1.1 The NH Dental Jurisprudence Exam: Format, Scope & Open-Book Strategy

The New Hampshire Dental Jurisprudence Examination

Before the Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (OPLC) issues an active New Hampshire dental or dental hygiene license, the applicant must pass a state law examination. The requirement appears three times in the Board of Dental Examiners' rules:

• Den 301.02(h)–(j) — once OPLC approves a dentist applicant's required materials, the applicant takes the jurisprudence exam; after passing, OPLC issues an active dental license.
• Den 301.01(g)–(i) — the same sequence for dental hygiene applicants.
• Den 303.03 — the stand-alone exam rule: who is tested, what is tested, how the exam is given, and the passing score.

A licensee whose license lapsed and who reinstates to active status must also retake the NH dental jurisprudence exam (Den 301.08(c)), so the material is not only for new graduates.

What the exam covers

Den 303.03(a) names four sources. Everything in this guide traces back to one of them.

Den 501.01(a) incorporates the ADA Code with advisory opinions revised to March 2023 and the ADHA Code adopted in 2024, so the ethics codes carry legal weight in New Hampshire through RSA 317-A:17, II(j).

Exam logistics

The rule itself fixes only three facts: the scope, open-book delivery, and the 75% passing score. The testing vendor's bulletin supplies the operational details.

Den 303.03(b)(1) still describes the exam as taken at home electronically on a secure website provided by OPLC, or with pen and paper if the applicant requests it. In practice, registration and scheduling run through Prov at provexam.com. Prov lists four New Hampshire test sites (two in Concord, one in Nashua, and one in Newington), and a candidate may instead test remotely on a Mac, PC, or Chromebook with a webcam and microphone. Tablets are not allowed. Cancellations or reschedules must reach Prov at least 7 days before the appointment, or the fee is forfeited.

Open-book rules for reference materials

Open book does not mean anything goes. Under the Prov reference rules, you may prepare your copies of RSA 317-A and the Den rules only by:

1. Highlighting
2. Underlining in pen
3. Attaching permanent tabs (gummed or self-adhesive tabs with printed inserts)

The bulletin prohibits handwritten notes anywhere in the book, movable tabs and sticky notes, photocopied pages added to a book, and photocopied versions of a reference book. It also bans test-prep study guides and practice exams, including this guide. You may not mark in your books during the test.

Strategy for a 100-question, 300-minute open-book test

Five hours for 100 items is 3 minutes per question, which is enough time to verify most answers if your references are organized. To pass, you need 75 correct, and there is no penalty for guessing, so never leave an item blank.

• Tab by topic, not by page. Useful tabs are Den 101 definitions, Den 302.02 supervision, Den 302.05–302.08 hygienist, EFDA and CPHDH qualifications, Den 304 sedation, Den 404–405 duty lists, Den 406 CE, Den 407 misconduct and fines, Den 501 ethical duties, Den 503 opioids, and RSA 317-A:17 and :20.
• Know the numbers cold so you look up only the close calls. These include the 3-year clinical-exam window, 40/20 CE hours, 400-hour assistant prerequisites, 15-working-day adverse-event reports, and the 7-year record retention period.
• Use the flag button. Prov's software lets you flag items and review a summary of unanswered or flagged questions before you end the test.
• Read for the supervision level. Many items turn on whether a duty needs direct, general, or public health supervision.

If you fail, you can retake the exam with no waiting period by paying the fee again. Prov also offers a paid review ($90, 1.5 hours) to candidates who fail twice and score within 10% of the passing score.