DENTAL HYGIENE NATIONAL BOARD
COMPREHENSIVE TEST 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Calculus is readily removed from dental implants because there is
no interlocking or penetration of the deposit with the implant
surface.
Instrumentation of dental implants should be restricted to
supragingival deposit removal Answer: Both statements are TRUE.
◉ Which of the following is the MOST appropriate time period to
perform elective dental procedures on a pregnant woman? Answer:
Second trimester
◉ Studies of in-office irrigation consistently show significant
benefits beyond those achieved with scaling and root planing alone.
In-office irrigation should be a routine part of preventive care plans
for most clients. Answer: Both statements are FALSE.
◉ Which of the following would be LEAST effective for controlling
plaque in class II molar furcations? Answer: Dental floss
,◉ Gingival exudate is considered an exogenous factor that influences
oral microbial composition because exudate originates outside of
the exocrine (glandular) system. Answer: NEITHER the statement
NOR the reason is correct.
◉ Which of the following symptoms represents a potential medical
emergency associated with clients taking digoxin for congestive
heart failure? Answer: Use of epinephrine
◉ Which of the following vitamins is MOST likely to be deficient in a
vegetarian diet? Answer: B12
◉ Which of the following lesions has a distinctive erythematous
border? Answer: Ulceration
◉ Which of the following risk factors increases an individual's
probability of clinical attachment loss? Answer: Tobacco use
◉ Which of the following should be the first step when providing
oral health instructions to a blind client? Answer: Allow client to
explore his own intraoral structures
◉ During a dental hygiene continued-care appointment, a client of
record exhibits partial facial paralysis. She was recently diagnosed
,as having Bell's palsy. Damage to which of the following nerves
caused this condition? Answer: Facial
◉ After 2 years in private practice, your concerns for unmet oral
health care needs prompt you to join the Indian Health Service. As
part of an initial 3-month internship you are assigned to work with
teachers in an understaffed school (grades 2 through 12). The
primary goal is to assist in incorporating oral health concepts and
practices into the curriculum for this community's Native American
students. The school has two classrooms for each grade, with
approximately 30 to 40 students per grade. There is one teacher for
each classroom, with an occasional volunteer parent who serves as a
teacher's aide. While doing some initial research you learn that this
region is nonfluoridated and you find no evidence of school-based
fluoride programs. Also disconcerting, in many Native American
tribes 37% of both male and female students, grades 7 to 12, use spit
tobacco. While you are unable to locate numerical values to
document Answer: Work with school officials to implement a
fluoride varnish program in the school for appropriately aged
children
◉ As a consultant to the community-funded Women, Infant, and
Children's (WIC) clinic your main assignment is to collaborate with
the nearby community college to include dental hygiene students in
oral health assessments of the women participating in WIC's clinical
activities. After studying the health histories of the women utilizing
WIC's services, you note that bleeding gums and toothaches are
frequently reported. While consulting with the dental hygiene
, program director she indicates that you will also be assigned to
statistically analyze data from several board exams and professional
journals.
Which of the following indices would BEST meet the goals of
determining plaque status and providing an opportunity for the
women to observe plaque biofilm? Answer: Pll and PHP
◉ Which of the following risk factors MOST positively correlates
with the incidence of chronic periodontitis? Answer: Plaque with
specific putative periodontal pathogens
◉ Mrs. Hernandez is a 69-year-old client who comes to the dental
office every 3 to 4 months for supportive periodontal maintenance
visits. She retired approximately 1 year ago and plays cards almost
daily. She takes several prescription medications for arthritis and
blood pressure control and reports having a "very dry mouth." She
finds that sucking on hard candies, which her friends always serve at
these card games, effectively relieves her dryness. At home, she
drinks copious amounts of water. Although she has been caries-free
and periodontally stable for a number of years, at this appointment,
four early root carious lesions have been found.
A prescription for daily use of neutral 1.1% NaF fluoride gel should
be given to Mrs. Hernandez to help remineralize early lesions.
