DANB ICE

It is DANB's multiple-choice infection control exam. It suits dental assistants and other oral healthcare team members who need to demonstrate infection prevention competency - for a credential, a state requirement, or employer documentation. DANB sets eligibility rules and decides how a passing score is used, so confirm your situation with DANB before registering.

DANB's website lists both online proctored exams and test center exams, and it also lists exams offered in Spanish. Availability depends on your location and on which exam you are taking. Check DANB's exam pages for the delivery options currently open to you before you schedule.

DANB publishes the current item count and time limit in its candidate materials. Those figures are revised periodically, so take them from DANB's own handbook rather than from third-party summaries. Confirm the format on the day you schedule, and rehearse pacing with a timed practice set that matches the published length.

Passing standards are set by DANB and reported on your score report rather than as a simple percentage of correct answers, because scaled scores and cut scores are updated over time. Verify the current standard in DANB's candidate handbook, and aim well above the minimum by building accuracy across every content area.

Retake rules - waiting periods, attempt limits, and fees - are set by DANB and can change. Read the retake section of DANB's current handbook or contact DANB before assuming a timeline. Many candidates who fail do so narrowly, so use the domain breakdown on your score report to target your weakest area before rebooking.

Start with concepts and standard precautions, because every other area depends on understanding how transmission is interrupted. Move next to surface management and instrument processing, which share the same logic of cleaning before disinfection or sterilization. Finish with occupational safety and program administration, the area candidates most often neglect.

Three patterns: memorizing product labels instead of the classification logic behind disinfection levels; confusing order of operations, such as skipping cleaning before sterilization; and skipping the administrative material, including written exposure control plans, training records, and post-exposure follow-up. Scenario questions reward the reasoning, not the vocabulary.

No. This is independent study material and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Dental Assisting National Board or the DALE Foundation, which DANB describes as its official affiliate. Use it alongside DANB's published materials, and treat DANB's handbook as the authority whenever anything here appears to conflict.

DANB is at 444 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 900, Chicago, IL 60611, and its representatives are available M-F, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. DANB lists 800-367-3262 as its phone number and also offers email and a contact form on its site. Eligibility, fee, and scheduling questions are best answered there.

Validity and recertification periods are set by DANB and tied to the specific credential you are pursuing, so they are not stated here. Check your score report and DANB's renewal pages for the period that applies to you, and note any continuing education requirement attached to maintaining the credential.