What is the NDHCE passing score, and how is it scored?
You finish the NDHCE, close the laptop, and then the waiting starts. The passing score is an obvious thing to wonder about, and the answer is a little different from what you might expect.
Here is what the FDHRC says about how the exam is scored, who sets the bar, and why you will only ever be told Pass or Fail.
Short answer
The NDHCE is computer scored. You get one point for each correct answer and none for an omitted answer, so it is better to answer every question.
The FDHRC reports only Pass or Fail. It does not release your specific score.
The passing score is set by a panel of dental hygiene experts. On the 200 to 800 scaled score range, a typical passing score is around 550.
How the exam is scored
The exam is scored by computer. Each correct answer earns one point, and an omitted answer earns none.
Not every question counts toward your total. Questions that do not meet statistical standards are left out of the score. The exam also contains experimental questions that are being tested for future use, and your answers to those do not count either.
Who decides what counts as a pass?
The passing score is set by the NDHCE Panel, which is made up of dental hygiene experts from across Canada. It includes educators, experienced practitioners, administrators and a psychometrician.
The panel uses a standard-setting method to define the performance expected of an entry-level dental hygienist. The passing score represents that level.
What is a scaled score, and why does it exist?
Every exam form has a different mix of questions, and the forms are made to be similar in difficulty but are not identical. To keep results fair across forms, the FDHRC uses a statistical method called equating and converts the raw score (the number of questions answered correctly) to a scaled score.
For the NDHCE, the scaled score range is 200 to 800, and the typical passing score is around 550. The FDHRC says the raw score and the scaled score lead to the same pass or fail conclusion.
The FDHRC will not report a candidate's specific score. You will be told Pass or Fail, and a candidate who fails receives a report on general performance across the blueprint categories.
The short version: one point per correct answer, a passing score set by a panel of experts, a typical scaled pass mark of around 550, and a Pass or Fail result with no number attached.
Because wrong answers are not penalized and omitted answers earn nothing, it makes sense to answer every question. If you want to see where you stand before the real thing, the FDHRC's prep tests are a good place to start.
Frequently asked questions
What is the passing score on the NDHCE?
The FDHRC says the scaled score range is 200 to 800 and the typical passing score is around 550. Results are reported only as Pass or Fail.
Will I see my NDHCE score?
No. The FDHRC does not release specific scores. You are told Pass or Fail, and a candidate who fails gets a performance report across the blueprint categories.
Do wrong answers lose points on the NDHCE?
No. You receive one point for each correct answer and no points for omitted answers. The FDHRC does not describe a deduction for wrong answers.
Do all NDHCE questions count toward my score?
No. Questions that do not meet statistical standards are not counted, and the exam contains experimental questions whose answers do not count.
Sources
- FDHRC: After the ExamFor the NDHCE®, the scaled score range is from 200 to 800 with a typical passing score of around 550.Checked October 23, 2026
- FDHRC: Writing the NDHCEThe score of the NDHCE® will be reported as Pass or Fail. Specific individual scores will not be reported.Checked October 23, 2026