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United States · Certification exam

DANB ICE exam: infection control

The Infection Control (ICE) exam from the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB) has 75 multiple-choice questions and a 60-minute limit. There are no eligibility requirements, and you can sit it online or at a Pearson VUE test center. The DANB ICE exam is part of three certifications, Certified Dental Assistant (CDA), National Entry Level Dental Assistant (NELDA) and Certified Orthodontic Assistant (COA), and DANB says it’s recognized in many states.

  • 3DANB certifications that include ICE
  • NoneEligibility requirements
  • 75 in 60 minutesQuestions and testing time
Where to study

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What’s on the DANB infection control exam?

Four domains, with the biggest share on preventing cross-contamination: cleaning and disinfecting treatment areas, surface barriers, tray setups, dental unit waterlines, evacuation lines, disinfecting impressions and disposing of waste.

DomainShare
Prevention of disease transmission20%
Prevention of cross-contamination34%
Process instruments and devices26%
Occupational safety and administration20%

The fourth domain’s full name on DANB’s outline is Occupational Safety and Administration Protocols. It covers the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communication standards, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, and federal rules from agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and records like the exposure control plan and sterilization logs.

Instrument processing runs from transporting contaminated instruments to packaging, sterilizing and storing them, and reading the results of sterilization monitoring.

DANB: ICE Exam Outline and References (PDF) ↗

Who takes the ICE exam?

Anyone can, and it’s the one exam shared by three DANB certifications: the CDA, NELDA and COA. The overview lists the other exams each of them takes.

You can take ICE alone, with RHS as the RHS/ICE exam, or with GC as the ICE/GC exam. ICE and RHS/ICE are also offered in Modern Spanish. The CDA page lists the questions, time and fee for each option.

DANB certifications and their exams →DANB Certified Dental Assistant requirements →DANB: Infection Control exam page ↗

How do you prepare for the DANB ICE exam?

DANB’s ICE Study Guide Plan pairs DALE Foundation courses with a textbook, and DALE, DANB’s official affiliate, sells a 200-question ICE practice test, also in Spanish.

ICE practice test and review prices →DANB’s ICE Study Guide Plan →

Infection control after you’re certified

The subject doesn’t end with the exam. Every year, to renew any DANB certification, you need 2 continuing education credits in infection prevention, control or safety and 1 on OSHA’s Bloodborne Pathogens standard.

DANB renewal and CDE credits →
Sources: DANB · The DALE Foundation and 5 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

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