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What is the NDHCE?
The National Dental Hygiene Certification Examination is the national exam that lets you register as a dental hygienist almost anywhere in Canada.
The short answer
The NDHCE is a national, computer-based, multiple-choice examination that assesses whether a dental hygienist has the minimum knowledge, skill and judgment to practise safely at an entry level. It tests knowledge and clinical reasoning against the published Canadian dental hygiene competencies — it is not a hands-on clinical exam (that’s the separate CPEDH, required mainly for internationally-trained candidates).
Its purpose is public protection: it gives every provincial regulator a single, consistent way to confirm that a new practitioner is ready. Because it’s national, it also underpins labour mobility — one certificate is recognized across the country, which makes moving between provinces far simpler.
Who runs it — NDHCB vs FDHRC
The exam is administered by the Federation of Dental Hygiene Regulators of Canada (FDHRC) — in French, the FORHDC. You will still see the older name NDHCB (National Dental Hygiene Certification Board) in study guides and forums: the NDHCB created and ran the exam from 1994 until it merged into the FDHRC in 2022. They are the same exam under new governance. The current, authoritative source is fdhrc.ca.
Where the NDHCE is required
A pass is required for licensure or registration in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, and the territories — in short, everywhere except Quebec. Quebec runs its own French-language equivalence process through the Ordre des hygiénistes dentaires du Québec (OHDQ) and does not use the NDHCE.
How it fits into becoming a licensed hygienist
For a graduate of a Canadian accredited program, the path is short:
- Graduate from a CDAC-accredited dental hygiene program.
- Pass the NDHCE — the step this site is about.
- Register with your provincial regulator, which may add a jurisprudence exam, a criminal-record/vulnerable-sector check, professional liability insurance, and CPR.
Internationally-trained hygienists have extra gates before and after the exam — an equivalency assessment first, and usually the CPEDH clinical exam after. That full route is covered on the international pathway page.
Common misconceptions
- “A dentistry degree lets me challenge it.” No — dental hygiene is a separate profession; a dental degree does not make you eligible.
- “It’s the same as the US NBDHE.” No. Content overlaps ~70–80%, but the NDHCE uses Canadian tooth numbering (FDI), Canadian law and ethics, and Canadian drug references. See how to prepare.
- “Passing means I can start working.” Only after your provincial regulator completes your registration.
- “Quebec accepts it.” Quebec is the one province that does not use the NDHCE.
Quick facts
- Format: 200 multiple-choice questions, two sections — details.
- Languages: offered in English and French.
- Sittings: about three times a year (January, May, September), at test centres.
- Result: pass/fail on a scaled score — how scoring works.
- Fee (2026): $850 + tax — full fee schedule.
- Attempts: a maximum of three.
Last reviewed: 4 August 2026 · Verify current details at fdhrc.ca.