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Quick answer
The Texas Dental Jurisprudence Assessment is an online test on the Dental Practice Act and the rules of the Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE). Dental applicants must pass it within one year before applying, and licensed dentists and hygienists retake it every four years. The Board does not publish a question count, time limit or pass mark on its public pages.
About the exam
Texas Dental Jurisprudence Assessment (TSBDE)
The Texas State Board of Dental Examiners (TSBDE) requires a Jurisprudence Assessment, an online test on Texas dental law. A dental license applicant must have passed it within one year before applying (22 TAC 101.1), and every dentist and dental hygienist must complete it again every four years as part of continuing education (22 TAC 104.1). It is also required to reinstate a retired or cancelled license, for sedation and anesthesia permit applicants, and for some dental assistant registrations.
The Board offers separate versions for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants and dental laboratories, and a Chapter 110 version for anesthesia permit holders. This practice test covers the common core that a dentist needs: the Dental Practice Act (Occupations Code Chapters 251 to 265) and the Board's rules in 22 TAC Part 5, from licensing and standards of care to delegation, prescribing and discipline.
Several rules changed in 2026. Rules 108.2, 108.7 and 108.8 were amended on May 28, 2026 for orthodontic devices, the exam administrator names in 101.2 and 104.1 changed in March 2026, and teledentistry rule 108.16 has a pending amendment. The bank avoids the parts that changed and cites the rule or statute for every answer.
Exam format
Dental Jurisprudence Assessment: questions, time and pass mark
| Item | Official exam | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Questions | Not published on the Board's public pages. | Not published by the agency; practice test uses 50 |
| Time limit | Not published on the Board's public pages. | Not published by the agency; practice test uses 60 minutes |
| Pass mark | Not on the Board's public pages. A third-party guide quoting the Board's catalog says 80 percent. | Unverified; practice test uses 80% |
| Where | Online, through the assessment catalog on the TSBDE website. | Verified Oct 2026 (tsbde.texas.gov) |
| When required | Within one year before a dental license application; every four years for licensed dentists and hygienists; every five years for anesthesia permit holders (Chapter 110 version). | Verified Oct 2026 (22 TAC 101.1, 104.1, 110.9) |
| Versions | Separate assessments for dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, dental laboratories and anesthesia permit holders. | Verified Oct 2026 (TSBDE menus) |
The practice test above draws 50 questions with a 60-minute timer and an 80% pass mark. Practice mode lets you work one topic at a time with explanations after every answer, and the cheat sheet view lists every question and answer for review.
Cost and booking
Fees, where to take it and retakes
You register for the assessment in the catalog on the TSBDE website and take it online. The Board's catalog loads in the browser and its fee is not shown on the public pages. A third-party guide reports $57 per registration, two attempts per registration and a 45-day window to finish, so confirm the current terms in the catalog before you pay.
Pick the version for your credential. A dentist who holds a sedation or nitrous oxide permit also has the separate Chapter 110 jurisprudence requirement, which focuses on the anesthesia rules.
What’s covered
210+ practice questions, by topic
Written from Texas Occupations Code Chs. 251-265 (Dental Practice Act) and 22 TAC Part 5 (TSBDE rules). Every explanation cites its section.
- Dental Practice Act, Board Authority and Licensing44
- Standards of Practice, Records and Advertising55
- Delegation, Supervision and Permitted Duties43
- Controlled Substances, Prescribing and Sedation Permits33
- Complaints, Discipline and Penalties44
Official sources
Facts on this page were checked against these pages in October 2026.
Why people fail
The mistakes that cost people the Dental Jurisprudence Assessment
- Assuming it only covers licensing. The rules on standards of care, records, advertising and delegation make up most of the law, and most of this bank.
- Mixing up what each team member may do: which duties a hygienist may perform under general supervision, what needs a certificate for a dental assistant, and the one-year radiology exception for a new hire.
- Missing the numbers: five-year record retention (until 21 for a minor if longer), the four-year assessment cycle, the 180-day informal settlement conference deadline, and the age and timing requirements for applicants.
- Studying old rule text. Several rules changed in 2026, and older guides still show regional exam board names that the rules no longer use.
- Overlooking advertising and solicitation limits, such as the ban on paying third parties for patient referrals.
A study plan that works
- Read the Board's rules on standards of care and records (22 TAC Chapter 108) once from start to finish.
- Read the Occupations Code chapters on hygienists (262), dental assistants (265) and discipline (263).
- Run this quiz in Practice mode by category, starting with Standards of Practice, Records and Advertising, the largest. Read every explanation.
- List the time limits and numbers you keep missing on one page and review it before each Test.
- Take timed Tests (50 questions, 60 minutes) until you score 85 percent or more, then register in the Board's catalog.
Try a few
Sample Dental Jurisprudence Assessment practice questions
Six questions pulled straight from the bank, with the answer shown. For the timed, no-peeking version, use the quiz above.
Why: A dental applicant must be at least 21. A dental hygiene applicant needs to be only 18, which is the common wrong guess.
Source: Tex. Occ. Code 256.002(a)(1); 22 TAC 101.1(c)
Why: Rule 104.1(4) requires the jurisprudence assessment every four years, in addition to the 24 biennial CE hours.
Source: 22 TAC 104.1(4)
Why: Rule 108.8 requires records be kept for at least five years from the last treatment, longer where other law requires.
Source: 22 TAC 108.8
Why: Rule 108.58 bars giving things of value to third parties for securing patients. Only a non-cash gift valued at $10 or less may be given directly to a potential patient.
Source: 22 TAC 108.58(a)
Why: Rule 115.4 allows placement and removal under general supervision, in the office, only after scaling and root planing. Placement may not be assigned to a dental assistant.
Source: 22 TAC 115.4
Why: Section 263.007(b)(1) requires scheduling the conference no later than the 180th day after the investigation commenced, absent good cause.
Source: Tex. Occ. Code 263.007(b)(1)
FAQ
Dental Jurisprudence Assessment questions, answered
Who has to take the Texas dental jurisprudence assessment?
Dental license applicants (passed within one year before applying), licensed dentists and dental hygienists every four years, people reinstating a retired or cancelled license, sedation and anesthesia permit applicants and holders, and some dental assistant applicants.
How many questions are on the TSBDE jurisprudence assessment?
The Board does not publish a question count or time limit on its public pages. Our timed test draws 50 questions from a bank of 219 and allows 60 minutes, which is a practice setting only.
What score do I need to pass the Texas dental jurisprudence assessment?
The Board's public pages do not state a pass mark. A third-party guide quoting the Board's catalog reports 80 percent, so this practice test uses 80 percent. Check the catalog when you register.
How often do Texas dentists retake the jurisprudence assessment?
Every four years, as part of the continuing education requirements in 22 TAC 104.1. Anesthesia permit holders also complete a Chapter 110 jurisprudence exam every five years.
Is the dental jurisprudence assessment open book?
The Board does not say on its public pages. Prepare as if it were closed book, because knowing the rules well is what lets you finish on time either way.
Does this practice test cover the hygienist and dental assistant versions?
Partly. It is written for the dentist version, but many questions on supervision, delegation, records and infection control also apply to hygienists and assistants. The sedation permit questions apply mainly to dentists.
Is this the official TSBDE jurisprudence assessment?
No. ExamStates is an independent practice site. The questions are original, written from the Dental Practice Act and 22 TAC Part 5, with the section cited for every answer.