DAT (Dental Admission Test)
ADA (American Dental Association)
Complete guide to passing the DAT (Dental Admission Test) exam on your first attempt.
$560
N/A (score-based, target 20+ AA)
2 years
USA
ADA (American Dental Association)
Dental school admission
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Complete Overview
The Dental Admission Test is the admission exam run by the American Dental Association's Department of Testing Services, and every US dental school requires applicants to take it. The 2026 examination fee is $580, which covers administration and score reporting to the schools you select on your application, and fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Selected Canadian dental schools also accept the DAT, though it is no longer offered in Quebec.
The DAT is four sections of multiple choice questions in Standard American English: Survey of the Natural Sciences with 100 items, the Perceptual Ability Test with 90 items, Reading Comprehension with 50 items and Quantitative Reasoning with 40 items. That is 280 items. Total administration time is five hours and 15 minutes, made up of an optional 15-minute tutorial, 90 minutes for the sciences, 60 minutes for perceptual ability, an optional 30-minute scheduled break, 60 minutes for reading, 45 minutes for quantitative reasoning and an optional 15-minute post-test survey. ADA requires you to report to the test centre at least 30 minutes before your appointment.
Scoring changed on 1 March 2025. The old two-digit scale of 1 to 30 was replaced by a three-digit scale running from 200 to 600 in 10-point increments. There is no passing score. Each dental education program decides what it will accept. ADA's own concordance table puts an old Academic Average of 20 at approximately 420 on the new scale and an old 22 at approximately 460, so a program that used to want a 20 would now look for roughly 420.
The Academic Average is the rounded average of your scale scores in Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Quantitative Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. It deliberately excludes the Perceptual Ability Test, which is reported separately. Since March 2025 the Total Science score is the rounded average of Biology, General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry rather than a separate calculation on the Survey of the Natural Sciences.
The retest rules are strict and not subject to appeal. You must wait 60 days between attempts, with a maximum of four administrations in any 12-month period. From your third attempt onward you must apply for permission to test again and supply proof that you applied to dental school within the previous 18 months. After a fifth attempt you may retest only once per 12-month period.
There is no formal eligibility requirement, but ADA notes that successful candidates typically complete at least one year of college including biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry, and that most complete two or more years before testing. Advanced biology and physics are not required. Once your application is processed you are eligible to test for a six-month period, and a 45-day extension is available once per application for $150.
One change is coming. Updates to the Organic Chemistry test specifications are anticipated in April 2026, and ADA advises candidates testing in May 2026 or later to review the new specifications. ADA describes them as topic name and subtopic clarifications rather than major content changes.
Why Get DAT (Dental Admission Test) Certified?
Every US dental school requires the DAT, and selected Canadian schools accept it, so there is no alternative admission test to substitute.
The $580 examination fee includes score reporting to every school you select on your application, regardless of how many you choose. Reports requested afterwards cost $55 each.
The 200 to 600 scale introduced on 1 March 2025 reports in 10-point increments, which gives programs finer discrimination than the old 1 to 30 scale allowed.
The Perceptual Ability Test is 90 of the 280 items and is scored separately from the Academic Average, so a strong PAT can distinguish an application without being diluted by the science sections.
ADA offers a limited number of partial fee waivers each calendar year covering 50 percent of the exam fee for a first administration and 50 percent for a subsequent retest, plus one free full practice test.
Candidates are not penalised for guessing, so every one of the 280 items is worth answering even when the clock is running out.
The DAT is offered year round at Prometric centres across the US, its territories including Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, and selected Canadian locations, so you can place it around your coursework.
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
Five hours and 15 minutes total administration time, comprising an optional 15-minute tutorial, 90 minutes for Survey of the Natural Sciences, 60 minutes for the Perceptual Ability Test, an optional 30-minute scheduled break, 60 minutes for Reading Comprehension, 45 minutes for Quantitative Reasoning and an optional 15-minute post-test survey
Questions
280 items: Survey of the Natural Sciences 100, Perceptual Ability Test 90, Reading Comprehension 50, Quantitative Reasoning 40. A small number of items are experimental and unscored, and they look identical to scored items.