COMPREHENSIVE TEST 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ Calculus is readily removed from dental implants because there is
no interlocking or penetration of the deposit with the implant
surface.
Instrumentation of dental implants should be restricted to
supragingival deposit removal Answer: Both statements are TRUE.
◉ Which of the following is the MOST appropriate time period to
perform elective dental procedures on a pregnant woman? Answer:
Second trimester
◉ Studies of in-office irrigation consistently show significant
benefits beyond those achieved with scaling and root planing alone.
In-office irrigation should be a routine part of preventive care plans
for most clients. Answer: Both statements are FALSE.
◉ Which of the following would be LEAST effective for controlling
plaque in class II molar furcations? Answer: Dental floss
,◉ Gingival exudate is considered an exogenous factor that influences
oral microbial composition because exudate originates outside of
the exocrine (glandular) system. Answer: NEITHER the statement
NOR the reason is correct.
◉ Which of the following symptoms represents a potential medical
emergency associated with clients taking digoxin for congestive
heart failure? Answer: Use of epinephrine
◉ Which of the following vitamins is MOST likely to be deficient in a
vegetarian diet? Answer: B12
◉ Which of the following lesions has a distinctive erythematous
border? Answer: Ulceration
◉ Which of the following risk factors increases an individual's
probability of clinical attachment loss? Answer: Tobacco use
◉ Which of the following should be the first step when providing
oral health instructions to a blind client? Answer: Allow client to
explore his own intraoral structures
◉ During a dental hygiene continued-care appointment, a client of
record exhibits partial facial paralysis. She was recently diagnosed
,as having Bell's palsy. Damage to which of the following nerves
caused this condition? Answer: Facial
◉ After 2 years in private practice, your concerns for unmet oral
health care needs prompt you to join the Indian Health Service. As
part of an initial 3-month internship you are assigned to work with
teachers in an understaffed school (grades 2 through 12). The
primary goal is to assist in incorporating oral health concepts and
practices into the curriculum for this community's Native American
students. The school has two classrooms for each grade, with
approximately 30 to 40 students per grade. There is one teacher for
each classroom, with an occasional volunteer parent who serves as a
teacher's aide. While doing some initial research you learn that this
region is nonfluoridated and you find no evidence of school-based
fluoride programs. Also disconcerting, in many Native American
tribes 37% of both male and female students, grades 7 to 12, use spit
tobacco. While you are unable to locate numerical values to
document Answer: Work with school officials to implement a
fluoride varnish program in the school for appropriately aged
children
◉ As a consultant to the community-funded Women, Infant, and
Children's (WIC) clinic your main assignment is to collaborate with
the nearby community college to include dental hygiene students in
oral health assessments of the women participating in WIC's clinical
activities. After studying the health histories of the women utilizing
WIC's services, you note that bleeding gums and toothaches are
frequently reported. While consulting with the dental hygiene
, program director she indicates that you will also be assigned to
statistically analyze data from several board exams and professional
journals.
Which of the following indices would BEST meet the goals of
determining plaque status and providing an opportunity for the
women to observe plaque biofilm? Answer: Pll and PHP
◉ Which of the following risk factors MOST positively correlates
with the incidence of chronic periodontitis? Answer: Plaque with
specific putative periodontal pathogens
◉ Mrs. Hernandez is a 69-year-old client who comes to the dental
office every 3 to 4 months for supportive periodontal maintenance
visits. She retired approximately 1 year ago and plays cards almost
daily. She takes several prescription medications for arthritis and
blood pressure control and reports having a "very dry mouth." She
finds that sucking on hard candies, which her friends always serve at
these card games, effectively relieves her dryness. At home, she
drinks copious amounts of water. Although she has been caries-free
and periodontally stable for a number of years, at this appointment,
four early root carious lesions have been found.
A prescription for daily use of neutral 1.1% NaF fluoride gel should
be given to Mrs. Hernandez to help remineralize early lesions.
