these questions over time. Tap any question to open it and read our reply.
Dr Kuldeep DMello (Mangalore, India): MDS Orthodontics with 18 years of experience, DHA requirements
"Hi, I have finished 18 and half years of both teaching post graduate students and working as a orthodontist in private clinic in India. Im looking at options of working abroad now. What are the requirements for dentist to write the dha exam and get qualified ? I have been practicing and training my students too in the latest and the older techniques too in the field of Orhodontic mechano theraphy and treatment techniques. Kindly let me know the options available and also DHA orthodontic exam questions. looking forward for your reply."
Dr Kuldeep DMello
Medical Qualification: MDS Orthodontics
City, Country: Mangalore, India
Rd Reena sinha (Patna): DHA registration form, pediatric syllabus and December dates
"DHA registration form,how to get it online ,how to apply, dha pediatric syllabus for exam and tentative dates for it in december."
Rd Reena sinha
Medical Qualification: MBBS,DNB PAEDIATRICS
City, Country: Patna
Lanleima (Imphal, India): steps and procedure for the DHA exam
"I want to appear dha .I dont have any idea....please guide me the steps nd procedure."
Lanleima
Medical Qualification: Mbbs
City, Country: Imphal India
shaama (Delhi, India): occupational therapy syllabus and model papers
"Hi, wanted to know if anyone can tell me about syllabus for Occupational therapy for DHA exam n model test papers ."
shaama
Medical Qualification: Occupational therapist
City, Country: Delhi, India
poonam (Karachi, Pakistan): practice gap after MBBS, eligible for DHA, DOH or MOHAP as GP?
"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
Babar hussain shah (Lahore, Pakistan): dental hygienist exam information and past papers
"Dental hygienist Dha exam information and license past papers."
Babar hussain shah
Medical Qualification: Dental hygienist
City, Country: Lahore pakistan
Dr Shagufta Zubair (Multan, Pakistan): the whole DHA exam procedure
"I want to know how I apply for the DHA exam please can I guide me regarding the whole procedure thank u."
Dr Shagufta Zubair
Medical Qualification: MBBS
City, Country: Multan Pakistan
Masoom Mohammed (Kozhikode, India): BDS with 9 years, when and where is the dentist exam held?
"I hav done Bds and have 9 years of clinical experience in different clinics in kerala.. Planning to work in dubai. When and where can I attend dha exam for dentists.. How frequent exams are conducted in a year? "
Masoom Mohammed
Medical Qualification: Bds
City, Country: Kozhikode , India
Thoufiya S J (Kerala): MSc microbiology, how to apply and am I eligible?
"Hi Im completed my MSC microbiology course...pls tell me how can I apply for dha or mih exam....what is the criteria.. Am I eligible to apply or not..."
Thoufiya S J
Medical Qualification: MSC general microbiology
City, Country: Kerala
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