DAT

Overview

The Dental Admission Test (DAT) is the computer-based admission exam used by dental schools in the United States. It is run by the American Dental Association (ADA). Each dental programme decides for itself what counts as an acceptable score, so there is no official pass mark.

Who can apply

Anyone can apply; the programme does not discriminate on age or background. Successful candidates have usually finished at least one year of college, including biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry, and most have two or more years behind them. Advanced biology and physics are not required. Candidates aiming for Canadian dental schools should check that the school accepts the DAT before applying to take it.

Exam pattern

The DAT is all multiple choice and has four sections. Total administration time is 5 hours 15 minutes, which includes an optional 15-minute tutorial, an optional 30-minute break and an optional 15-minute survey.

Partial testing is not allowed. A candidate must sit every section; any section not taken receives the lowest possible score.

Syllabus

• Survey of the Natural Sciences: Biology (40 items), General Chemistry (30) and Organic Chemistry (30). General Chemistry covers areas such as stoichiometry, gases, solutions, acids and bases, equilibria, thermodynamics, kinetics, redox and atomic structure.

• Perceptual Ability: six subtests that test how well you judge shapes and rotate objects mentally, including apertures, view recognition, angle discrimination, paper folding and cube counting.

• Reading Comprehension: three passages on scientific topics. No prior knowledge of the topics is needed.

• Quantitative Reasoning: mathematical problems (algebra, data analysis and sufficiency, quantitative comparison, probability and statistics) and applied word problems. An on-screen calculator is provided.

Marking and results

Scores are scaled, not raw marks or percentiles, and run from 200 to 600 in steps of 10. This replaced the old 1 to 30 scale from 1 March 2025. There is no penalty for guessing, and some questions are unscored trial questions. Results go to the schools you choose and to your DENTPIN account about three to four weeks after the test. The ADA publishes percentile norms in its DAT User Manual so you can judge a score.

Fees

For 2026 (US dollars): the exam fee is $580, which covers score reports to your chosen dental programmes. Extra score reports cost$55 each, a score audit $105 and a 45-day eligibility extension$150. Rescheduling costs $50 to$150, depending on how close to the test date you ask. Partial fee waivers are available for candidates in severe financial hardship.

How to apply

1. Register for a DENTPIN, a personal identifier used across US dental admissions, at ADA.org/DENTPIN.

2. Submit a DAT application and pay the fee. A new application and fee are needed for every attempt.

3. Once the application is processed you have six months to test, unless retest rules shorten that.

4. Book and sit the test at a test centre. The name on your application must match your ID exactly, or you will not be allowed in.

After the exam

Retake rules: wait 60 days between attempts, with at most four attempts in any 12 months. From a third attempt onwards you must request permission and show a recent dental school application. These rules cannot be appealed.

Preparation tips

• Work through the topic outlines in the candidate guide for each science.

• Practise the Perceptual Ability subtests in the ADA instructions before test day, since the question types are unusual.

• Plan the test date well before the dental school application cycle so a retake is possible.