Saudi Arabia's healthcare sector is one of the fastest-growing in the world, and dentistry is at its core. For any dentist — whether a Saudi national, a GCC resident, or an internationally trained professional from India, Pakistan, Egypt, the Philippines, or anywhere else — working in the Kingdom requires passing one examination: the Saudi Dental Licensure Examination (SDLE).
This guide brings together everything from the official SCFHS source, Prometric, and verified exam experience to give you a single, comprehensive reference for the SDLE in 2026.
This guide is based on the SDLE Applicant Guide 2026 published by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) at scfhs.org.sa and the official Prometric exam framework. Always verify the latest updates directly at the SCFHS website before applying, as details are subject to revision.
What Is the SDLE?
The Saudi Dental Licensure Examination (SDLE) is a mandatory, computer-based, multiple-choice examination administered by Prometric on behalf of the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). It is the official licensing gateway for dentists seeking to:
- ✓Practice general dentistry in Saudi Arabia — in government hospitals, private clinics, or academic institutions
- ✓Enrol in postgraduate training programs under the SCFHS — specialty residency programs require SDLE as a prerequisite
- ✓Obtain professional registration — the SDLE pass result triggers your official professional licence, valid for 5 years
The exam tests that candidates possess the clinical knowledge, skills, and professional standards required to deliver safe, high-quality dental care aligned with Saudi healthcare expectations and SCFHS requirements.
"The SDLE ensures graduates of accredited health education institutions meet the minimum standards for professional practice."
— Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS), Official Applicant Guide 2026SDLE Eligibility Requirements 2026
Eligibility criteria differ for Saudi nationals and international (expatriate) dentists. Read carefully — these are the most common reason applications are delayed or rejected.
For Saudi Nationals
- ✓Recognised BDS or equivalent dental degree from an accredited institution with a minimum 5-year curriculum
- ✓Completed the mandatory 1-year internship year
- ✓Active SCFHS Mumaris Plus account with completed classification application
For International / Expatriate Dentists
- ✓Recognised BDS or equivalent degree from an accredited program of at least 5 years (excluding internship). 4-year clinical curricula + 1-year internship degrees are not accepted — SCFHS has been rejecting applications from many Asian universities on this basis
- ✓Minimum 2 years of post-internship clinical experience (working in a private clinic or hospital)
- ✓For positions under the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH): minimum 5 years of clinical experience required
- ✓No gap of 2 or more consecutive years in professional practice — if you have such a gap, apply for a Training Letter service before proceeding
- ✓All certificates verified through Dataflow (primary source verification)
Saudi Arabia has been rejecting applications from graduates of universities where the BDS curriculum is 4 years of clinical study + 1 year internship (total 5 years including internship). The SCFHS requirement is 5 years of academic/clinical study excluding internship. Verify your university's curriculum structure before applying. Universities where BDS is structured as 5 years + 1 year internship are generally accepted.
SDLE Exam Format 2026
The SDLE is a fully computer-based examination delivered at Prometric testing centres. Here is everything you need to know about the structure:
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Type | Computer-based (Prometric) |
| Total Questions | 200 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Exam Structure | 2 parts of 100 questions each |
| Total Duration | 4 hours 30 minutes |
| Time per Part | 2 hours per 100-question part |
| Break Time | 30 minutes total (candidate decides how to distribute between parts) |
| Question Type | Single best answer MCQs |
| Language | English |
| Pass Score | 542 out of 800 (scaled score) ≈ 65–68% correct |
| Results Timeline | 2–6 weeks after exam via Mumaris Plus |
| Licence Validity | 5 years from date of issue |
With 100 questions in 120 minutes per part, you have exactly 1 minute 12 seconds per question. In the Prometric interface, you can flag questions and return to them. Flag anything that takes more than 60 seconds and move on. In your practice sessions, simulate this discipline — never practise without a timer. Screen fatigue is real: get comfortable with extended computer-screen sessions well before exam day.
