DHA General Dentist Exam Questions, Prometric Centers 2026
Last updated on 27-Oct-2026, by Dr. Muhammad Dr. Muhammad

 

DHA General Dentist Exam Questions and Prometric Centers 2026

DHA General Dentist Exam Quick Summary

The DHA General Dentist exam is a computer-based test of 150 clinical scenario MCQs in 3 hours, taken at Prometric test centres worldwide once Sheryan gives you an Eligibility ID. Questions cover restorative dentistry, endodontics, periodontics, prosthodontics, oral surgery, paediatric dentistry, oral medicine, radiology and dental materials, and DHA reports the result as Pass or Fail.

DHA (Dubai Health Authority) licenses dentists who want to work in Dubai's private and public facilities, and most general dentists have to pass its Prometric exam first. You do not need to travel to Dubai for it: you can schedule the DHA Prometric exam in your own country, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements first. This page is about the paper itself: what the questions look like, which subjects come up and where you sit it. For books and a study plan, see our DHA dentistry exam study material guide.

What is the DHA General Dentist exam format?

Test type Computer-based test (CBT) at a Prometric centre, in English
Questions and time 150 single best answer MCQs in 3 hours (DHA CBT guideline)
Result Pass or Fail in your Sheryan account, usually within 2 working days; DHA does not publish a fixed pass percentage
Attempts 3 attempts in total, with no waiting time between them
Who can apply BDS or equivalent, a 12-month internship and 2 years of licensed clinical experience (see dentist requirements)

Older pages, including earlier versions of this one, quoted a 60% to 65% pass mark. DHA's assessment manual does not give one, so do not plan around a number. Aim to score well above 65% in your timed mocks and you will be safe.

What are the topics for the general dentist exam?

DHA does not release a topic weighting, but the exam covers the whole of general dental practice. From the questions our candidates report, these are the areas to know:

Operative and endodontics
Caries diagnosis and risk, cavity design, pulp diagnosis, root canal treatment steps and failures, dental trauma.
Prosthodontics and materials
Complete and partial dentures, crowns and bridges, occlusion, impression materials, cements, composites and glass ionomers.
Oral surgery and medicine
Extractions and complications, local anaesthesia, medically compromised patients, medical emergencies in the chair, oral mucosal lesions.
Periodontics, pediatrics, radiology
Periodontal diagnosis and treatment, primary tooth pulp therapy, space maintenance, radiographic technique and interpretation, infection control.

Suggested study material that targets these topics is our DHA General Dentist Qbank by Interface Medical Education, which gets you used to the style of the actual test. For a subject-by-subject outline, read the DHA exam syllabus for general dentist.

What type of questions are asked in the DHA dental exam?

Almost every question is a short clinical case. You get the patient's age, complaint, a few findings and sometimes a radiograph description, then one best answer to pick. Pure recall questions ("which nerve supplies...") do appear, but fewer than most candidates expect. Many stems ask for the next step or the most appropriate management, so knowing the textbook fact is not enough; you need to know what to do first.

Timing matters too. 150 questions in 3 hours is a little over a minute each. In my experience, dentists who fail usually knew enough but ran short of time on long stems, which is why timed practice belongs in your plan from the first month.

Where are the DHA Prometric exam centers?

Prometric delivers the DHA exam in its test centres in the UAE and in many other countries, including India and Pakistan. The list of cities changes, so we do not print one. To find a centre:

STEP 1
Get your Eligibility ID
Apply in Sheryan. Once your application is approved, the Eligibility ID appears in your account. You cannot book without it.
STEP 2
Use the Prometric locator
Go to Prometric's DHA page, choose Locate, and search your country to see which centres offer the DHA exam.
STEP 3
Book, pay and confirm
Pick a date and pay by card. If you need to change it, do it on the Prometric site at least 5 calendar days before; fees are not refunded for no-shows.

Indian candidates can read our page on DHA Prometric centres in India. On test day bring the passport whose details match your Sheryan profile and arrive 30 minutes early for check-in.

DHA General Dentist sample practice MCQs

Try these two questions in the clinical scenario style Prometric uses. Tap a question to see the answer.

