MJDF Practice Test

MJDF Exam at a Glance

What the MJDF is and how it works

According to Royal College of Surgeons of England (Faculty of Dental Surgery). MJDF was RCS England's joint award with FGDP(UK). Its, “There are two papers with 90 SBA questions each (180 questions in total), each lasting two hours.”^[1]

The Royal College of Surgeons of England (Faculty of Dental Surgery) runs the exam. MJDF was originally RCS England's joint award with FGDP(UK), and the current written exam is the new-format MFDS Part 1, the successor to MJDF Part 1. Check the official MFDS Part 1 page before you book, because details change.

Delivery. The exam is computer-based at UK assessment centres. It is no longer taken remotely from home.

Format. You sit 180 single best answer questions, split into 2 papers of 90 questions each.

Scoring. The pass mark is standard-set. No fixed percentage is published, so do not aim at a target score you may have seen quoted elsewhere. Results are released about 4–6 weeks after the exam.

Eligibility. You need a primary dental qualification, registration to practise in your country of residence, English at IELTS 7 or equivalent, and clinical experience at DCT level.

Retakes and cost. You have a maximum of 4 attempts. The fee is £800 per attempt.

Dates. The next sitting listed is 11 February 2027, at centres in Edinburgh, London, Manchester and Bristol. Registration for all candidates closes at midday on 18 November 2026. Resit-only candidates have a separate window from 9 to 23 December 2026.

MJDF content outline and where to practise each area

The content areas below are copied from the official MJDF content outline published by Royal College of Surgeons of England (Faculty of Dental Surgery). MJDF was RCS England's joint award with FGDP(UK). Its. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.

Worked examples: how to reason through MJDF questions

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.

Example 1

Question: What is the width of the PDL space in a healthy adult tooth radiographically?

1. 0.15–0.38 mm
2. 0.5–1.0 mm
3. 1.0–2.0 mm
4. 0.05–0.1 mm

Answer: A. 0.15–0.38 mm

Explanation:

The normal periodontal ligament space appears as a thin dark line between the root and the lamina dura. In a healthy adult tooth it measures 0.15–0.38 mm, so option A is correct. The ranges of 0.5–1.0 mm and 1.0–2.0 mm are far too wide. Widening of that kind points to occlusal trauma or inflammation, not health. The range of 0.05–0.1 mm is too narrow, and a thin or lost space suggests ankylosis. Rule to remember: a widened space means load or inflammation, and a narrowed or absent space means the tooth is fused to bone. Learn the normal range as a band, then read each distractor as either too wide or too narrow.

Example 2

Question: What is the key advantage of ether-based polyether impression material compared to addition silicone?

1. Hydrophilic nature — better wetting in a moist oral environment; high stiffness in set state
2. More flexible in set state
3. Lower cost
4. Indefinite storage life

Answer: A. Hydrophilic nature — better wetting in a moist oral environment; high stiffness in set state

Explanation:

Polyether is hydrophilic, so it wets and adapts well in a moist environment such as the gingival sulcus, and it sets stiff. That makes option A correct. Option B is wrong because polyether is rigid once set, not more flexible, which is a known drawback when removing it from undercuts. Option C is wrong because cost is not its selling point. Option D is wrong because polyether takes up water and changes dimension if stored badly, so it does not keep indefinitely. Rule to remember: addition silicone is hydrophobic unless a surfactant is added, while polyether tolerates moisture. Match the material property to the clinical condition the question describes.

Example 3

Question: What drug class should be avoided in patients with aspirin-sensitive asthma (Samter's triad) requiring dental pain control?

1. All NSAIDs (cross-sensitivity is common)
2. Opioids
3. Paracetamol
4. Antibiotics

Answer: A. All NSAIDs (cross-sensitivity is common)

Explanation:

In Samter's triad, which combines asthma, nasal polyps and aspirin sensitivity, blocking the cyclo-oxygenase pathway pushes arachidonic acid towards leukotriene production. Those leukotrienes can trigger bronchospasm. Cross-sensitivity between NSAIDs is common, so all of them should be avoided, which makes option A correct. Opioids are not the issue here, so option B is wrong. Paracetamol is the usual alternative, so option C is wrong. Antibiotics do not act on this pathway, so option D is wrong. Rule to remember: in a patient with aspirin-sensitive asthma, avoid the whole NSAID class and choose paracetamol for dental pain.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official MFDS Part 1 page and keep its outline of content areas open as your checklist. Use it to decide which topics you can already handle and which need work.

Then try the free MJDF practice test cold, without notes, to see where you stand. Sort your misses into topics rather than treating them as a single score. Return to the sets that match your weakest areas, such as pharmacology and therapeutics, dental materials science or radiology and imaging.

For every question you get wrong, write the rule behind it in a line of your own, then look up the topic in your textbook or the relevant guidance. Do not just memorise our wording. Our questions are written by us and are not real exam questions, so use them to find gaps, not to predict what will appear.

Later in your preparation, practise in long blocks that copy the exam: single best answer questions, answered in a fixed time with no pauses. Because the pass mark is standard-set and no percentage is published, aim for steady accuracy across all content areas rather than a particular score. Leave the final days for revising your own notes and checking your booking details.

Sources & last verified

1. Royal College of Surgeons of England (Faculty of Dental Surgery). MJDF was RCS England's joint award with FGDP(UK). Its — number of questions, retake policy, eligibility (official source). “There are two papers with 90 SBA questions each (180 questions in total), each lasting two hours.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
2. dsfe.org.uk — passing score, score release (official source). “The pass mark for the Dental Specialty Fellowship Examinations and MFDS is not published as a fixed percentage score.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
3. dsfe.org.uk — exam fee, registration deadline, next exam date (official source). “Examination Fee MFDS Part 1 £800.00 Dental Specialty Fellowship Examination Part 1 £995.00 MFDS Part 2 £1,100.00” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
4. Royal College of Surgeons of England (Faculty of Dental Surgery). MJDF was RCS England's joint award with FGDP(UK). Its — delivery (official source). “To take the online MFDS Part 1 exam, you will now go to an assessment centre rather than accessing the platform at home.” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
5. dsfe.org.uk — other (official source). “domain a - general professional outcomes” Verified Oct 23, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.