How Hard Is the DANB CDA Exam? 2025 Pass Rates by Component

The Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) 2025 exam pass rates report shows 75% of General Chairside Assisting (GC) exams delivered in 2025 were passed (2,767 of 3,687), 75% of Infection Control (ICE) exams (4,807 of 6,395), and 69% of Radiation Health and Safety (RHS) exams (9,905 of 14,272). In 2024 the figures were 74%, 73%, and 66%. DANB publishes rates for each component, not for the combined Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) credential, and its report counts exams delivered, so it does not separate first attempts from retakes. As of October 2026, the CDA is 245 questions in 195 minutes, each component is scored on a 100 to 900 scale with 400 needed to pass, and you must pass all three components within five years. So most component exams are passed, with RHS the one where roughly three in ten attempts do not succeed. The difficulty comes from adaptive scoring, a fast pace, and breadth across three subject areas rather than from a low pass rate.

What DANB’s Pass Rates Show

DANB publishes an annual exam performance report on its Reports page, listing the exams delivered, the number passed, and the pass rate for each exam. The latest edition covers calendar years 2024 and 2025. Every component pass rate rose from 2024 to 2025, and RHS is the lowest in both years. The chart shows each rate as a share of 100%. For the exam blueprint, see our guide to what is on the DANB CDA exam.

Volume matters here. DANB delivered 14,272 RHS exams in 2025, against 6,395 ICE and 3,687 GC. RHS has no eligibility requirements, so it draws the largest and most varied group of candidates, including many early in their dental assisting careers, which is one possible reason its rate runs lower. That is our reading, not a DANB statement. DANB does not say whether its rates are first attempt only.

Why the Scoring Method Feels Harder Than the Rate

DANB uses computer adaptive testing. Its outlines state that exams are scored based on the difficulty of the questions answered correctly, and that the average candidate answers around 50% of the questions correctly. The passing score is 400 on a 100 to 900 scale. Results are scaled scores, not raw percentages, so there is no fixed number of correct answers to aim for. DANB also states that you cannot skip a question and return to it later. Each question gets one committed answer, and a small number of unscored pretest questions may be mixed in without being marked. Feeling that half the questions are tough is the design, not a sign you are failing.

Time Pressure in Numbers

The CDA gives you 245 questions in 195 minutes, which is about 48 seconds per question across the whole sitting. Component by component, the math differs:

Component	Questions	Time	Seconds per question
General Chairside (GC)	95	75 minutes	About 47
Infection Control (ICE)	75	60 minutes	60
Radiation Health and Safety (RHS)	75	60 minutes	60

GC is the tightest at about 47 seconds a question, and it is also the longest component. DANB’s handbook says exam time does not pause. Test center candidates may take breaks with proctor approval while the clock keeps running, and online proctored exams allow no breaks at all. Plan for 195 minutes of sustained focus, not three relaxed sessions.

Where the Content Difficulty Sits

Half of GC is Chairside Dentistry and half of RHS is Purpose and Technique, so two domains carry a large share of the points. ICE rewards precision on protocols: Cross-contamination (34%) and Processing Instruments and Devices (26%) together are 60% of the component. RHS adds image-based reasoning and radiation concepts that many candidates meet only briefly in training. Because each component needs its own 400, the CDA rewards even preparation across three different knowledge areas.

What Failing Costs

As of October 2026, DANB’s 2026 CDA application packet lists the full CDA exam fee at $450, which includes a $75 nonrefundable application fee. Single component exams are $270 each. DANB’s handbook states there is no limit on retaking a failed exam, and that you must reapply and pay the full exam fee each time. It lists no mandatory waiting period between attempts. State laws may require additional education after failed attempts, so check your state board. The five year window for passing all three components means you do not have to clear everything in one sitting. Each authorized exam also comes with a 60 day testing window, so a retake needs a new application, a new fee, and a new appointment scheduled within that window, either at a Pearson VUE test center or through online proctoring. Budget for that cost when you decide how much preparation to do before your first attempt.

Want to feel the pacing before test day? Start practicing with our DANB CDA practice test, or try a free DANB CDA practice test for a low pressure first look.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the DANB CDA pass rate?

DANB reports pass rates per component, not for the CDA as a whole. For 2025 it reports 75% for GC, 75% for ICE, and 69% for RHS. The 2024 figures were 74%, 73%, and 66%. DANB’s report counts exams delivered and does not say whether the rates are first attempt only.

Which CDA component is the hardest?

By DANB’s published rates, RHS has the lowest pass rate in both 2024 (66%) and 2025 (69%). By time pressure, GC is the tightest at about 47 seconds per question.

How many times can you retake a DANB exam?

There is no limit. As of October 2026, DANB’s handbook says you must reapply and pay the full exam fee to retake a failed exam, and state laws may require additional education after failed attempts.

What score do you need to pass the CDA?

400 on each of the three components, on a scaled range of 100 to 900. You must pass all three within a five year period.

Sources

• danb.org, Reports: exam pass rates
• DANB, 2025 Exam Performance Results (pass rates for 2024 and 2025)
• danb.org, Certified Dental Assistant exam page
• DANB, 2026 CDA Application Packet (fees, five year window)
• DANB, Candidate Handbook (updated 6/22/2026)
• danb.org, 4 important details to know about DANB exams

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