ADC Written Exam Pass Rate: Official ADC Results 2023-24 and 2024-25
The ADC Part 1 pass rate is one of the most-searched questions on the Australian Dental Council pathway - and one of the least honestly answered. Here's what the historical data actually says, why the pass rate is what it is, and what separates the candidates who pass from the majority who don't.
ADC Part 1 pass rate: the headline numbers
The Australian Dental Council publishes written-examination outcomes in its annual report. The two most recent financial years (all candidates, not first-attempt only):
| Financial year | Candidates | Passed | Failed | Pass rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 2,925 | 1,209 | 1,716 | 41% |
| 2024-25 | 3,325 | 404 | 2,921 | 12% |
Source: ADC Annual Report 2024-2025. Figures are overall candidate performance and should not be read as first-attempt pass rates; the ADC does not publish first-attempt data.
Why did the pass rate fall?
The ADC's data shows the decline but does not establish its cause. Candidate numbers rose by about 14% in the same year and the exam continued to use the same blueprint and per-cluster pass standard. We won't speculate beyond that - but the practical implication is clear: preparation quality now matters more than at any point in the exam's recent history.
Why the ADC Part 1 pass rate is so low
The exam isn't tricky for the sake of being tricky. It's hard for four specific reasons:
- It's wide, not deep. 13 disciplines. 280 questions. Four clusters you must each pass. A candidate can be brilliant at endodontics and still lose the exam on restorative dentistry, paediatrics/orthodontics and preventive dentistry - which together carry 34% of the marks.
- Scenario-based MCQs punish memorisation. The typical vignette gives you a case + 5 linked questions. If you can only recall isolated facts, you're guessing on the clinical reasoning.
- Stamina matters. 140 questions in a day, over two days, is a physical event. Candidates who've never sat a full 4-hour timed mock hit a wall on section 3 or 4.
- Recalled question files are misleading. Many candidates prep by reading "recalled" question files from previous years. These are typically incomplete, occasionally wrong, and never reflect the current blueprint weighting.
What the 40% who pass first time do differently
Across candidate patterns and post-exam feedback, four behaviours consistently show up in first-attempt passers:
- They diagnose before they study. They don't start on page one of a textbook. They take a balanced diagnostic across all 10 subjects, rank weak subjects by weighting × accuracy deficit, and spend their first month on that priority list.
- They practise scenario-based MCQs daily. 200-400+ questions per week, not just reading. And they review the explanation for every wrong answer the same day.
- They sit full-length timed mocks before the exam. At least one, ideally two - under real conditions (same start time, timed breaks, no pausing). The 8-week study plan builds these in.
- They only book the exam when their mock scores are consistently at readiness level. Booking an exam "because it's coming up" when mock scores say "not yet" is how AUD $2,122 gets burned.
Where do you actually stand?
30 questions weighted to the official ADC blueprint. Free, instant, no credit card.
The economics of the ADC Part 1 pass rate
The pass rate isn't just an academic statistic - it has direct financial consequences. Each failed attempt costs another AUD $2,122 in exam fees, plus another 6-12 months of waiting, working on temporary visas, and delayed career progression. Structured preparation is almost always cheaper than an extra attempt.
See our full ADC Part 1 cost breakdown for the total financial picture across single-attempt and multi-attempt scenarios.
Pass rate by subject: where marks are actually lost
Candidate self-reports and diagnostic-tool aggregate data consistently show four subjects where overseas-trained dentists lose the most marks against the ADC's expected level:
| Subject | Weighting | Typical performance gap |
|---|---|---|
| Oral Surgery | ~15% | Australian medico-legal / consent framing catches candidates trained overseas |
| Community Dentistry | ~4% | Australia-specific public health systems (DHSV, PBS, etc.) unfamiliar to most |
| Pharmacology | ~8% | PBS listings and Australian prescribing guidelines differ from most home countries |
| Prosthodontics | ~12% | High weighting × wide sub-topic range makes this a big swing subject |
If you're weak in any of the first three (which together carry ~27% of exam marks), targeted study on Australian-specific content pays off disproportionately.
Improving your personal pass probability
The framework that consistently moves candidates from "might pass" to "first-attempt pass":
- Take a diagnostic across all 10 subjects - know your gaps before you buy anything.
