Dental Admission Test

Dental Admission Test
AcronymDAT
TypeComputer-based standardized test
AdministratorAmerican Dental Association
Skills testedBiology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning
PurposeAdmissions to dental colleges (mostly in the United States and Canada).
Year started1950 (1950)
Score range1 to 30 (in 1-point increments) for each of the 8 sections (Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning, Total Science, and Academic Average ).[1]
Score validityUsually 2 to 3 years (depends on dental college being applied to).[1]
OfferedYear-round.[2]
Restrictions on attemptsCan be taken maximum 3 times. Additional retesting requires authorization by the ADA.[1]
RegionsUnited States, Canada, Guam, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.[1]
LanguagesEnglish
PrerequisitesCandidate must be preparing to apply to a dental school.[1] Fluency in English assumed.
FeeUS$ 525 [1]
("Fee Assistance Program" available to U.S. citizens, permanent residents or refugees, demonstrating financial need.[1])
Used byDental colleges (mostly in the United States and Canada).
Websitewww.ada.org/en/education-careers/dental-admission-test/

The Dental Admission Test (abbreviated DAT) is a multiple-choice standardized exam taken by potential dental school students in the United States and Canada (although there is a separate Canadian version with differing sections, both American and Canadian versions are usually interchangeably accepted in both countries' dental schools. This article will specifically describe the American DAT). The DAT is a computer based test that can be administered almost any day of the year. Tests are taken at Prometric testing centers throughout the United States after the preliminary application through the American Dental Association is completed. Each applicant may only take the test a total of three times before having to ask special permission to take the exam again. After taking the exam, applicants must wait 90 days before repeating it. Each exam costs $525, all of which is non-refundable.

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-10-21. Retrieved 2018-10-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Dental Admission Test DAT".