PM&DC Dental NRE: pattern, syllabus and MCQs per subject
The Dental NRE is the exam dentists with a BDS from a foreign college must pass for a full licence to practise in Pakistan. It has a written MCQ component and then a clinical skills examination (CSE). The structure below is from PM&DC's NRE (Dental) standard, structure and syllabus 2024.
Checked against the official sources below on 21 October 2026.
At a glance
| Held by | Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PM&DC), under section 18 of the PM&DC Act 2022[1] |
|---|---|
| Who sits it | Graduates of PM&DC-approved foreign dental colleges with a BDS or equivalent, who also hold a PM&DC provisional licence[1] |
| Why | Passing both components is required for a full licence to practise as a general dental practitioner[1][2] |
| Theory | 200 MCQs across 11 subjects (see below)[1] |
| Clinical skills exam (CSE) | OSCE-style, only after passing the theory. Session 1: 15 stations of 6 to 10 minutes each. Session 2: 3 stations of 50 minutes each[1] |
| Pass mark | 60% in the theory; 60% combined over both CSE sessions, and all three mandatory stations passed[1] |
| Negative marking | None, in any component[1] |
| Attempts | No limit[1][2] |
| Validity | A theory pass stays valid for five years, within which you must pass the CSE[1] |
| How often | At least twice a year, at centres across Pakistan[1] |
Syllabus
The theory paper's 200 MCQs are split by subject as below. Applied clinical aspects of the preclinical subjects are tested within these.
MCQs per subject[1]
- Operative dentistry, including paediatric dentistry and endodontics: 45
- Oral medicine, diagnosis and radiology: 25
- Prosthodontics: 25
- Oral surgery: 25
- Periodontology: 20
- Science of dental materials: 15
- Community and preventive dentistry: 15
- Pharmacology, including dental therapeutics: 10
- Orthodontics: 10
- General medicine: 5
- General surgery: 5
CSE stations[1]
- Session 1: professional and multidisciplinary skills 5, periodontology 2, operative dentistry, endodontics and paediatric dentistry 2, prosthodontics 2, oral surgery and oral medicine 2, orthodontics 1, medical and dental emergencies 1
- Session 2: operative dentistry, endodontics and paediatric dentistry 1, prosthodontics 1, oral surgery and oral medicine 1
Good to know
- If you pass the theory but fail the CSE, you re-sit only the CSE; after three failed CSE attempts you must sit both components again.[1]
- Practitioners with a foreign licence and a recognised postgraduate qualification are exempt from the NRE.[2]
- PM&DC publishes one NRE schedule. Its next NRE Step-I is Sunday 8 November 2026, moved from 11 October 2026.[3][4]
- PM&DC can change the CSE's details, but must post the change on its website at least six weeks before the CSE.[1]
Practise for the Dental NRE
Chapter-wise BDS MCQs in operative dentistry, prosthodontics, oral surgery and more, marked instantly with an explanation.
Practise BDS questionsSources
- PM&DC: NRE (Dental) standard, structure and syllabus 2024 (PDF)
- PM&DC: Registration Regulations 2023 (PDF)
- PM&DC: Public notice on the NRE schedule for 2026
- PM&DC: NRE Step-I rescheduled (5 October 2026)
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