If you need help studying for the Dietetic Technician, Registered (DTR) exam or just want some more information about what the exam is like, you’ve come to the right place.
Click below to take a free DTR practice test!
DTR Eligibility
Before you can register to take the DTR exam, you’ll need to meet ONE of the following eligibility requirements:
- You need to have an associate degree and complete an ACEND-accredited dietetic technician program.
- You need to have an bachelor’s degree and complete an ACEND-accredited didactic technician program.
If you meet one of these requirements, you’re set to begin the registration process!
What’s on the DTR Exam?
First, let’s talk about the questions on the exam. There are between 110 and 130 multiple-choice questions total, but 30 of the questions will NOT count toward your score. Why is that?
The 30 unscored questions on the exam are called “pretest” questions. These are added to the exam to determine if they’re good enough questions to add to future versions of the test.
The trick is that you won’t have any way of knowing which questions are scored and which ones are pretest. They will appear just like the scored questions throughout the test.
Let’s take a closer look at the different sections of the exam.
1. Nutrition Science and Care for Individuals and Groups
41% of the exam
- Principles of basic and normal nutrition
- Screening and assessment
- Planning and intervention
- Monitoring and evaluation
2. Food Science and Food Service
21% of the exam
- Menu development
- Procurement and supply management
- Food production, distribution, and service
- Sanitation, safety, facility and equipment
3. Management of Food and Nutrition Services
38% of the exam
- Human resources
- Finance and materials
- Marketing products and services
- Management principles and functions
- Quality management, regulatory compliance, and research
Computer-Adaptive Testing (CAT)
The DTR exam is a computer-adaptive test. Basically, this means that the questions will become harder or easier as you go through the exam, based on how well you’re answering the questions.
For example, say you answered the first question correctly. The first question is of medium difficulty, so the next question will be slightly harder. Then, let’s say you answered the second question incorrectly. The next question would then be a medium question.
How to Register
To get started, you’ll need to create an account via Pearson VUE’s website. From there, you’ll be able to register, pay, and schedule your exam.
The testing fee is $140.
DTR Exam Scores
Each question is rated on a scale of 1-50. The higher a question is rated, the harder the question is (a question rated as 30 will be harder than a question rated as 13).
This means that even if you answered some questions that were rated as 25 or higher at some point during the test, you weren’t able to keep up with the harder questions.
DTR Study Guide and Flashcards
Get practice questions, detailed study lessons, and complex subjects broken down into easily understandable concepts.
Retaking the Exam
If you didn’t get a passing score on your first try, that’s okay! You can register to retake the test whenever you feel ready to try again.
FAQs
How many questions are on the DTR exam?
The exam contains between 110 and 130 questions.
What is the time limit for the DTR exam?
The exam is timed at 3 hours.
What is the passing score for the DTR exam?
To pass the exam, your final question must have a difficulty rating of at least 25.
How much does the DTR exam cost?
The testing fee is $140.