Passing Score
There is no official passing score. ADA states that each educational program decides what constitutes an acceptable score. Scores run from 200 to 600 in 10-point increments on the scale introduced on 1 March 2025.
Question Types
- Multiple choice items presented in Standard American English
- Perceptual Ability items across six subtests including apertures, view recognition, angle discrimination, paper folding, cube counting, and spatial relations or 3D form development
- Reading Comprehension items based on three scientific passages, where prior knowledge of the topic is not required
- Quantitative Reasoning items including quantitative comparison, data sufficiency and applied word problems
Delivery Method
Computer based at Prometric test centres, offered year round in the US and its territories and at selected Canadian locations, with ProGuardian workstation-level monitoring plus video and audio recording
Exam Domains & Topics
40 of the 280 items on the exam. Biology sits inside the 100-item Survey of the Natural Sciences, which runs for 90 minutes across all three sciences. ADA's specifications organise the content into five areas that span cell and molecular biology through to evolution and ecology, with integrated relationships listed under every area.
Key Topics to Master:
- Cell metabolism including photosynthesis and enzymology, plus thermodynamics
- Cellular processes including membrane transport and signal transduction
- Mitosis and meiosis, cell structure and function, and experimental cell biology
- Diversity of life across viruses, Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Fungi, Protista, Plantae and Animalia
- Structure and function of the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, circulatory, lymphatic and immune, digestive, respiratory, urinary, nervous and sensory, endocrine and reproductive systems
- Molecular, human, classical and chromosomal genetics plus genomics, gene expression and epigenetics
- Natural selection, population genetics and speciation, animal behaviour
- Population, community and ecosystem ecology
30 of the 280 items. ADA makes an image of the periodic table available on screen during the General Chemistry portion, so the exam tests application rather than recall of periodic data. The specification list is broad and calculation-heavy, running from stoichiometry through nuclear reactions and laboratory technique.
Key Topics to Master:
- Stoichiometry: percent composition, empirical formulae, balancing equations, molar mass and density
- Gases: kinetic molecular theory, Dalton's, Boyle's and Charles's laws and the ideal gas law
- Liquids, solids and solutions including intermolecular forces, phase changes and concentration calculations
- Acids and bases: pH, strength, Bronsted-Lowry reactions and calculations
- Chemical equilibria including Le Chatelier's principle and precipitation
- Thermodynamics and thermochemistry including Hess's law, spontaneity and heat transfer
- Chemical kinetics: rate laws, activation energy and half-life
- Oxidation-reduction, electrochemical calculations, atomic and molecular structure, and periodic trends
30 of the 280 items. ADA anticipates updated Organic Chemistry test specifications in April 2026 and advises candidates testing from May 2026 to review them. The update reorganises topic names and adds a fuller subtopic list rather than changing the content, but you should study against whichever specification is in force on your test date.
Key Topics to Master:
- Mechanisms and curved arrow notation, including single mechanisms and combined mechanisms
- Reaction coordinate diagrams and predicting products from curved arrows
- Chemical synthesis in one-step, two-step and multi-step form
- Substitution and elimination, reactions of alkenes and alkynes, alcohols, ethers and epoxides
- Radical reactions, reactions of aromatics, carboxylic acid derivatives, ketones and aldehydes
- Acid-base chemistry including ranking acidity and basicity across functional groups
- Spectroscopy: 1H NMR, 13C NMR, infrared and multi-spectra problems
- Laboratory theory and technique including chromatography, extraction, recrystallisation and distillation
- Structural evaluation: nomenclature, stereochemistry, aromaticity, hybridisation and resonance
90 of the 280 items, the largest single section, and 60 minutes to answer them. The PAT assesses your ability to perceive object dimensions accurately and manipulate objects mentally in space. It is scored separately and is deliberately excluded from the Academic Average, so programs read it as its own signal. ADA strongly encourages reviewing the published PAT question instructions before test day.
