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CDA · 7% of the exam

GC: Evaluation practice questions

10 free GC: Evaluation questions for the Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) Exam exam, each with the correct answer and an explanation for every option.

Start the questionsFree 10-question CDA quiz

What this domain covers

Gathering and recording what the dentist needs before treatment: health histories, vital signs, charting and recognising what is normal and abnormal in the mouth.

Exam weight
7%
On a real exam
≈ 17 questions
In our bank
43 questions

Topics that come up most

  • Medical and dental history review
  • Vital signs and their normal ranges
  • Charting existing restorations and conditions
  • Tooth numbering and dental anatomy
  • Recognising common oral conditions and lesions

How to study it

Practise charting a full mouth from a written description using the Universal numbering system; many questions assume you can place a finding on the right tooth and surface.

Sample GC: Evaluation questions

Try each one before opening the answer. Original questions written to the official exam objectives.

  1. Question 1

    The mixed dentition period occurs at about:

    • AAges 6 to 12
    • BAges 1 to 3
    • CAges 18 to 25
    • DAges 30 to 40
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) Ages 6 to 12

    • ACorrect. Both primary and permanent teeth are present.
    • BIncorrect. That's primary eruption.
    • CIncorrect. That's third molar eruption.
    • DIncorrect. Mixed dentition is in childhood.

  2. Question 2

    Which permanent tooth usually erupts first, at about age 6?

    • AThe maxillary central incisor, which erupts around age 7 to 8
    • BThe mandibular first molar
    • CThe maxillary canine
    • DThe mandibular third molar
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) The mandibular first molar

    • AIncorrect. It comes slightly later.
    • BCorrect. It erupts behind the primary teeth.
    • CIncorrect. It erupts around 11 to 12.
    • DIncorrect. It erupts much later.

  3. Question 3

    What does a periodontal probing depth of 6 mm usually indicate?

    • AA cavity in the enamel
    • BA healthy gingival sulcus
    • CA periodontal pocket
    • DNormal tooth mobility
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C) A periodontal pocket

    • AIncorrect. Probing measures the sulcus.
    • BIncorrect. That's deeper than normal.
    • CCorrect. Healthy sulci are about 1 to 3 mm.
    • DIncorrect. It measures pocket depth.

  4. Question 4

    Loss of tooth structure from acids, not bacteria, is called:

    • AErosion
    • BAttrition, from teeth grinding against each other
    • CAbrasion, from brushing too hard
    • DCalculus
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) Erosion

    • ACorrect. Acidic drinks and reflux are common causes.
    • BIncorrect. That's mechanical wear.
    • CIncorrect. That's mechanical wear.
    • DIncorrect. That's hardened plaque.

  5. Question 5

    Under G.V. Black's classification, caries on the proximal surface of a premolar is:

    • AClass III
    • BClass I
    • CClass II
    • DClass V
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: C) Class II

    • AIncorrect. That's proximal anterior without the incisal angle.
    • BIncorrect. That's pits and fissures.
    • CCorrect. Proximal surfaces of posterior teeth.
    • DIncorrect. That's the cervical third.

  6. Question 6

    During an extraoral examination, the submandibular lymph nodes are palpated mainly to detect:

    • AClicking or crepitus as the patient opens and closes
    • BEnlarged, firm, or tender nodes that may signal infection or disease
    • CDeviation of the mandible to one side during opening
    • DEnlargement of the masseter muscles from clenching
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) Enlarged, firm, or tender nodes that may signal infection or disease

    Palpating the submandibular lymph nodes checks for enlarged, firm, fixed or tender nodes, which can point to infection or other disease. Joint sounds, jaw deviation and muscle changes are found through separate TMJ and muscle checks.

    • AIncorrect. Clicking and crepitus are joint sounds. They are checked by palpating the temporomandibular joints in front of the ears, not the lymph nodes under the mandible.
    • BCorrect. Lymph nodes are felt for size, texture, tenderness and mobility. Tender, swollen nodes usually mean the body is fighting an infection. Hard, fixed or painlessly enlarging nodes may point to more serious disease, such as cancer, and should be referred.
    • CIncorrect. Mandibular deviation is seen by watching the opening path and is part of the TMJ and occlusion assessment. Palpating the lymph nodes does not show it.
    • DIncorrect. Masseter hypertrophy is assessed by palpating the muscles of mastication over the ramus. That is a separate step from palpating the submandibular nodes.

  7. Question 7

    A tooth that moves more than 1 mm and can be depressed into its socket has which mobility class?

    • AClass I, with slight mobility under 1 mm
    • BClass III
    • CClass II, with about 1 mm of movement
    • DNormal mobility
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) Class III

    • AIncorrect. That's milder.
    • BCorrect. It's the most severe class.
    • CIncorrect. That's moderate.
    • DIncorrect. It's severe.

  8. Question 8

    Which premolar usually has two roots?

    • ANone; premolars always have one root
    • BThe mandibular second premolar, usually single-rooted
    • CThe mandibular first premolar, usually single-rooted
    • DThe maxillary first premolar
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: D) The maxillary first premolar

    • AIncorrect. The maxillary first has two.
    • BIncorrect. It has one root.
    • CIncorrect. It has one root.
    • DCorrect. It has a buccal and a lingual root.

  9. Question 9

    Which tooth usually has a cusp of Carabelli?

    • AThe mandibular first premolar, which has a small lingual cusp
    • BThe maxillary first molar
    • CThe maxillary central incisor
    • DThe mandibular canine
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: B) The maxillary first molar

    • AIncorrect. It's on the maxillary first molar.
    • BCorrect. It's on the mesiolingual cusp.
    • CIncorrect. Incisors don't have it.
    • DIncorrect. Canines don't have it.

  10. Question 10

    Chest pain from angina in a patient with a prescription is commonly relieved with:

    • ANitroglycerin
    • BEpinephrine
    • CAn albuterol inhaler
    • DGlucose tablets
    Show answer and explanation

    Answer: A) Nitroglycerin

    • ACorrect. If symptoms persist, call EMS.
    • BIncorrect. That's for anaphylaxis.
    • CIncorrect. That's for asthma.
    • DIncorrect. That's for hypoglycemia.

GC: Evaluation: FAQs

How much of the CDA exam is GC: Evaluation?

GC: Evaluation is 7% of the CDA exam by the official exam guide's weighting, which on a 245-question form works out to roughly 17 questions. The real exam's exact split varies by form.

What does the GC: Evaluation domain cover?

Gathering and recording what the dentist needs before treatment: health histories, vital signs, charting and recognising what is normal and abnormal in the mouth.

How should I study GC: Evaluation for CDA?

Practise charting a full mouth from a written description using the Universal numbering system; many questions assume you can place a finding on the right tooth and surface.

Where can I practise more GC: Evaluation questions?

This page has 10 free GC: Evaluation questions with answers. The ExamWize CDA question bank has 43 questions in this domain. Every practice exam result breaks your score down by domain, and Review Mode re-drills the questions you missed.

Other CDA topics

Also: 15 free questions across all topics, the CDA cheat sheet and the study guide.

Get GC: Evaluation exam-ready

The full CDA bank has 43 GC: Evaluation questions. Timed practice exams match the real exam's length and domain weights, every result shows your score per domain, and Review Mode re-drills the questions you missed.

See the full CDA practice examsTake the free diagnostic

Not affiliated with DANB; questions are original, written from the official exam outline, and never copied from the real exam.