IOWA DENTAL BOARD JURISPRUDENCE EXAM
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
200 PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS AND
DETAILED RATIONALES
1. What is the primary statutory purpose of the Iowa Dental Board?
A. To promote the business interests of dental professionals
B. To protect the public health, safety, and welfare by regulating the
practice of dentistry
C. To increase the number of licensed dentists in Iowa
D. To set the fees for dental procedures statewide
Correct Answer: B – The Iowa Dental Board is a professional licensing
board created by statute and charged with the responsibility of
regulating the practice of dentistry in Iowa to ensure that the public
health, safety, and welfare are protected. All board activities, including
licensure, rulemaking, and discipline, are designed to serve this primary
mission.
2. A dentist licensed in Iowa who is applying for renewal must
complete how many hours of continuing education during the current
renewal period?
A. 15 hours
B. 30 hours
C. 45 hours
D. 60 hours
,Correct Answer: D – Iowa Administrative Code 650-13.2(153) mandates
that a licensed dentist must complete 60 hours of continuing education
during each two-year renewal cycle. This requirement ensures that
practitioners remain current with advances in dental science, patient
safety protocols, and changes in state law.
3. Which of the following actions constitutes the unlawful practice of
dentistry in Iowa without a valid license?
A. A dental hygienist placing sealants under the direct supervision of a
licensed dentist
B. A dental assistant taking coronal polish impressions under the order
of a dentist
C. An unlicensed individual performing the final delivery and
adjustment of a removable partial denture
D. A dental student performing extractions at an accredited college
clinic under faculty supervision
Correct Answer: C – Iowa Code 153.14 defines the practice of dentistry
as including the delivery, adjustment, and insertion of prosthetic
appliances. Performing these tasks without a license is a direct
violation, whereas the other options involve permitted activities under
supervision or in an accredited educational setting.
4. A dentist's obligation to maintain patient confidentiality under Iowa
law continues:
A. Only during the active course of treatment
B. For five years following the last patient visit
,C. Until the patient's death, after which records become public
D. Indefinitely, even after the dentist-patient relationship terminates
Correct Answer: D – Iowa Code 272C.6 and ethical standards under the
Iowa Dental Board affirm that the duty of confidentiality is perpetual.
Patient information must be safeguarded indefinitely to protect patient
privacy, except when disclosure is compelled by law or authorized by
the patient.
5. Which of the following correctly describes the composition of the
Iowa Dental Board?
A. 6 dentists, 1 hygienist, 2 public members
B. 5 dentists, 2 hygienists, 2 public members
C. 4 dentists, 3 hygienists, 2 public members
D. 5 dentists, 3 hygienists, 1 public member
Correct Answer: B – The Iowa Dental Board is comprised of nine
members: five licensed dentists, two licensed dental hygienists, and two
public members appointed to represent the general public. Members
are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate to
serve three-year terms.
6. Which of the following is NOT a function of the Iowa Dental Board?
A. Writing rules and regulations that govern the dental profession
B. Enforcing laws that govern the dental profession
C. Setting the fees that dentists may charge for specific procedures
D. Establishing standards for licensure and practice
, Correct Answer: C – The Iowa Dental Board has the authority to write
rules, enforce laws, and set practice standards for the dental profession.
However, the board does not have the authority to set the fees that
dentists charge for dental procedures; fee-setting is determined by
individual practitioners and market forces.
7. How many of the nine members of the Iowa Dental Board are NOT
dentists?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
Correct Answer: C – The Iowa Dental Board consists of nine members:
five dentists, two dental hygienists, and two public members. Therefore,
four members (two hygienists plus two public members) are not
dentists.
8. What is the function of the Dental Hygiene Committee of the Iowa
Dental Board?