Key Topics to Master:
- Apertures: deciding whether a three-dimensional object can pass through an opening
- View recognition: visualising an object seen from a different angle
- Angle discrimination: ranking a series of angles from smallest to largest
- Paper folding: mentally unfolding a folded and hole-punched sheet
- Cube counting: determining how much of each cube in a stack is exposed
- Spatial relations and 3D form development: identifying the solid a flat pattern produces when folded
- Reading the section instructions in advance so no time is lost decoding the format on the day
50 of the 280 items in 60 minutes, built on three reading passages covering various scientific topics. ADA states that prior understanding of the science topics is not a prerequisite to answering the items. The section rewards a search strategy: locating the sentence that answers the question rather than reading and retaining the whole passage.
Key Topics to Master:
- Locating specific detail within a dense scientific passage under time pressure
- Distinguishing what the passage states from what it implies
- Handling tone, purpose and author attitude questions
- Working with unfamiliar technical vocabulary defined inside the passage
- Mapping paragraph structure quickly to speed later lookups
- Managing three passages across 60 minutes so the third gets a fair share
- Evaluating inference options against the text rather than against outside knowledge
40 of the 280 items in 45 minutes, the shortest section on the exam. A digital calculator is provided on screen for this section only, and its layout is pictured in the DAT Candidate Guide so you can practise with an equivalent tool. The specification covers algebra, data handling and applied word problems.
Key Topics to Master:
- Algebra: equations and expressions, inequalities, exponential notation and absolute value
- Ratios and proportions plus graphical analysis
- Data analysis, interpretation and sufficiency
- Quantitative comparison items
- Probability and statistics
- Applied mathematics word problems
- Working with both US customary and metric units, both of which appear on the exam
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Obtain a DENTPIN at ADA.org/DENTPIN, then read the DAT Candidate Guide in full before applying
- 2Sit the ADA full practice test for $100, which covers six modules in 3 hours 5 minutes with no break
- 3Download and read the Perceptual Ability Test section instructions from the DAT program website
- 4Decide your test date and submit your application 60 to 90 days ahead, then book with Prometric once your eligibility letter arrives
- 5Check that the name on your application exactly matches the name on the IDs you will bring
- 1Cover cell metabolism, membrane transport, signal transduction, mitosis and meiosis
- 2Work molecular, human, classical and chromosomal genetics plus gene expression and epigenetics
- 3Build a one-page sheet per topic rather than rereading a textbook chapter
- 4Complete 80 biology practice questions and log every miss by subtopic
- 1Work all eleven organ systems named in the ADA biology specification, from integumentary to reproductive
- 2Cover diversity of life across viruses, Archaebacteria, Eubacteria, Fungi, Protista, Plantae and Animalia
- 3Study natural selection, population genetics, speciation, animal behaviour and the three levels of ecology
- 4Complete 80 more biology questions and revisit week two misses
- 1Drill stoichiometry, gas laws, solutions and concentration calculations
- 2Work acid base problems including pH and Bronsted-Lowry reactions
- 3Cover equilibria, thermochemistry, kinetics and electrochemical calculations
- 4Practise using an on-screen periodic table rather than a printed one, since that is what the exam provides
- 5Complete 90 general chemistry questions under timed conditions
- 1Check whether your test date falls after the April 2026 organic chemistry specification update and study against the correct specification
- 2Work curved arrow mechanisms, single and combined, plus reaction coordinate diagrams
- 3Drill one-step, two-step and multi-step synthesis across the major functional groups
- 4Practise ranking acidity and basicity using charge, size, electronegativity, resonance, inductive effect, hybridisation and sterics
- 5Complete 90 organic chemistry questions
- 1Work 1H NMR, 13C NMR, infrared and multi-spectra identification problems
- 2Cover laboratory theory and technique: chromatography, extraction, recrystallisation and distillation
- 3Drill nomenclature, stereochemistry, chirality, conformations and isomer relationships
- 4Sit a timed 100-item Survey of the Natural Sciences simulation in 90 minutes
- 1Buy the ADA Perceptual Ability 101, 102 and 103 practice modules at $20 each, which contain 30 items apiece and are not all included in the full practice test
- 2Drill apertures until you can eliminate on a single dimension mismatch
- 3Work view recognition sets, building the habit of counting lines and dots rather than visualising the whole solid
- 4Drill angle ranking daily in short sets, since accuracy on this subtest improves with repetition more than with theory