SDLE Syllabus 2026 — Subject-Wise Weightage
Understanding the syllabus weightages is the single most important strategic decision in your SDLE preparation. The distribution below is based on the official SDLE Applicant Guide published by SCFHS:
| Subject | Weightage | Questions (out of 200) |
|---|---|---|
| Restorative Dentistry Prosthodontics + Operative Dentistry |
40% | ~80 questions |
| Periodontics | 18% | ~36 questions |
| Endodontics | 17% | ~34 questions |
| Oral Medicine / Oral Surgery | 15% | ~30 questions |
| Orthodontics / Pediatric Dentistry | 10% | ~20 questions |
| Total | 100% | 200 questions |
The following topics appear integrated across all subject areas — they are not a separate section but are tested throughout: Local Anesthesia · Professionalism and Bioethics · Infection Control and Patient Safety. Do not neglect these — they appear in questions across every subject category.
Detailed Subject Content Breakdown
Restorative Dentistry — 40% (Highest Priority)
This is the single most important section and must receive the most study time. It encompasses:
- ✓Prosthodontics (Fixed & Removable) — Crown and bridge preparations, crown materials, pontic designs, RPD design principles and components, complete dentures, implant-supported prostheses, obturators, occlusion
- ✓Operative Dentistry — Cavity preparations (Black's classifications), composite and amalgam restorations, dental materials (bonding agents, cements, liners, bases), caries classification and management, tooth sensitivity
- ✓Dental Materials Science — Properties of impression materials, gypsum products, waxes, alloys, ceramics, resin-based composites
Periodontics — 18%
- ✓Classification of periodontal diseases (2017 World Workshop classification)
- ✓Etiology, pathogenesis, and risk factors of periodontitis
- ✓Periodontal examination (probing, furcation classification, mobility)
- ✓Nonsurgical periodontal therapy — scaling and root planing, antimicrobials
- ✓Periodontal surgical procedures — flap surgery, bone grafting, GTR
- ✓Implantology — osseointegration, implant selection, peri-implant disease
Endodontics — 17%
- ✓Pulp anatomy and morphology — root canal anatomy of all teeth
- ✓Diagnosis of pulpal and periapical conditions (IAEP classification)
- ✓Access cavity preparation techniques
- ✓Canal instrumentation (manual and rotary), irrigation, obturation
- ✓Vital pulp therapy — pulpotomy, pulp capping (MTA, biodentine)
- ✓Endodontic failures, retreatment, and surgical endodontics
Oral Medicine & Oral Surgery — 15%
- ✓Oral mucosal lesions — diagnosis and management (ulcers, white lesions, pigmented lesions)
- ✓Oral precancerous conditions and oral cancer recognition
- ✓Dentoalveolar surgery — extractions, flap design, management of complications
- ✓Impacted teeth management — especially mandibular third molars
- ✓Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) — classification, diagnosis, management
- ✓Medically compromised patients — anticoagulants, diabetes, hypertension, bisphosphonates
- ✓Dental emergencies and medical emergencies in the dental clinic
Orthodontics / Pediatric Dentistry — 10%
- ✓Orthodontic diagnosis — cephalometric analysis basics, skeletal and dental classification
- ✓Fixed and removable appliances — mechanics of tooth movement
- ✓Primary dentition — eruption sequences, space management, pulp therapy in children
- ✓Paediatric caries management — prevention, restoration, stainless steel crowns
- ✓Child behaviour management and dental anxiety in children
- ✓Dental trauma in children — fracture classification, avulsion management
SDLE Exam Dates 2026 — Official SCFHS Schedule
The SCFHS runs the Professional Practice Licensure Examination (including SDLE) across 11 exam periods per year. The table below reflects the official 2026 schedule published at scfhs.org.sa. Registration for each period opens and closes at different times — check the official site regularly.
| Period | Exam Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| First | January 4 – 22, 2026 | ⬤ Closed |
| Second | February 1 – 19, 2026 | ⬤ Closed |
| Third | March 1 – 11, 2026 | ⬤ Closed |
| Fourth | March 23 – April 16, 2026 | ✓ Open |
| Fifth | April 26 – May 14, 2026 | ✓ Open |
| Sixth | June 7 – 25, 2026 | ✓ Open |
| Seventh | July 5 – 23, 2026 | ✓ Open |
| Eighth | September 1 – 24, 2026 | ⬤ Not Yet Open |
| Ninth | October 1 – 22, 2026 | ⬤ Not Yet Open |
| Tenth | November 1 – 24, 2026 | ⬤ Not Yet Open |
| Eleventh | December 1 – 24, 2026 | ⬤ Not Yet Open |
Registration dates and exam periods are subject to change. Always confirm the latest schedule directly on the official SCFHS website at scfhs.org.sa/en/Mumares/SPLE/DATES before making any travel or study plans. The table above reflects information published as of April 2026.