Question 1: Dental Materials

A 32-year-old woman returns two weeks after a deep carious lesion on her lower left first molar was dressed with a zinc oxide eugenol temporary restoration. The tooth is now symptom free and you plan a bonded resin composite restoration today. Which of the following is the main concern with the temporary material?

A) It releases fluoride that prevents effective acid etching
B) Residual eugenol can inhibit polymerisation of the resin adhesive and composite
C) It accelerates composite setting and increases polymerisation shrinkage
D) It permanently stains dentine, so the composite will discolour

Correct answer: B) Residual eugenol can inhibit polymerisation of the resin adhesive and composite

Eugenol is a phenolic compound that scavenges free radicals, so traces left on dentine can interfere with the free-radical polymerisation of resin bonding agents and composites and weaken the bond. Remove the temporary and any residue thoroughly, or choose a eugenol-free temporary such as glass ionomer when a bonded restoration is planned.

Question 2: Oral Radiology

A 13-year-old has a retained upper right primary canine and an unerupted permanent canine. Two periapical radiographs are taken. For the second film the X-ray tube is moved mesially, and the crown of the unerupted canine appears to move mesially relative to the root of the lateral incisor. Where is the unerupted canine most likely positioned?

A) Buccal to the lateral incisor root
B) Palatal to the lateral incisor root
C) In line with the dental arch
D) Position cannot be judged without CBCT

Correct answer: B) Palatal to the lateral incisor root

This is the horizontal tube shift (parallax) technique, remembered as SLOB: Same Lingual, Opposite Buccal. An object that moves in the same direction as the tube lies lingual (palatal) to the reference object; one that moves in the opposite direction lies buccal. CBCT gives more detail but is not needed to answer this.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are in the DHA General Dentist exam?

According to DHA's CBT guideline, the General Dentist exam has 150 multiple-choice questions to be answered in 3 hours. The exact format for your application is also shown in Sheryan, and DHA can change it, so check there before your exam.

What is the passing score for the DHA dental exam?

DHA reports only Pass or Fail in your Sheryan account and does not publish a fixed pass percentage in its assessment manual. Figures such as 60% or 65% that you see online are not official. Prepare until you score comfortably above that range in timed mocks.

Can I take the DHA dentist exam in my own country?

Yes. The exam is delivered at Prometric test centres in the UAE and many other countries. After you get your Eligibility ID from Sheryan, use the locator on Prometric's DHA site to see the centres available in your country and book a slot.

How many attempts do I get for the DHA General Dentist exam?

You get 3 attempts in total and there is no waiting period between them. After a third failure, a new attempt is possible only after gaining an additional qualification or further licensed experience, as described in the DHA attempts guide.

Is any dentist exempt from the DHA exam?

Some are. Under the UAE Unified PQR, general dentists who passed NBDE Part I and II can be exempt, and there are other routes such as a recently cancelled DHA licence. Check the full list on our DHA exam exemption criteria page and confirm your case in Sheryan.

Your Comments

Readers have asked us these questions over time. Tap any question to open it and read our reply.

Arun (Dubai, UAE): what questions and books for the DHA General Dentist exam?

"i am general dentist from India. Recently my employer required me to pass DHA General Dentist exam but i am not sure about the exam content like what type of questions are asked? what books should i study to pass this exam. Please refer me to some good DHA General Dentist Questions. Hope to have earliest reply. "
Arun
Medical Qualification: BDS
City, Country: dubai, UAE

Team Interface: Expect short clinical cases across all general dentistry subjects, as described above. For books, see our DHA dentistry study material guide, and use the DHA General Dentist QBank for timed practice.
Ravina (Dubai, UAE): renewing an expired DHA licence from India

"How can i renew my dha licence which was expired recently as i had to travel to india and got stuck there due to covid. I am still in India and don't much information about DHA licence renewing process. please help me."
Ravina
Medical Qualification: MBBS, MRCP Part 1
City Country: Dubai, UAE

Team Interface: Renewal is done online in Sheryan, so you can start it from India; the renewal page you linked lists the CPD and documents needed. If your licence was cancelled rather than just expired, check whether you fall under the cancelled-licence route on the DHA exemption criteria page.
Dr Seema (Vadodara, India): GP syllabus, question type and centres in India

"please share basic requirements for DHA GP exam syllabus. if the questions are all clinical type or mix. what are the prometric exam centers in India. pls guide me for some books or model papers."
Dr Seema
Medical Qualification: MBBS
City, Country: Vadodara, India

Team Interface: The GP exam is mostly clinical scenario questions with a few recall items. Our DHA GP study material page covers books, and the India centres page explains how to find a centre. For practice, use the DHA GP QBank.
Dr Javaid Iqbal (Kabul, Afghanistan): can I sit the DHA exam in Afghanistan?