- 1Work paper folding by tracking fold lines rather than trying to picture the final sheet at once
- 2Drill cube counting with a systematic tally of exposed faces per cube
- 3Practise 3D form development by checking one distinguishing feature at a time against each option
- 4Complete a full timed 90-item PAT in 60 minutes and record your per-subtest accuracy
- 1Test a search-and-locate approach against a full-read approach on separate passages and keep whichever scores higher for you
- 2Practise mapping each paragraph to a two-word label so later lookups are fast
- 3Drill three passages inside 60 minutes, allocating time so the third passage is not rushed
- 4Work the ADA Reading Comprehension 101 module, which contains 25 items
- 1Drill algebra, inequalities, exponential notation, absolute value, ratios and proportions
- 2Work data analysis, interpretation and sufficiency plus quantitative comparison items
- 3Cover probability and statistics and applied word problems
- 4Practise with an on-screen calculator matching the one pictured in the DAT Candidate Guide, since no physical calculating device is permitted
- 5Complete the 40-item Quantitative Reasoning 101 module in 45 minutes
- 1Sit a full 280-item simulation in the exact published order: sciences 90 minutes, PAT 60 minutes, 30-minute break, reading 60 minutes, quantitative 45 minutes
- 2Take the 30-minute break exactly as scheduled to rehearse the real rhythm, since the session resumes automatically after 30 minutes
- 3Review every incorrect answer against the ADA specification bullet it maps to
- 4Record the number correct per module rather than a score, since ADA practice tests report correct answers only, and track the movement between simulations
- 1Spend the week on the two lowest scoring sections from your simulation rather than spreading effort evenly
- 2Redo previously missed organic chemistry and PAT items, the two areas where accuracy moves fastest with repetition
- 3Confirm you have two original current IDs: a government-issued primary with photo, name and signature, and a secondary with name and signature
- 4Plan to arrive at the Prometric centre 30 minutes before your appointment, since arriving more than 30 minutes late forfeits the whole fee
- 5Leave your watch at home. Watches of any kind are prohibited and a timer is displayed on screen.
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Best Study Resources
DAT Candidate Guide
Official policy and content documentThe 2026 guide contains the full test specifications by section, the fee table, the administration schedule, the identification policy, the retesting policy and the prohibited items list. You must confirm you have read it when you apply.
Free
ADA DAT full practice test
Official practice testSix modules written by actual DAT test constructors, with an allotted time of 3 hours 5 minutes and no break. It reports the number of correct answers per module rather than a scale score.
$100 for six modules
ADA DAT individual practice modules
Official practice modulesBiology 101 with 40 items, Organic Chemistry 101 and General Chemistry 101 with 30 each, Reading Comprehension 101 with 25, Quantitative Reasoning 101 with 40, and three Perceptual Ability modules with 30 items each. Two of the PAT modules are not in the full practice test. You get 24 hours of access per module once purchased.
$20 each
Perceptual Ability Test section instructions
Official reference documentADA strongly encourages reviewing the PAT question instructions before your administration. Reading them in advance means you do not spend exam minutes decoding what each of the six subtests is asking for.
Free
New Organic Chemistry Examination Specifications
Official specification documentThe updated organic chemistry specification anticipated in April 2026, with reorganised topic names and a fuller subtopic list. ADA advises candidates testing in May 2026 or beyond to review it and check back for implementation updates.
Free
DAT User Manual
Official norms reportADA's publicly available manual containing examination norms and percentile standings. This is the document ADA points to when candidates ask whether a score is good, since there is no passing score.
Free
Understanding the New DAT Score Reporting Scale
Official scoring guidanceExplains the move from the 1 to 30 scale to the 200 to 600 scale on 1 March 2025 and includes the concordance table built from more than 30,000 DAT attempts. Use it when comparing an older score with a newer one.
Free
DAT Reference Texts list
Official reference listADA publishes the list of textbooks its item developers used when writing DAT questions. ADA does not endorse any commercial preparation course and states it has no data on their content or efficacy, which makes this list the closest thing to an official source list.
Free
Prometric Test Drive
Test centre familiarisationCovers the scheduling and registration process, the full check-in procedure, an introduction to the centre and staff, and a 15-minute generic sample test. Useful if the check-in and locker procedure is what worries you rather than the content.