- Study the 3-4 weakest high-weight subjects first, not the ones you already enjoy.
- 200-400 scenario-based MCQs per week, with explanations reviewed the same day.
- 2 full-length timed mocks in the final 2-3 weeks. Don't book the exam until you're passing them.
- Final week: review flagged questions only. No new content. Sleep.
The good news: candidates who follow this framework consistently report first-attempt pass rates well above the 40% cohort average. The exam's pass rate is a reflection of how most candidates prepare, not how hard the exam actually is.
Related guides
Understand the exam itself in our ADC Part 1 format guide, plan your prep with the 8-week study plan, and budget realistically with the ADC Part 1 cost breakdown.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ADC Part 1 pass rate in 2026?
The ADC Annual Report 2024-25 reports an overall written-examination pass rate of 12% for 2024-25 (404 of 3,325 candidates), down from 41% in 2023-24 (1,209 of 2,925). These are all-candidate figures, not first-attempt rates - the ADC does not publish first-attempt data or a cause for the decline.
Why is the ADC Part 1 pass rate so low?
The exam is broad rather than tricky. It tests 13 disciplines at the level of a newly graduated Australian dentist, and questions are scenario-based rather than fact-recall. Candidates who rely on re-reading textbooks or memorising recalled files without structured MCQ practice tend to underperform.
Is the ADC Part 1 harder than the NDEB or PLAB?
The ADC Part 1 is broadly comparable in difficulty to the Canadian NDEB written exam and slightly wider in scope than the UK's ORE Part 1. All three test scenario-based clinical knowledge across dentistry, but the ADC's heavy weighting of restorative dentistry (14%), paediatrics/orthodontics and preventive dentistry (10% each) - plus the requirement to pass all four competency clusters - gives it a distinctly wide scope.
What percentage do I need to pass ADC Part 1?
The ADC uses a modified Angoff standard-setting method rather than a fixed percentage. Practically, candidates who consistently score above 65-70% on high-quality practice MCQs and above 60% on full-length timed mocks tend to be exam-ready.
How many attempts do most people take to pass ADC Part 1?
The ADC does not publish attempt-level data, so no reliable first-attempt or resit breakdown exists. There is no limit on attempts and a pass is valid for five years, but each sitting costs AUD $2,122 - so preparing to pass once is far cheaper than retry cycles.
What separates candidates who pass ADC Part 1 from those who fail?
Four things: (1) they diagnose weak subjects before studying rather than starting on page one of a textbook; (2) they practise scenario-based MCQs, not isolated facts; (3) they sit at least one full-length timed mock before booking the exam; (4) they only book the exam once their mock scores consistently exceed readiness thresholds.
Does the ADC pass rate change year to year?
Yes, substantially. The ADC reported 41% for 2023-24 and 12% for 2024-25 while candidate numbers rose from 2,925 to 3,325. The published data shows the fall but does not establish its cause.
How can I improve my chances of passing ADC Part 1 first time?
Take a diagnostic to know your weakest high-weight subjects. Build a targeted 8-12 week study plan around those. Practise scenario-based MCQs daily (200-400+ questions/week). Sit at least 2 full-length timed mocks before booking. Only book the exam when your mock scores are consistently at readiness level.
Where do you actually stand?
30 questions weighted to the official ADC blueprint. Free, instant, no credit card.
Keep reading
What is the ADC Part 1 Exam? Format, Pass Rate, Fees & Subjects (2026 Guide)
ADC Part 1 written exam explained for overseas-trained dentists: 280 questions over 2 days, official 12% pass rate (2024-25), AUD $2,122 fee, the 13-discipline blueprint - and how to prepare in 2026.
An 8-Week ADC Part 1 Study Plan That Actually Works
A week-by-week ADC written exam study plan for working dentists: diagnose weaknesses, master high-weight subjects, and rehearse full exam days.
ADC Part 1 Exam Fees 2026: Full Cost Breakdown (AUD, USD, GBP, INR, PKR)
How much does the ADC Part 1 written exam cost in 2026? Initial assessment fees, AUD $2,122 exam fee per attempt, prep options and total real cost - with currency conversions for overseas-trained dentists.
PassADC is an independent study platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Australian Dental Council. Exam details change - always confirm current format and fees at adc.org.au.