The CCE (Certified Ceramist) is taken by dental laboratory technicians who want to be certified in ceramics through the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology. This page gives you free practice sets for each content area, worked answers to sample questions, the delivery, fee and retake facts, and a study plan.
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee (Practical exam) | $650[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Written Comprehensive exam) | $275[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Exam fee (Written Specialty exam (Ceramics)) | $275 per attempt[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Retake policy | New application and fee required for each retake[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Validity | All three exams within 4 years[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery (Practical exam) | Remote at a lab of the candidate's choice, proctored by MonitorEDU[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Delivery (Written exams) | Computer-based with remote proctoring[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Eligibility | High school graduate or equivalent[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | 20th of the month before the testing window[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Testing window (Practical exam) | Six windows a year: Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep, Nov[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
| Testing window (Written exams) | Monthly, first to last day of each month[1] | National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology · Oct 25, 2026 |
According to National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology, “Be a high school graduate (or the documented equivalent)”[1]
The CCE credential is offered by the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology and covers ceramics work in the dental laboratory. Candidates must be a high school graduate or hold the documented equivalent.
The exams can be taken in any order, and all of them must be passed within 4 years of the date the first exam was passed.
The Practical exam costs $650. It can be taken remotely at a dental laboratory of your choice, supervised by the proctoring service MonitorEDU. Practical windows run in Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep and Nov, from the first day of the month through the last.
The written exams are computer-based with remote proctoring. The general written exam costs $275, and the Written Specialty exam in Ceramics costs $275 per attempt. Written windows run from the first day of each month through the last day.
Applications are due on the 20th of the month before the testing window you want. If an exam is not passed on the first attempt, you must submit a new application and fee before retaking it.
We have not verified passing scores, question counts or time limits, so this page does not state them. Check the National Board's page at nbccert.org/become-a-cdt for those details and for any fee changes.
The content areas below are copied from the official CCE content outline published by National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Ceramic Application & Contouring[2] | CCE Ceramic Application & Contouring Practise how layering choices, build-up technique and contour shape the final fit, form and appearance of a ceramic restoration. |
| Manufacture Master Cast (Traditional or Digital)[2] | Mixed practice tests above Compare traditional and digital routes to an accurate working cast, and know what can go wrong with each. We have no dedicated set for this area yet, so use the fundamentals set for background. |
| Manufacture Substructure for Ceramics[2] | CCE Substructure for Ceramics Practise substructure design and material choices that give ceramic layers proper support and a sound bond. |
| Perform Preliminary & Diagnostic Work Up[2] | CCE Preliminary & Diagnostic Work Up Practise reading the prescription, models and case information to spot problems before any fabrication starts. |
| Selection and Application of Materials and Equipment for Ceramics[2] | CCE Selection & Application of Materials &... Practise matching ceramic materials and laboratory equipment to the case and handling them correctly. |
Prepare for the CCE - Certified Ceramist exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: What is the PRIMARY purpose of obtaining CCE certification in Certified Computer Examiner?
Answer: B. To demonstrate verified competency and adherence to professional standards
Explanation:
The correct answer is that certification demonstrates verified competency and adherence to professional standards. That is what a credential is for: an outside body confirms that you meet a defined standard.
Personal achievement may be a fine motive, but it is not the primary purpose of the credential. Guaranteeing employment is wrong because no certification can promise a job. Bypassing educational requirements is wrong because certification generally builds on requirements rather than replacing them.
The question's wording refers to Certified Computer Examiner, a different credential from the ceramist exam, so treat it as general reasoning about certification. The rule to remember: when asked why a credential exists, pick the answer about verified competence and standards, and reject answers that promise outcomes.
Question: What is the MOST important reason for Certified Computer Examiner professionals to maintain continuing education?
Answer: B. To stay current with evolving standards, practices, and regulations
Explanation:
The correct answer is to stay current with evolving standards, practices and regulations. Continuing education exists so that a professional's knowledge does not fall behind the field.
Increasing billing rates is a possible side effect, not the reason. Satisfying employer preferences may happen along the way, but it is not the most important reason. Accumulating credentials for prestige is about appearance rather than competence.
As with the previous sample, the wording refers to Certified Computer Examiner, so read it as a general professional-practice question. The rule to remember: when several options sound plausible, choose the one that serves the quality of the work and the people relying on it, not the one that benefits the professional's status or income.
Question: Which finishing method is preferred to achieve the highest surface smoothness on feldspathic porcelain before glazing?
Answer: B. Sequential polishing with decreasing grit silicone points and diamond pastes
Explanation:
The correct answer is sequential polishing with decreasing grit silicone points and diamond pastes. Each step removes the scratches left by the step before it, so the surface gets smoother before the glaze firing.
Coarse diamond bur adjustment followed by direct glazing leaves deep scratches that the glaze may not hide. Sandblasting with 50 µm alumina roughens the surface, which is the opposite of what is wanted here. Acid etching with hydrofluoric acid is used to create a retentive surface for bonding, not to smooth a surface, and it is hazardous.
The rule to remember: for a smooth ceramic surface, move through progressively finer abrasives, and do not use techniques meant to roughen.
Start with the official material. Read the National Board's page at nbccert.org/become-a-cdt so you know the application deadline, your testing window and the fees before you plan anything else.
Then take CCE Fundamentals & Core Concepts as a baseline and note which areas feel weakest. Work through the content-area sets next, giving the most time to your weakest ones: Preliminary & Diagnostic Work Up, Substructure for Ceramics, and Ceramic Application & Contouring. Add Color Science & Shade Matching, Firing Protocols & Kiln Management and Finishing & Surface Characterization for practical detail.
After each set, read the explanation for every question you missed and write down the rule behind it in your own words. Retake a set only after a few days, so you are recalling rather than recognising answers.
Because the Practical exam is done at a lab of your choice, spend bench time on the steps you have been reading about. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps rather than to predict the test.
The Practical exam costs $650. The general written exam costs $275, and the Written Specialty exam in Ceramics costs $275 per attempt. Fees are set by the National Board for Certification in Dental Laboratory Technology, so confirm current amounts on nbccert.org/become-a-cdt before you apply.
The written exams are computer-based with remote proctoring. The Practical exam can be taken remotely at a dental laboratory of the candidate's choice, supervised by the proctoring service MonitorEDU. Check the National Board's page for the technical and setup requirements.
Practical windows run in Jan, Mar, May, Jul, Sep and Nov, from the first day of the month through the last. Written windows run monthly over the same span. Applications are due on the 20th of the month before the window you want.
If an exam is not passed on the first attempt, you must submit a new application and fee before you can retake it. Each retake needs its own application. Plan your timing with the 4-year limit in mind, which runs from the date the first exam was passed.
Candidates must be a high school graduate or hold the documented equivalent. Other requirements may apply, so read the eligibility details on the National Board's official page before you apply. This site does not set or verify eligibility.
No. Candidates may sit for the exams in any order. All of them must be passed within 4 years of the date the first exam was passed. If the time limit is a concern, check the official page for how it applies to your situation.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.