Priced by Prometric
DAT tutorial
Free online sample testAn online sample of the test interface that ADA makes available at any time. Separate from the optional 15-minute tutorial at the start of the real administration, which is designed to familiarise you with navigating the exam software.
Free
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating the Perceptual Ability Test as a section you cannot study for and leaving it to the last fortnight.
The PAT is 90 of the 280 items, the single largest section. All six subtests improve measurably with repetition. Start PAT drilling early and keep it running daily in short sets alongside your science work.
Assuming the Academic Average includes the PAT and skewing preparation accordingly.
The Academic Average is the rounded average of Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Quantitative Reasoning and Reading Comprehension only. The PAT is reported separately, so it neither rescues nor drags down your AA.
Comparing a pre-March 2025 score with a current one as if they used the same scale.
The old 1 to 30 scale was replaced by a 200 to 600 scale on 1 March 2025. ADA's concordance table puts an old Academic Average of 20 at approximately 420 and an old 22 at approximately 460. Convert before you compare.
Bringing a watch to keep track of section timing.
Watches of any type, digital, analogue or smart, are on ADA's prohibited items list, as are all other timing devices. A timer is displayed on the computer screen throughout the exam.
Bringing only one form of identification, or a digital copy.
You need two original current IDs. The primary must be government issued with your photograph, name and signature. The secondary must carry your name and signature, such as a debit, credit or library card. Expired IDs are refused even with supporting documentation, and digital or paper copies are not accepted.
Registering under a shortened or informal version of your name.
If the name on your application does not exactly match the name on your IDs you will not be permitted to test, and you forfeit both the appointment and the application fee. Corrections to the application must be completed at least two weeks before your appointment.
Taking an extra break between the Reading Comprehension and Quantitative Reasoning sections.
The 30-minute break after the Perceptual Ability Test is the only scheduled break. Anything else is an unscheduled break, during which you may not access your locker or personal belongings, eat, drink, use a phone or leave the centre. Test administrators cannot authorise otherwise and will report the activity.
Skipping questions to save time and planning to return, then leaving them blank.
ADA states candidates are not penalised for guessing. A blank answer scores nothing while a guess has a real chance, so put an answer on every item before the section clock runs out.
Walking out mid-exam intending to retake it with a clean slate.
Partial testing is not permitted. ADA reports the lowest possible scale score for any assigned test not taken, and DAT scores cannot be voided at a candidate's request once any part of the exam has been completed. You would then need a new application and a new $580 fee.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Report to the Prometric centre at least 30 minutes before your scheduled appointment. Arriving more than 30 minutes after the start time means you are refused admission and forfeit the full testing fee.
- 2
Bring two original current IDs: a government-issued primary with photo, name and signature, plus a secondary carrying your name and signature. All IDs other than passports must be written in English.
- 3
Store everything in the assigned locker. No personal items enter the secure testing area, and belongings may be inspected.
- 4
Leave watches, phones, food, gum, drinks, coats, jewellery other than wedding and engagement rings, highlighters, pens, erasers and any calculating device at home or in the locker.
- 5
The centre provides two note boards without graph lines and two low-odour fine tip markers. You may not write on them before the test begins or during scheduled breaks, and you must return everything before you leave.
- 6
A periodic table appears on screen during General Chemistry and a digital calculator is provided for Quantitative Reasoning. Practise with equivalents so neither tool is unfamiliar on the day.
- 7
Take the scheduled 30-minute break after the Perceptual Ability Test. It is the only one, and the session resumes automatically once the 30 minutes have elapsed whether you are back at the desk or not.
- 8
If the screen lags while an item loads, the test timer pauses. Loading time does not count against your total, so do not panic and rush the next item to compensate.
- 9
If something goes wrong, stop and have the test centre administrator document and resolve it before you resume. Continuing to test through a significant unresolved problem waives your right to appeal, and unresolved concerns must be submitted in writing to [email protected] within five business days.
