GC Chairside Dentistry Practice Questions
Half of the GC exam: setting up, seating and transferring instruments, keeping the field dry, and assisting with restorative, surgical and preventive procedures.
Ten GC questions on chairside dentistry, with an explanation after each answer. Your first attempt is free.
Or take the full 95-question GC practice exam- 90 original Chairside Dentistry questions, each answer explained
- 50% of the GC exam, about 48 of 95 questions
- Domain III of DANB’s GC outline, effective July 1, 2022
Instruments on a preset tray are usually arranged:
What the Chairside Dentistry domain covers
- Four-handed dentistry: preparing the room and trays, seating the patient, positioning the team, transferring instruments and keeping the field clear with dental dams and moisture control
- Restorations: crown and bridge, occlusal registration, cavity preparation and composite and amalgam restorations, sutures, temporary restorations, final impressions, matrix bands, topical and local anesthetic
- Bleaching and whitening, and desensitizing teeth
- Oral surgery: implants, extractions, dry socket, incision and drainage, nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia and post-operative care
- Preventive dentistry: oral prophylaxis, sealants, coronal polishing and topical fluoride
This list is our own summary. DANB publishes the full outline, references and acronym list in its GC Exam Outline and References.
Drill chairside dentistry, then sit the full exam
Ten GC questions on chairside dentistry, with an explanation after each answer. Your first attempt is free.
Or take the full 95-question GC practice examIdeas the questions test most
- For a right-handed operator the assistant works from about 2 to 4 o’clock and passes instruments in the transfer zone below the chin.
- The dental dam clamp goes on the anchor tooth, usually one tooth distal to the one being treated, with a floss ligature.
- Tofflemire: diagonal slot toward the gingiva; the wedge goes in from the wider (usually lingual) embrasure.
- Nitrous oxide starts and ends with 100% oxygen; the final oxygen prevents diffusion hypoxia.
- Saliva on etched enamel means re-etching before the sealant goes on.
Start the free Chairside Dentistry drill · GC mixed drill · Full 95-question GC practice exam
Common questions
Why is Chairside Dentistry half of the GC exam?
DANB weights Chairside Dentistry at 50% of the GC exam because it covers most of what a general chairside assistant does: four-handed dentistry, moisture control and assisting with restorative, surgical and preventive procedures.
Are expanded functions such as coronal polishing on the GC exam?
The GC outline lists oral prophylaxis, sealant application, coronal polishing and topical fluoride under preventive dentistry. Whether you may perform them depends on your state’s dental practice act.
Does the GC exam include nitrous oxide?
Yes. Nitrous oxide/oxygen analgesia administration is listed under oral surgery in DANB’s GC outline, and tank maintenance is listed under administration.
Ten GC questions on chairside dentistry, with an explanation after each answer. Your first attempt is free.
Or take the full 95-question GC practice examOther GC domains
Domains, weights and format from DANB, checked November 2026: DANB: General Chairside Assisting (GC) exam · DANB GC Exam Outline and References (effective 07/01/2022).
Original independent practice, written from DANB’s public exam outlines. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). DANB, RHS, ICE, CDA and Certified Dental Assistant are marks of the Dental Assisting National Board, Inc.