The complete guide to the QCHP (Qatar) licensing exam
Qatar's dental licensing exam still goes by its old name — QCHP — even though the regulator became the Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP) in 2019. 150 questions at Prometric, a 60% pass mark and up to 5 attempts, with primary source verification required for every applicant. Here's the process as DHP publishes it.
At a glance
Checked 1 October 2026
- Regulator
- Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP), Ministry of Public Health — still branded "QCHP"
- Delivery
- Computer-based test via Prometric, 150 MCQs in 3.5 hours
- Pass mark
- 60% — 90 of 150 correct
- Attempts
- 5 consecutive attempts, whatever the gap between them
Straight from DHP's own pages
What the exam actually looks like
Unlike DHA, Qatar publishes its exam format and pass mark outright — here's what to expect.
Questions
Multiple-choice questions, delivered at Prometric test centres.
Time allowed
The General Dentist blueprint says 3½ hours. DHP's exam page table lists 3 hours for all professions — check your Prometric booking.
Pass mark
Published by DHP for General Dentists (specialist dentists need 65%).
Attempts
"5 consecutive times whatever the gap between each attempt", per DHP's qualifying examination page.
The pathway
From verification to a Qatar licence
DHP's own sequence, with primary source verification before evaluation.
Step 1: Confirm your eligibility
A dental degree of at least 5 years plus an internship year (DHP Circular 2025/24), and two years of experience for the General Dentist title — without it, DHP has a "General Dentist (Supervised)" category. Confirm the current rules for your title on the DHP portal.
Step 2: Primary Source Verification
PSV is mandatory for every practitioner before DHP registration and evaluation. You can use any of DHP's three approved providers: DataFlow, Quadrabay or AVS.
Step 3: Book your Prometric slot
If the exam applies to you, book it on Prometric's DHP Qatar page. Some candidates are exempt — see DHP Circulars 2025/19 and 2025/24.
Step 4: Sit the exam
150 MCQs across Scientific, Clinical and Affective domains, at a Prometric test centre.
Step 5: Your result
60% is a pass for General Dentists. DHP doesn't publish when or how results are released — follow up in your DHP application.
Step 6: Apply for Evaluation and Licensing
A pass — or a confirmed exemption — lets you move to DHP's Evaluation and Licensing stage to finalize your registration to practice in Qatar.
Read this before you book
What actually changed at QCHP
The renaming, verification, attempts and exemptions — from DHP's own pages and circulars.
QCHP became DHP in 2019
Emiri Decree No. 14 of February 2019 replaced the Qatar Council for Healthcare Practitioners with the Department of Healthcare Professions. The regulator, portal and licences are all DHP now — "QCHP" survives as the name candidates search for.
Verification is mandatory — three providers
Every practitioner needs primary source verification before DHP evaluation. DHP has approved three providers — DataFlow, Quadrabay and AVS — so you aren't tied to one.
Five attempts
DHP allows 5 consecutive attempts, whatever the gap between them — more than the UAE's 3 shared attempts.
Exemptions exist for some scopes
Qataris, children of Qatari women and Qatar graduates are exempt (Circular 2025/24), and holders of the qualifications listed in Circular 2025/19 are exempt too. Check the circulars before you book.
No shared attempt pool with the UAE or Saudi
A UAE or Saudi result doesn't count toward Qatar's attempts — DHP keeps its own count. (Some other qualifying exams can exempt you entirely; see Circular 2025/19.)
Confirm current fees and slots with DHP/Prometric
Booking windows, fees and rescheduling rules are set by DHP and Prometric directly and can change — always check before you commit.
QCHP's own domain split
Scientific, Clinical, Affective — not a subject list
DHP's General Dentist blueprint splits the 150 questions into three domains. The Clinical domain is the bulk of it, covering the clinical dental subjects plus diagnosis, treatment planning, emergencies and prevention.
- Clinical domain100 Qs
- Scientific domain — Biomedical Sciences30 Qs
- Scientific domain — Evidence-Based Practice5 Qs
- Affective domain — professionalism & ethics15 Qs
Practise QCHP-style questions
20 questions free, with dentist-written explanations. No card needed.
QCHP FAQ
Questions candidates actually ask
Answered against how the DHP system runs today, not the old QCHP-era assumptions.
Is it QCHP or DHP? Which name should I actually be using?
The regulator is the Department of Healthcare Professions (DHP) — QCHP was replaced by DHP under Emiri Decree No. 14 of February 2019. "QCHP" survives as the common name; your licence, portal and official correspondence will say DHP, and Prometric lists the exam under DHP Qatar.
Do I need DataFlow verification for Qatar?
You need primary source verification — it's mandatory for every practitioner. DataFlow is one of three DHP-approved providers; Quadrabay and AVS are the others.
What score do I need to pass?
60% for General Dentists — that's 90 of 150. Specialist dentists need 65%.
How many attempts do I get?
Five consecutive attempts, whatever the gap between them, according to DHP's qualifying examination page.
Does my DHA, HAAD, MOH or SMLE result count for anything at QCHP?
Not toward your attempts — DHP keeps its own count. But some other qualifying exams exempt you from the Prometric exam altogether: DHP Circular 2025/19 lists them.
Do I definitely need to sit the exam?
Not necessarily. Qataris, children of Qatari women and Qatar graduates are exempt (Circular 2025/24), as are holders of the qualifications in Circular 2025/19. Everyone else sits it.
Where do I actually apply?
Through the DHP portal — primary source verification first, then the Prometric qualifying exam if it applies to you, then DHP's Evaluation and Licensing stage.
Is QCHP structured by dental subject, like DHA's exam?
Not quite — DHP's blueprint splits the 150 questions into three domains: Clinical (100 questions), Scientific (35: biomedical sciences 30 + evidence-based practice 5) and Affective (15, professionalism and ethics).
Official sources
Checked 1 October 2026
The facts on this page come from these official pages. Rules change — confirm with the regulator before you book or apply.
- DHP Qualifying Examination — format, pass mark, attemptsDepartment of Healthcare Professions, Ministry of Public Health (Qatar)(opens in a new tab)
- General Dental Qualifying Examination Blueprint (PDF)Department of Healthcare Professions, Ministry of Public Health (Qatar)(opens in a new tab)
- DHP Primary Source Verification — approved providersDepartment of Healthcare Professions, Ministry of Public Health (Qatar)(opens in a new tab)
- All DHP circulars, including exam exemptionsDepartment of Healthcare Professions, Ministry of Public Health (Qatar)(opens in a new tab)
- Prometric — DHP Qatar exam bookingPrometric (official DHP test vendor)(opens in a new tab)
Ready to start on the QCHP blueprint?
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