- 10
Expect to be observed at all times, including ProGuardian workstation-level monitoring plus video and audio recording of your session.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
US dental school applicant
All US dental schools require the DAT. Each school sets its own criteria for how heavily to weight the result alongside grades, experience and interviews, and there is no ADA passing score to satisfy.
Dental school admission
Canadian dental school applicant
Selected Canadian dental schools accept the ADA DAT. It is no longer offered in Quebec, and ADA advises candidates targeting Canadian programs to confirm acceptability with those schools before applying to test.
Dental school admission
Reapplicant retesting for a stronger score
From a third attempt onward you must apply for permission and supply proof you applied to dental school within the previous 18 months, such as a submitted ADEA AADSAS application, a rejection letter, or a letter from an admissions officer or health professions advisor.
Dental school admission
Postbaccalaureate or career-changing candidate
There is no formal eligibility requirement. ADA notes successful candidates typically have at least one year of college covering biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry, and that advanced biology and physics are not required.
Dental school admission
Candidate progressing to postgraduate dental admission
The DENTPIN you create for the DAT is the same identifier used by the Advanced Dental Admission Test, the Admission Test for Dental Hygiene, ADEA PASS, ADEA AADSAS, TMDSAS, ADEA CAAPID and ADEA DHCAS, so it follows you through the whole dental education pipeline.
Dental school admission
Prerequisites & Requirements
- There is no formal educational eligibility requirement to sit the DAT.
- ADA states that successful participants typically complete at least one year of college education including courses in biology, general chemistry and organic chemistry. Advanced level biology and physics are not required, and most candidates complete two or more years of college first.
- You must obtain a DENTPIN before applying, and use the same DENTPIN if you have previously applied for any dental testing programme.
- A new application and fee is required for every testing attempt.
- You must agree to the rules and regulations in the DAT Candidate Guide as part of the application, and agreement to arbitrate is a prerequisite to taking the DAT.
- You must use your legal name exactly as it appears on the government-issued ID you will bring, including either your full middle name or a middle initial.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the DAT cost?
The 2026 examination fee is $580, which covers administration and score reporting to every school or program you select at the time of application, however many that is. Fees are non-refundable and non-transferable. Additional score reports requested later cost $55 each, a score audit costs $105, and a 45-day eligibility extension costs $150 and is available once per submitted application.
What is a passing score on the DAT?
There is no passing score. ADA states that each educational program makes its own determination as to what constitutes an acceptable score. Scores are reported on a scale of 200 to 600 in 10-point increments. ADA recommends consulting the examination norms in the DAT User Manual, which give your percentile standing, rather than looking for a cut-off.
How did the DAT scoring change in March 2025?
On 1 March 2025 the two-digit reporting scale of 1 to 30 was replaced by a three-digit scale of 200 to 600 in 10-point increments. All DAT scores reported to ADEA AADSAS from that date use the new scale, including results from earlier administrations, which are psychometrically converted. Your original two-digit scores remain viewable in the DTS Hub. ADA built a concordance table from more than 30,000 attempts to link the two scales.
How does the Academic Average work?
The Academic Average is the rounded average of your scale scores in Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Quantitative Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. It does not include the Perceptual Ability Test. On ADA's concordance table, an old Academic Average of 20 corresponds to approximately 420 on the new scale, an old 19 to approximately 410, and an old 22 to approximately 460.
How is the Total Science score calculated?
For administrations completed after 1 March 2025, the Total Science score is the rounded average of your scale scores in Biology, General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry. Before that date it was based on performance on the Survey of the Natural Sciences section as a whole rather than being an average of the three subscores.
How many times can I take the DAT?
You must wait 60 days between attempts, with a maximum of four administrations in any 12-month period. If you use all four, you cannot take a fifth until 12 months have passed from the date of the first of those four. Candidates with three or more attempts must apply for permission to test again and provide proof of a recent dental school application. After a fifth attempt you may retest only once per 12-month period. ADA states these policies are not subject to appeal.
What proof do I need to retest after three attempts?
Submit a written request to [email protected] with evidence that you attempted to apply to dental school within the previous 18 months. ADA accepts a copy of a completed and submitted ADEA AADSAS application, a rejection letter from a dental school, a letter on school letterhead from a dental school admissions officer encouraging you to retest, or a letter on letterhead from a college health professions advisor or instructor confirming you are applying.
