Last updated on 27-Oct-2026, by Dr. Muhammad

How to Crack the DHA General Dentist Exam in 2026?

The DHA (Dubai Health Authority) conducts the General Dentist exam for dentists who want to practise in Dubai. Passing it is mandatory unless you meet the exemption criteria set by DHA. The exam checks knowledge, clinical judgement and decision making, so reading alone rarely gets people through. What works is a plan built around practice questions.

This page is about strategy: how to plan your weeks, where dentists lose marks and how to handle the paper on the day. For the paper itself (topics, question style, centres and sample MCQs), see DHA General Dentist exam questions and Prometric centers. For books, see DHA dentistry exam study material.

Before you prepare: are you eligible or exempt?

Check this first, because there is no point preparing for an exam you cannot book. For the General Dentist title, DHA asks for a BDS or equivalent, a 12-month internship and 2 years of licensed clinical experience. The full rules are on DHA dentist requirements.

Some dentists do not need the exam at all. Passing NBDE Part I and II exempts general dentists under the PQR, and so does a DHA licence that was cancelled within the last 5 years, among other cases. The Sheryan self-assessment tool tells you which applies to you.

What does it take to crack the DHA General Dentist exam?

Two things decide most results. Both were in the original version of this page and they still hold:

• Understand the exam format: know the exam format and the type of questions asked. 150 MCQs in 3 hours gives you a little over a minute per question, and most questions are short clinical cases asking for the best next step.
• Use the right study material: a question bank written for this exam, such as the DHA General Dentist Qbank by Interface Medical Education, gets you used to the topics and to working under time pressure.

DHA does not publish a pass percentage. The result is Pass or Fail, weighted across subject areas, so a weak subject can pull you down even if your favourite subjects are strong. That is why the plan below covers every subject before it goes deep.

A 10-week plan to crack the DHA dental exam

Already working full time? Stretch the same plan over 14 to 16 weeks rather than cutting subjects. Dentists who skip a subject because "it never comes" are the ones who write to us after a fail.

Where do dentists lose marks?

Looking at the questions our candidates get wrong most often, the same areas keep coming back:

How should you answer DHA dental MCQs on exam day?

• Read the last line of the stem first, so you know whether it asks for diagnosis, next step or best treatment.
• Watch for "first", "most appropriate" and "initial". Two options are often correct; only one comes first.
• Pace yourself at about 50 questions an hour. If you are behind at the one-hour mark, speed up on short recall questions.
• Do not leave blanks. DHA does not publish negative marking, so mark your best answer, flag it and move on.
• Arrive 30 minutes early with the passport that matches your Sheryan profile.

When should you book the DHA General Dentist exam?

Book when you are ready, not to force yourself to study. There are no fixed exam dates; once Sheryan gives you an Eligibility ID you can book any open slot on the DHA exam schedule. If you need to move it, do so at least 5 calendar days before (see how to reschedule or cancel a DHA exam).

You get 3 attempts with no waiting period between them, but a third fail bars you from reapplying for 2 years. The rules are on DHA exam total attempts. Treat every attempt as if it were the last one. Dental specialty exams and their QBanks are listed on the DHA exam page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Your Comments

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