DANB Infection Control Exam (ICE) Pass Rate, Format & Study Guide

The DANB Infection Control (ICE) exam is a component exam of several DANB certifications, including CDA, COA and NELDA, and is recognized or required in many states. It is issued by the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc. (DANB). The exam has 75 questions and you are given 60 minutes, within a 60-day testing window.

Infection control knowledge is a required component of DANB's dental assisting certifications and is recognized or required by many state dental boards. Passing the ICE exam is a required step for those credentials.

Dental assistants preparing for DANB certification or a state requirement that uses the ICE exam, and candidates retaking it. State requirements vary; check your state board before you apply.

The certifying body does not publicly publish an official pass rate for this exam. Be wary of third-party sites citing a specific number here — treat any pass-rate claim you see elsewhere for this exam as unverified.

DANB's candidate handbook says there is no limit on how many times a failed exam may be retaken; you must reapply and pay the full exam fee each time, and state laws may require additional education after failed attempts.

Passing standard: DANB's Board sets the pass point using standard psychometric procedures for criterion-referenced exams, and a candidate must perform at or above that standard; DANB's candidate handbook does not publish a raw-score cutoff. The exam has 75 questions and you are given 60 minutes, within a 60-day testing window. No official pass rate for this exam was available in the sources we reviewed, so none is quoted here.

The exam has 75 questions and you are given 60 minutes, within a 60-day testing window. Format: 75 questions · 60 minutes · 60-day testing window. Passing standard: DANB's Board sets the pass point using standard psychometric procedures for criterion-referenced exams, and a candidate must perform at or above that standard; DANB's candidate handbook does not publish a raw-score cutoff.

• Prevention of Disease Transmission20%
• Prevention of Cross-contamination34%
• Process Instruments and Devices26%
• Occupational Safety and Administration Protocols20%

The content outline spreads questions across 4 areas: Prevention of Disease Transmission (20.0%); Prevention of Cross-contamination (34.0%); Process Instruments and Devices (26.0%); Occupational Safety and Administration Protocols (20.0%).

DANB lists no eligibility requirements for the ICE exam; individual states may set their own requirements for using it, so check your state board at danb.org/state-requirements before you apply.

DANB lists a US$270 fee for the ICE exam, which includes a US$75 non-refundable application fee (reported in search extracts of danb.org; the DANB exam page itself does not show the fee). State requirements and any additional education are separate.

After you pass, DANB certifications that include ICE have their own renewal and continuing education requirements; check DANB for the current rules.

Start with the heaviest areas of the content outline: Prevention of Cross-contamination (34.0%); Process Instruments and Devices (26.0%); Prevention of Disease Transmission (20.0%). Then work through the remaining areas, practise jurisdiction-specific rules separately from the general content, and finish with timed full-length practice runs of 75 questions in 60 minutes.

Content outlines, fees and passing standards change; this guide follows the materials listed under Verification as of October 2026. Check the licensing authority and test administrator before you register.