How long do DAT results take?
Results are reported electronically within three to four weeks of the test date to the schools you selected, and are posted to your DENTPIN account. If you asked for results to go to any dental school, they also go to ADEA AADSAS, and if you selected any Texas school they also go to TMDSAS. If you have tested more than once, a history of all attempts is reported.
Can I get my score rechecked?
Yes. Results are audited for accuracy as a routine quality assurance step before distribution, and you can request a second audit through your account for $105. The request must be made within 30 days of the reporting date shown on your report of results, and the audit takes approximately four to six weeks to complete.
Can I cancel a bad score?
No. ADA states that DAT scores cannot be voided at the request of a candidate after completing any part of the examination, and that examination results cannot be cancelled or adjusted under any circumstances. Partial testing is also barred, and the lowest possible scale score is reported for any assigned section you do not take.
What identification do I need?
Two original and current forms of ID. The primary must be government issued and show your photograph, name and signature, such as a driving licence, passport or passport card. The secondary must show your name and signature and can be a debit card, credit card or library card. All IDs except passports must be written in English. Expired IDs are refused even if accompanied by proof that a replacement was requested, and only physical IDs are accepted.
What can I bring into the testing room?
Nothing personal. Everything goes into a designated locker. ADA's prohibited list covers books, notes, scratch paper, tissues, markers, personal earplugs not pre-approved, dental instruments and models, rulers and calculating devices, phones and other electronics, bags and wallets, highlighters, pens, pencils, dictionaries, food and drink, coats and non-religious head coverings, good luck charms, watches of any kind, magnifying devices and jewellery other than wedding and engagement rings.
Is a calculator allowed?
A digital calculator is provided on screen for the Quantitative Reasoning section, and an image of it appears in the DAT Candidate Guide. Physical calculating devices, slide rules, rulers and other measuring devices are prohibited unless approved in advance as a testing accommodation. A periodic table is displayed on screen during General Chemistry.
How does the break work?
There is one optional 30-minute scheduled break, placed after the Survey of the Natural Sciences and the Perceptual Ability Test. If you take it, the testing session resumes automatically once 30 minutes have elapsed. Any other break is unscheduled, and during an unscheduled break you may not access your locker or belongings, refer to notes, use a phone, eat or drink, or leave the test centre.
Are testing accommodations available?
Yes. ADA provides reasonable and appropriate testing accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act for candidates with documented disabilities or medical conditions who demonstrate a need, request the accommodation before testing, and are approved. Accommodations must be requested with each application rather than once.
What if I have to reschedule?
Reschedule through Prometric, not the local test centre, and do it by the business day before your test and at least 24 hours in advance. Base rescheduling fees are $50 with 30 or more business days notice, $70 with 5 to 29 business days, and $150 with 1 to 4 business days. Saturdays and Sundays do not count as business days. Not appearing without cancelling forfeits all testing fees.
What if I am ill on the day of my test?
Submit a written request for relief to [email protected] within five business days of the scheduled appointment, with documentation. ADA gives examples including a doctor's note or hospital records confirming treatment on the examination day, or an obituary, prayer card, funeral programme or death certificate for a death in the family. Emergencies occurring before the day of the appointment go through Prometric's normal rescheduling process instead.
Is there financial help with the fee?
ADA makes a limited number of partial fee waivers available each calendar year to candidates experiencing severe financial hardship. The waiver covers 50 percent of the examination fee for a first DAT administration and 50 percent for a subsequent retest, and includes one free full DAT practice test. It does not cover rescheduling or score reporting charges. Waivers are granted on a first-come, first-served basis and candidates who already received one or already tested are not eligible. Requests take up to 10 business days to review.
How does the DAT compare with the Canadian DAT and the OAT?
The ADA DAT is accepted by all US dental schools and selected Canadian ones, but not in Quebec, and candidates targeting Canadian programs should confirm acceptability before applying to test. The Optometry Admission Test is administered by the same ADA Department of Testing Services but is a different exam for a different profession. The ADAT is the postgraduate exam, taken after dental school rather than before it, and uses the same DENTPIN.
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