NDECC Protocol 2026 – Blueprint, Grading Criteria, and Exam Format Explained

1. What Is the NDECC Protocol – Your Complete Exam Blueprint

The NDECC Protocol is the single most important document you will read before taking the National Dental Examination of Clinical Competence. It is the official NDEB publication that outlines exactly what the examination covers, how it is structured, and how your performance will be graded.

The Protocol covers both components of the NDECC: the Clinical Skills Component (CSC) and the Situational Judgement Component (SJC). For the CSC, it details each clinical procedure you must perform, the time allocated for each, and the specific criteria that evaluators use to determine whether your work is minimally competent or not. For the SJC, it explains the five blueprint categories, the station format, and the scoring scheme.

The current Protocol is effective September 30, 2024. The NDEB encourages candidates to download it from the exam resources page and read it carefully before registering for the NDECC. The NDEB has also published a revised NDECC Protocol and NDECC Practical Guide, which candidates should consult as part of their preparation.

The Protocol is not optional reading. If you show up to the NDECC without understanding the grading criteria for each procedure, you are at a severe disadvantage. The NDEB does not provide diagnostic feedback after a failure — you receive only a Pass or Fail for each requirement. The Protocol is your only insight into what the evaluators are looking for.

2. How the NDECC Blueprint Was Developed – The Practice Analysis Process

The NDECC blueprint was not created arbitrarily. The NDEB conducted a formal practice analysis — the same process used to establish blueprints for all NDEB examinations — to determine what should be assessed on the NDECC. This process involved consulting with practising dentists, academics, and dental regulators across Canada.

The professionals consulted recommended expanding on the knowledge, skills, and abilities tested in the previous Assessment of Clinical Skills (ACS). This led to the creation of the Situational Judgement Component, which assesses aptitudes that were not tested in the ACS and are not tested in the AFK or ACJ.

The clinical requirements were also revised. The original ACS had 12 clinical requirements, many of which were outdated or rarely performed in modern Canadian dental practice. The NDEB surveyed practising dentists to rank the frequency and importance of different clinical skills, then reduced the number of clinical requirements to seven.

The NDECC includes one amalgam restoration (Class II) and two composite restorations (Class II and Class IV). The NDECC tests more composite restorations than amalgam restorations, reflecting current practice in Canada. Amalgam remains in the blueprint because all accredited Canadian dental programmes continue to teach its use, and it remains the first choice for certain patient populations.

For crown preparations, the NDECC includes only one crown preparation, which varies between metal-ceramic and all-ceramic (lithium disilicate or zirconia), reflecting current practice. The provisional restoration is performed on the crown preparation prepared by the examinee, mirroring real-world clinical workflow.

3. Clinical Skills Component (CSC) – Procedures, Time, and Format

The Clinical Skills Component requires candidates to complete seven clinical procedures in a single eight-hour day at the NDECC Test Centre in Ottawa. This time allocation is generous: expert consultants recommended that four to five hours would be adequate for well-prepared candidates, and the NDEB doubled that to eight hours to ensure sufficient time. Candidate feedback has consistently indicated that the time is adequate.

The seventh clinical skill requirement varies. Candidates should consult the current NDECC Protocol for the complete list of procedures and their exact time allocations.

What is provided: The NDEB provides all instruments, handpieces, burs, typodont teeth, and restorative materials. You are not required to bring your own clinical equipment. The NDECC Practical Guide contains detailed information about the facilities, instruments, and materials provided at the Test Centre.

4. CSC Grading Criteria – How Your Clinical Work Is Scored

The NDECC Protocol publishes the grading criteria for each clinical requirement. When you receive your results, you receive a pass or fail for each requirement. The NDEB does not provide a score breakdown or tell you which specific criteria you failed.

A pass is awarded for criteria in the “competent” category and “minimally competent” category. To receive a passing grade on a requirement, you do not have to produce an ideal result but rather demonstrate minimal competence with no major errors.

The passing standard for the Clinical Skills Component was reviewed following the first series of NDECC results. The NDEB consulted with dental regulators, reviewed the standard-setting exercise for the ACS, and consulted with a psychometrician. The review supported that the passing standard is accurate and that the processes used to establish it are in accordance with accepted psychometric processes.

The CDRAF Multi-Stakeholder Working Group agreed that the passing standard for the Clinical Skills Component is the absolute minimum required of a dentist entering practice in Canada. It was also determined that a dentist entering practice should be able to perform the seven basic clinical procedures at a minimally competent level on the same day.

Critical policy: If you receive a failing grade on one or more clinical requirements, you must repeat the entire Clinical Skills Component. There is no option to retake only the failed procedure.

5. Situational Judgement Component (SJC) – Blueprint and Station Format

The Situational Judgement Component assesses the aptitudes required for solving problems in work-related situations. It covers five blueprint categories:

These knowledge, skills, and abilities were not tested in the ACS and are not tested in the AFK or ACJ. The SJC fills a gap in the Equivalency Process by assessing judgement in real-world workplace scenarios.

Station format: There are two stations for each blueprint category, for a total of 10 stations. Each station presents a realistic scenario — for example, a patient requesting unnecessary treatment, a medication error by a staff member, or an ethical dilemma involving a colleague. You must select the most appropriate and least appropriate responses from a list.

The NDEB has published a sample situational judgement station with a corresponding grading scheme. Candidates are strongly encouraged to download the NDECC Situational Judgement Station Sample PDF from the exam resources page.