"How can i appear for dha exam in Afghanistan. do i have to travel to my neighbouring countries to sit for exam. pls give me some idea for dha gp exam."
Dr Javaid Iqbal
Medical Qualification: MBBS, DTCD
City Country: Kabul, Afghanistan

Team Interface: Search Afghanistan in the locator on Prometric's DHA site once you have your Eligibility ID. If no centre is listed, you can book in any country that has one, including the UAE. For the GP exam itself, see our DHA GP study material page.
Dre (Philippines): still waiting for the DHA exam result

"Still waiting for my dha exam result, how to find it out pleas anyone help me. please share any valid phone number where i can query for my result. Thanks."
Dre
Medical Qualification: General Nursing
City, Country: Philippines

Team Interface: DHA uploads the result to your Sheryan account, usually within 2 working days; Prometric's letter does not show it. If it is late, raise a query through Sheryan. Our DHA exam result guide shows where to look.
Soumya patel (Hyderabad, India): is the DHA pharmacist exam pattern changing?

"i am listening news that the pattern of dha pharmacist exam is going to change from 2022. how credible this news is. please anyone having insight, pls share."
Soumya patel
Medical Qualification: B.Pharm
City, Country: Hyderabad, India

Team Interface: DHA can update exam formats, and the current one for your title is shown in its CBT guide in Sheryan. Our DHA pharmacist exam page has the present format and eligibility.
Dr. Asma (Karachi, Pakistan): DHA dermatology exam questions and duration

"Passed my fellowship in 2019 and working since then in a reputable hospital. want to know about dha dermatology exam, like type of questions, exam duration and other important stuff."
Dr. Asma
Medical Qualification: MBBS, FCPS (Dermatology)
City, Country: Karachi, Pakistan

Team Interface: Our DHA dermatology eligibility page explains the specialist route for FCPS holders. For exam-style practice, try the DHA Dermatology QBank.
Hallen (Dubai, UAE): how a nurse registers for the DHA exam

"Dear Madam. want to be qualified to work as nurse in dubai. what is dha exam like? dont have much information. please help to live in dubai as nurse. how to register for dha exam for nursing. many thanks."
Hallen
Medical Qualification: Registered nurse
City, Country: Dubai, UAE

Team Interface: Register in Sheryan, complete DataFlow, then book the Prometric exam. Our DHA exam for nurses and midwives page explains eligibility, documents and the exam format.
Dr. Raheela (Karachi, Pakistan): applying from Pakistan, fee and model papers

"How can apply for dha exam from pakistan. can i give exam in pakistan. what is the registration fee? pls share model paper for the exam."
Dr. Raheela
Medical Qualification: MBBS, MCPS
City, Country: Karachi, pakistan

Team Interface: Yes, you apply online through Sheryan and can sit the exam at a Prometric centre in Pakistan; check the locator for current cities. The fees are broken down on our DHA exam cost page, and the DHA sample questions page shows the question style.
Revi ani (Mysore, India): books, registration time and fees for clinical dietitians

"where can i get good preparation books for dha clinical dietician exam? how much time it takes for registration and what are the charges pls."
Revi ani
Medical Qualification: BSc dietician
City, Country: Mysore, India

Team Interface: Dietitians are an allied health title with their own DHA assessment; check your category and fees in Sheryan. Time to register mostly depends on how fast DataFlow verifies your documents. Our DHA exam syllabus page covers the allied categories.

Pass the DHA General Dentist exam with Interface Qbank

Get clinical explanations, subject-wise modules and realistic Prometric mock exams. See every DHA QBank on our DHA exam page.

Enroll in DHA Dentist Question Bank