NRE Dental Exam 2026: PMDC Syllabus, Pass Mark & Dates
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NRE Dental Quick Summary
Dentists with a foreign BDS must pass the PMDC National Registration Examination (NRE) before they can be registered in Pakistan. Step 1 is a 200 MCQ theory paper with a 70% pass mark, and Step 2 is a Clinical Skills Exam of short and long stations. NUMS conducts both steps, and a Step 1 pass stays valid for five years.
This guide covers who must take the NRE Dental, the official PMDC blueprint, how Step 2 is run, the attempt rules and the 2026 dates, with five sample questions from our NRE Dental QBank.
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Who must take the NRE Dental
Under PMDC rules, graduates with a BDS from outside Pakistan cannot get provisional or permanent registration until they pass both steps of the NRE. Depending on your university, PMDC may first need to confirm your degree's equivalence, so check your status on the PMDC portal before registering for the exam.
Medical graduates sit a separate version of the NRE with its own syllabus.
Step 1 theory paper
| Item | Details (PMDC NRE Dental syllabus) |
|---|---|
| Questions | 200 MCQs |
| Negative marking | None |
| Pass mark | 70%, which is 140 of 200 |
| Conducted by | National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS) |
PMDC kept the 70% pass mark in 2023 when candidates asked for it to be lowered to 50%. In the 2023 syllabus the theory paper was paper-based; check the current notice for the format of your sitting.
Official Step 1 blueprint
PMDC's dental syllabus sets the number of questions from each subject:
Step 2 Clinical Skills Exam
Only candidates who pass Step 1 can sit Step 2. The syllabus sets two sessions:
| Session | Format |
|---|---|
| Session 1 | 15 stations of 6 to 10 minutes, plus 2 minutes changeover, about 3 hours: professional and multidisciplinary 5, periodontology 2, operative, endodontics and paediatrics 2, prosthodontics 2, oral surgery and oral medicine 2, orthodontics 1, emergencies 1 |
| Session 2 | 3 long stations of 50 minutes each: operative, endodontics and paediatrics 2, prosthodontics 1 |
| Pass mark | 70% overall, and each component must be passed separately |
2026 exam dates
| Step | Dates |
|---|---|
| Step 1 | 17 May 2026; the October sitting was rescheduled to 8 November 2026 |
| Step 2, session 1 | 4 to 5 and 11 to 12 July 2026 |
| Step 2, session 2 | 28 to 29 November and 5 to 6 December 2026, as first announced |
PMDC and NUMS have moved NRE dates several times, so always check the latest notice on the PMDC website. PMDC must give six weeks' notice of any change to the Clinical Skills Exam.
A 10-week study plan for Step 1
| Weeks | Focus | Daily target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Operative dentistry, endodontics and paediatric dentistry (22.5%) | 50 MCQs |
| 4 to 5 | Oral medicine, radiology and oral surgery | 50 MCQs |
| 6 to 7 | Prosthodontics and periodontology | 50 MCQs |
| 8 | Dental materials, community dentistry, pharmacology, orthodontics, medicine and surgery | 60 MCQs |
| 9 to 10 | Full 200-question timed mocks and weak areas | Book when you score above 75% in mocks |
Sample NRE Dental MCQs
These five questions come from the free trial of our NRE Dental QBank, from operative dentistry, oral medicine and endodontics. Tap a question to see the answer and explanation.
A dentist has just carved and burnished a new occlusal amalgam restoration in tooth 37. The patient asks whether it can be polished smooth before he leaves. When should the amalgam be polished?A. After at least 24 hoursB. Immediately after carvingC. One hour after placementD. Only after 6 months
Answer: A. After at least 24 hours
Explanation: Amalgam gains strength slowly: at 1 hour its compressive strength is only a fraction of its final value, and most strength is reached by about 24 hours. Polishing earlier can fracture thin margins and disturb the setting surface. Polish at a later visit, at least 24 hours after placement, using finishing burs then abrasive points and rubber polishers, at low speed with water or light intermittent pressure.
A biopsy is taken from the stiff, blanched buccal mucosa of a 42-year-old Indian woman who has chewed areca nut daily for 15 years and now has a mouth opening of 26 mm. There is no white or red patch. Which histological picture is most characteristic of her condition at this stage?A. Acantholysis with a suprabasal splitB. Ballooned keratinocytes with intranuclear inclusionsC. Dense subepithelial lymphocytic band with Civatte bodiesD. Atrophic epithelium over dense hyalinised collagen
Answer: D. Atrophic epithelium over dense hyalinised collagen
Explanation: In oral submucous fibrosis, areca alkaloids stimulate fibroblasts to make excess collagen, and areca flavonoids and copper make it resistant to breakdown. Histology changes with stage. Early disease shows oedema, fine collagen fibrils and inflammation.
