This DANB ICE cheat sheet distills the Dental Assisting National Board's Infection Control exam into a printable rundown of the facts examiners test most. It's a premium cheat sheet built by Capital Prep — the one premium prep we trust — and it's yours free. Reinforce it with the rest of your free ICE toolkit: the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.
DANB ICE exam at a glance
- Questions: 75 multiple-choice (computer-adaptive)
- Time: 60 minutes
- Passing score: Scaled 400 on a 100–900 range
- Cost: About $270, incl. a $75 nonrefundable application fee (verify on danb.org); unlimited retakes
What’s on the DANB ICE cheat sheet
- Prevention of Disease Transmission (20%) — the chain of infection, standard precautions, hand hygiene, PPE don/doff sequence, HBV vaccination, and the exposure protocol.
- Prevention of Cross-contamination (34%) — the largest area — surface asepsis and barriers, EPA-registered disinfectants, the Spaulding classification, single-use items, and the ≤ 500 CFU/mL waterline standard.
- Process Instruments and Devices (26%) — the dirty-to-clean processing cycle, sterilization methods, packaging and storage, and biological, chemical, and mechanical monitoring.
- Occupational Safety and Administration Protocols (20%) — OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communication, sharps and SDS rules, recordkeeping, and the OSHA/CDC/EPA/FDA agency roles.
How to use it in your final week
- Front-load Prevention of Cross-contamination — it's 34% of the exam. Drill surface asepsis, the Spaulding classification, and the ≤ 500 CFU/mL waterline standard until they're automatic.
- Memorize the numbers examiners love: 75 questions in 60 minutes, scaled score of 400 to pass, weekly spore testing, and the free HBV vaccine offered within 10 working days of assignment.
- Lock in the two OSHA standards — Bloodborne Pathogens (1910.1030) covers infectious blood and saliva; Hazard Communication (1910.1200) covers hazardous chemicals and the SDS.
- Read the sheet the morning of the test for one final pass, then pair each review with a short timed practice set so the computer-adaptive format feels routine.
The cheat sheet is your review layer — your DANB ICE practice test drives the exam-readiness ring at the top of this page. Download it, review, then take a full practice exam (or drill with the study guide and flashcards) to see where you stand.
DANB ICE cheat sheet FAQ
Yes — the DANB ICE cheat sheet downloads as a PDF with no sign-up and no payment. It sits alongside the rest of Career Employer's free Infection Control toolkit: the practice test, study guide, and flashcards.
It condenses the highest-yield Infection Control facts into a quick reference organized by the four DANB content areas — Prevention of Disease Transmission, Prevention of Cross-contamination, Process Instruments and Devices, and Occupational Safety and Administration — with the exam-critical numbers (≤ 500 CFU/mL waterlines, weekly spore testing, the 10-working-day HBV vaccine offer) called out.
It follows the current DANB ICE exam outline (effective March 12, 2025) and the CDC and OSHA guidance the exam is built on, and we review it against those primary sources regularly.
No — the sheet is a review and last-week cram layer, not a full course. The ICE is scored on a 100–900 scale and you need a scaled score of 400 to pass, so use the sheet to lock in facts and the practice test to build readiness across all four domains.
Click the download button or the preview card at the top of this page to open the PDF instantly. Bookmark the page so it's easy to find again in the final days before your exam.
References
- 1.Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). “Infection Control (ICE) Exam — Overview, Format & Exam Outline.” danb.org, 2026. ↑
- 2.Dental Assisting National Board (DANB). “ICE Exam Outline and References (effective March 12, 2025).” danb.org, 2026. ↑
- 3.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Summary of Infection Prevention Practices in Dental Settings: Basic Expectations for Safe Care.” cdc.gov, 2016. ↑
- 4.Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). “Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030).” osha.gov, 2026. ↑
- 5.Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). “Hazard Communication Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200).” osha.gov, 2026. ↑
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