A. Conduct disciplinary hearings for dentists
B. Make recommendations to the board regarding dental hygiene
C. Set the fees for dental hygiene procedures statewide
D. Oversee the certification of dental laboratories
Correct Answer: B – The Dental Hygiene Committee serves in an
advisory capacity to the Iowa Dental Board. Its primary function is to
COMPREHENSIVE STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
200 PRACTICE QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS AND
DETAILED RATIONALES
1. What is the primary statutory purpose of the Iowa Dental Board?
A. To promote the business interests of dental professionals
B. To protect the public health, safety, and welfare by regulating the
practice of dentistry
C. To increase the number of licensed dentists in Iowa
D. To set the fees for dental procedures statewide
Correct Answer: B – The Iowa Dental Board is a professional licensing
board created by statute and charged with the responsibility of
regulating the practice of dentistry in Iowa to ensure that the public
health, safety, and welfare are protected. All board activities, including
licensure, rulemaking, and discipline, are designed to serve this primary
mission.
2. A dentist licensed in Iowa who is applying for renewal must
complete how many hours of continuing education during the current
renewal period?
A. 15 hours
B. 30 hours
C. 45 hours
D. 60 hours
,Correct Answer: D – Iowa Administrative Code 650-13.2(153) mandates
that a licensed dentist must complete 60 hours of continuing education
during each two-year renewal cycle. This requirement ensures that
practitioners remain current with advances in dental science, patient
safety protocols, and changes in state law.
3. Which of the following actions constitutes the unlawful practice of
dentistry in Iowa without a valid license?
A. A dental hygienist placing sealants under the direct supervision of a
licensed dentist
B. A dental assistant taking coronal polish impressions under the order
of a dentist
C. An unlicensed individual performing the final delivery and
adjustment of a removable partial denture
D. A dental student performing extractions at an accredited college
clinic under faculty supervision
Correct Answer: C – Iowa Code 153.14 defines the practice of dentistry
as including the delivery, adjustment, and insertion of prosthetic
appliances. Performing these tasks without a license is a direct
violation, whereas the other options involve permitted activities under
supervision or in an accredited educational setting.
4. A dentist's obligation to maintain patient confidentiality under Iowa
law continues:
A. Only during the active course of treatment
B. For five years following the last patient visit
,C. Until the patient's death, after which records become public
D. Indefinitely, even after the dentist-patient relationship terminates
Correct Answer: D – Iowa Code 272C.6 and ethical standards under the
Iowa Dental Board affirm that the duty of confidentiality is perpetual.
Patient information must be safeguarded indefinitely to protect patient
privacy, except when disclosure is compelled by law or authorized by
the patient.
5. Which of the following correctly describes the composition of the
Iowa Dental Board?
A. 6 dentists, 1 hygienist, 2 public members
B. 5 dentists, 2 hygienists, 2 public members
C. 4 dentists, 3 hygienists, 2 public members
D. 5 dentists, 3 hygienists, 1 public member
Correct Answer: B – The Iowa Dental Board is comprised of nine
members: five licensed dentists, two licensed dental hygienists, and two
public members appointed to represent the general public. Members
are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Iowa Senate to
serve three-year terms.
6. Which of the following is NOT a function of the Iowa Dental Board?
A. Writing rules and regulations that govern the dental profession
B. Enforcing laws that govern the dental profession
C. Setting the fees that dentists may charge for specific procedures
D. Establishing standards for licensure and practice
, Correct Answer: C – The Iowa Dental Board has the authority to write
rules, enforce laws, and set practice standards for the dental profession.
However, the board does not have the authority to set the fees that
dentists charge for dental procedures; fee-setting is determined by
individual practitioners and market forces.
7. How many of the nine members of the Iowa Dental Board are NOT
dentists?
A. 2
B. 3
C. 4
D. 5
Correct Answer: C – The Iowa Dental Board consists of nine members:
five dentists, two dental hygienists, and two public members. Therefore,
four members (two hygienists plus two public members) are not
dentists.
8. What is the function of the Dental Hygiene Committee of the Iowa
Dental Board?
A. Conduct disciplinary hearings for dentists
B. Make recommendations to the board regarding dental hygiene
C. Set the fees for dental hygiene procedures statewide
D. Oversee the certification of dental laboratories
Correct Answer: B – The Dental Hygiene Committee serves in an
advisory capacity to the Iowa Dental Board. Its primary function is to