An endodontist is searching for a second mesiobuccal canal in tooth 16 of a 50-year-old man. Under the operating microscope she plans to remove the dentine shelf over the mesial wall of the pulp chamber floor with a fine diamond-coated ultrasonic tip, aiming for precise cutting with a small vibration envelope and minimal heat. Which type of unit is best suited to drive this tip?A. Magnetostrictive ultrasonic unitB. Air-driven sonic handpieceC. Piezoelectric ultrasonic unitD. Low-speed contra-angle with a long-neck bur
Answer: C. Piezoelectric ultrasonic unit
Explanation: Piezoelectric units use a ceramic crystal that changes dimension in an alternating electric field, giving tip oscillation at about 25 to 40 kHz in a linear, piston-like back-and-forth pattern. This suits endodontics: precise troughing for MB2 and calcified canals, removing pulp stones and posts, and fragment removal, with less heat and better tactile control. Magnetostrictive units (about 18 to 30 kHz) use a metal stack in a magnetic field, produce an elliptical or figure-of-eight motion and generate more heat, so they are less suited to fine intracanal work.
A dentist is about to replace a failing occlusal amalgam in tooth 36 with a direct composite in a 45-year-old man with heavy masticatory muscles and worn cusps. She wants the composite margins to last as long as possible. What step before cavity preparation best helps achieve this?A. Mark contacts with articulating paperB. Take a shade after placing rubber damC. Place a resin-modified glass ionomer linerD. Reduce all cusps by 1 mm
Answer: A. Mark contacts with articulating paper
Explanation: Before preparation, mark the centric stops and excursive contacts with thin articulating paper (or foil). The outline can then be planned so the tooth-restoration margin does not lie on a heavy occlusal contact: margins under direct load (especially composite, which wears and chips at thin edges, and amalgam, which has weak edges) are prone to marginal breakdown, chipping, microleakage and secondary caries. Ideally, margins should be at least about 1 mm from a centric stop, or the contact placed entirely on restoration or tooth.
A 17-year-old boy is referred urgently to a hospital dental department. One week ago he developed a dry cough, low-grade fever and tiredness; his chest has scattered crackles. Over the last 3 days he has developed severe, painful erosions throughout his mouth, haemorrhagic crusts on his lips, red sore eyes and painful erosions on the glans penis. He has only a few skin lesions on his forearms. He has never had cold sores and took only paracetamol for the fever. What is the most likely cause of his mucositis?A. Herpes simplex virusB. Mycoplasma pneumoniaeC. Streptococcus pyogenesD. Coxsackievirus A16
Answer: B. Mycoplasma pneumoniae
Explanation: Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the second most common trigger of erythema multiforme-type reactions after HSV and the leading infective trigger in children and adolescents. Its distinctive pattern is now called Mycoplasma-induced rash and mucositis (MIRM): an atypical pneumonia (dry cough, fever, crackles) followed within about a week by severe mucositis of two or more sites (oral erosions, haemorrhagic lip crusting, conjunctivitis, urogenital erosions) with sparse or no skin lesions. Diagnosis is supported by chest radiograph, serology or PCR.
Want to try more NRE Dental questions?
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Attempts and validity
- There is no limit on the number of attempts.
- A Step 1 pass is valid for five years, and you must pass Step 2 within that time.
- Failing the Clinical Skills Exam three times in a row means you must sit both Step 1 and Step 2 again.
- The exam is held at least twice a year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the pass mark for NRE Dental?
70% in Step 1, which is 140 of 200 MCQs, and 70% overall in Step 2 with each component passed.
How many questions are in NRE Dental Step 1?
200 MCQs with no negative marking.
Which subject has the most questions?
Operative dentistry with paediatric dentistry and endodontics, at 45 questions.
How long is a Step 1 pass valid?
Five years. You must pass Step 2 within that period.
Who conducts the NRE?
The National University of Medical Sciences (NUMS), on behalf of PMDC.
Is there a limit on attempts?
No, but three consecutive failures in Step 2 mean you must sit Step 1 again.
Ready to pass NRE Dental Step 1?
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