How to Apply for the SDLE 2026 — Step-by-Step
The application process involves multiple stages and takes approximately 4–8 weeks from initial application to confirmed exam booking. Plan well in advance.
Pass Score, Results & Attempts Policy
Pass Score
The SDLE uses a scaled scoring system out of 800. The pass score is 542 out of 800, which corresponds to approximately 65–68% of questions answered correctly. Results are available via Mumaris Plus within 2–6 weeks after the exam date.
Attempts Policy (2026)
Your eligibility to take the exam lasts for 1 year from the eligibility number issuance date. During this window you may take the exam twice (for foreign candidates). If your eligibility period expires before you complete your attempts, you must contact SCFHS to determine whether it can be extended — this is not automatic.
Examination Integrity Rules — What You Must Know
The SCFHS takes examination integrity extremely seriously. Violations carry severe penalties and can permanently affect your ability to obtain a Saudi licence.
Prohibited Conduct
- ✗Obtaining, sharing, or circulating exam content through any unauthorised means
- ✗Communicating with exam staff about questions, answers, or results
- ✗Sitting for an exam you are not eligible for, or falsifying personal information
- ✗Providing or receiving any form of unauthorised assistance during the exam
- ✗Possession of books, electronic devices, or prohibited materials inside the exam hall
- ✗Attempting to alter or manipulate exam results in any way
- ✗Disruptive, harassing, or unprofessional behaviour at testing centres
Penalties for Violations
Penalties range from a written warning for minor cases, to result cancellation, suspension from 6 months to 3 years, and permanent disqualification from the SDLE. SCFHS reserves the right to take additional regulatory action under applicable Saudi laws and regulations.
How to Pass the SDLE — Study Strategy & Tips
Given the 40% weightage of Restorative Dentistry and the clinical focus of the exam, your preparation strategy must be structured, weighted, and practised under exam conditions. Here is a proven framework:
Start with Restorative Dentistry (highest yield, 40%) → Periodontics → Endodontics → Oral Surgery/Oral Medicine → Orthodontics/Paediatric Dentistry. Weave in Local Anaesthesia, Pharmacology, Infection Control, and Ethics throughout — don't treat them as a separate block at the end.
Pass the SDLE with Dr. Teeth Academy's
Visual, Exam-Focused Course
Dr. Teeth Academy's SDLE preparation is built by Dr. Malik Hina — an INBDE-qualified Prosthodontist — using the same visual, concept-first methodology trusted by 3,00,000+ dentists worldwide. Stop memorising. Start understanding. Start preparing today.
Start Preparing for SDLE →SDLE Frequently Asked Questions
SDLE 2026 — Key Takeaways at a Glance
- ✓The SDLE is mandatory for all dentists wishing to practise in Saudi Arabia — Saudi national or international graduate
- ✓200 MCQs over 4.5 hours — two 100-question parts with a 30-minute break, delivered by Prometric
- ✓Pass score: 542/800 — approximately 65–68% correct answers
- ✓Restorative Dentistry is 40% of the exam — it deserves the most study time by a significant margin
- ✓Apply early — Dataflow alone takes 4–8 weeks; total time from application to exam can be 2–4 months
- ✓2026 has 11 exam periods — Periods 4–7 (April–July) are currently open for registration
- ✓Foreign dentists get 3 attempts — but your eligibility is only valid for 1 year, so don't delay preparing
- ✓Indian/Asian applicants must verify their degree curriculum is 5 years excluding internship — 4+1 structures are commonly rejected
Sources: Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) — SDLE Applicant Guide 2026, scfhs.org.sa/en/Mumares/SPLE/DATES. eDental Portal — SDLE Exam Guide, edentalportal.com. Prometrican — SDLE Exam 2025/2026 Guide, prometrican.com. Content is for informational purposes only. Always verify current requirements directly with SCFHS at scfhs.org.sa before applying.
Launch your Graphy