The NDEB has also published a Situational Judgement Reference List to help examinees prepare for the SJC. The reference list includes resources on ethics, professionalism, communication, patient safety, and practice management.

6. SJC Grading Criteria – The 6/10 Rule

The SJC uses a station-based passing standard that is fundamentally different from the CSC‘s per-requirement grading.

To pass the Situational Judgement Component, you must:

1. Pass six of the 10 stations
2. Pass at least one station in each of the five blueprint categories

This “6/10 plus one per category” rule ensures that you cannot compensate for complete failure in one domain by excelling in another. You must demonstrate at least minimal competence in every blueprint category.

Example: If you pass both stations in Patient-Centred Care, both in Professionalism, one in Communication and Collaboration, one in Practice and Information Management, and one in Health Promotion, you have passed six stations and at least one per category — you pass the SJC.

Example: If you pass all four stations in two categories but fail all stations in a third category, you have failed because you have not passed at least one station in every blueprint category — even if your total stations passed is six or more.

Through the consultation and review process with the CDRAF Multi-Stakeholder Working Group and NDEB Committees, the NDEB confirmed that this passing standard is appropriate and reflects the minimum competence required across all domains of professional judgement.

7. 2025 Pass Rate Data – What the Numbers Tell You

The NDEB publishes annual results for all Equivalency Process examinations. The 2025 data provides valuable insight into which components candidates find most challenging.

Key observations:

- The Clinical Skills Component is significantly harder to pass than the Situational Judgement Component (38% vs 57%).
- Repeat test takers in the CSC slightly underperform first-time test takers, suggesting that retaking the CSC does not substantially improve outcomes for many candidates.
- Repeat test takers in the SJC perform similarly to first-time test takers, indicating that retaking the SJC may be more effective than retaking the CSC.
- Over half of CSC candidates (897 of 1,667) are repeat test takers, highlighting how many candidates fail the CSC on their first attempt.

The CSC has the lowest pass rate of any Equivalency Process examination. This aligns with the fact that the NDECC is the final gate in the process, testing hands-on clinical competence under timed conditions.

8. What Changed in the September 30, 2024 Protocol

The current NDECC Protocol, effective September 30, 2024, includes several refinements based on the NDEB‘s consultation and review process following the first series of NDECC results.

Key changes and clarifications:

- Time allocation confirmed: The eight-hour CSC time was reviewed and confirmed as appropriate. Expert consultants recommended four to five hours; the NDEB doubled that to ensure sufficient time.
- Passing standard confirmed: The passing standard for the CSC was reviewed and confirmed as accurate and in accordance with accepted psychometric processes.
- SJC passing rule clarified: The requirement to pass six of 10 stations and at least one per blueprint category was explicitly confirmed.
- Retake policy confirmed: Candidates who fail any clinical requirement must repeat the entire CSC. There is no change to this policy.
- Amalgam relevance reaffirmed: Following candidate questions about the relevance of amalgam, the NDEB reaffirmed that amalgam remains in the blueprint because all accredited Canadian dental programmes continue to teach it, and it remains clinically indicated for certain patient populations.

The revised Protocol also includes updated information about test centre equipment, instruments, and supplies, which is detailed in the companion NDECC Practical Guide.

9. How to Access the NDECC Protocol and Other Study Resources

The NDECC Protocol is available for free download from the NDEB website. You do not need to register for the exam to access it.

Where to find the NDECC Protocol:

1. Go to ndeb-bned.ca
2. Navigate to the Exam Resources page
3. Locate the NDECC Protocol download link
4. Download the PDF file (effective September 30, 2024)

The NDEB suggests candidates watch the “What to Expect in the NDECC” video and read the revised NDECC Protocol and NDECC Practical Guide as part of their preparation.

10. Common Misconceptions About NDECC Grading

Misconception 1: “I need to produce perfect restorations to pass.”

No. To receive a passing grade on a requirement, you do not have to produce an ideal result. You must demonstrate minimal competence with no major errors. The passing standard is the absolute minimum required of a dentist entering practice in Canada.

Misconception 2: “If I fail one CSC procedure, I can retake only that procedure.”

No. If you receive a failing grade on one or more clinical requirements, you must repeat the entire Clinical Skills Component.

Misconception 3: “I can compensate for a weak SJC category by doing well in others.”

No. To pass the SJC, you must pass at least one station in each of the five blueprint categories. Failure in any entire category results in failure of the entire SJC, regardless of your total stations passed.

Misconception 4: “The CSC pass rate is low because the exam is unfair.”

The NDEB reviewed the CSC passing standard with dental regulators and a psychometrician and confirmed that it is accurate and in accordance with accepted psychometric processes. The low pass rate reflects the difficulty of performing seven clinical procedures at a minimally competent level in a single day — not a flaw in the exam.

Related NDECC articles

References

• National Dental Examining Board of Canada — NDECC format, components, and Protocol download (effective September 30, 2024)
• National Dental Examining Board of Canada — Practice analysis process and blueprint development
• National Dental Examining Board of Canada — Eight-hour CSC time allocation, passing standard review, and SJC passing rule
• National Dental Examining Board of Canada — 2025 NDECC pass rates
• National Dental Examining Board of Canada — Revised NDECC Protocol and Practical Guide (September 30, 2024)
• National Dental Examining Board of Canada — Situational Judgement Station Sample, SJC Reference List, and Tips for the NDECC
• National Dental Examining Board of Canada — Grading criteria and minimally competent standard