As an international student, you may be wondering what is the Dental Admission Test (DAT)? Made up of multiple-choice questions, this entrance test is required for admission to dental schools in the United States.
***
The Dental Admission Test mainly measures a student’s aptitude in natural sciences, perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning as they relate to the study of dentistry.
How hard is the DAT? That depends on your scientific know-how, and as with all grad school tests, how your English language comprehension might affect your ability to take the test, especially if you are an international graduate student.
According to U.S. News & World Report, being a dentist is ranked among the best jobs in the US, so graduate admissions to dental schools are competitive. Here is everything you need to know if you’re planning to take the exam.
Test Structure
Knowing what to expect can help you prepare for the hard work that goes into studying for any standardized test.
How Many Sections and Questions Does the Dental Admission Test Have?
The test has four sections, which include:
A 90-minute survey of natural sciences, including 40 biology questions, 30 general chemistry questions, and 30 organic chemistry questions.
A 60-minute perceptual ability test (PAT) comprised of six subtests related to three-dimensional manipulation and spatial reasoning.
A 60-minute reading comprehension section that includes three reading passages on various scientific topics. (International students may need to allocate more study time to this section if they have concerns about English-language comprehension.)
A 45-minute quantitative reasoning section with questions covering algebra, data analysis, interpretation, sufficiency, quantitative comparison, probability, and statistics, as well as applied mathematics (word) problems.
A detailed test guide is available from the American Dental Association (ADA), which includes links to sample questions and practice tests.
How Long Is the Dental Admission Test and When Can I Expect to Receive My Scores?
The test takes a total of five hours and 15 minutes, including the optional scheduled break, tutorial, and survey. Within three to four weeks, official scores will be sent electronically to the schools you selected during the application process, as well as to your DENTPIN account.
How Is the Dental Admission Test Scored?
Test-takers receive six standard scores for each individual section of the test, with each score ranging from 200 to 600.
As of March 1, 2025, the Dental Admission Test (DAT) transitioned to a new three-digit reporting scale ranging from 200 to 600 in 10-point increments. This new scale aims to provide more precise estimates of candidates’ skills.
The first four scores are based on individual test section results: perceptual ability, reading comprehension, quantitative reasoning, and the survey of natural sciences. The survey of natural sciences includes 100 questions on biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry.
The last two scores represent your Academic Average, which is the average of your scores in quantitative reasoning, reading comprehension, biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry. Your total science score is based on the total number of correct questions in the entire science section.
PRO TIP: Each question answered correctly adds up to a raw score that will be converted into a scaled score. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so it is a good rule to never leave any questions blank (even if time is running out).
What Is a Good Dental Admission Test Score?
According to Bootcamp, an average score for dental school acceptance is anticipated to be around 420-430 on the new scoring scale, while a score of 470 or higher is considered highly competitive.
Logistics
When Is the Dental Admission Test Registration?
You must apply to the ADA to obtain a DENTPIN®, a eight-digit code required to take the test. It takes about one to three days for a DENTPIN application to process.
Once you have your valid DENTPIN, you can then register to take the test, which is offered year-round by Prometric test centers in the US, its territories, and Canada. Plan your testing day for when you will have had enough time to study, and in order to meet graduate school application deadlines.
How Much Does Taking the Dental Admission Test Cost?
Non-refundable exam fees are $560, each time you take it.
How Many Times Can I Take the Exam?
You can take the test three times before requiring special permission to retake it. There is a 60-day waiting period between each exam before you will be allowed to repeat it, with a maximum of four attempts per year. After the fifth attempt, you can only retake the exam once in a 12-month period. Scores cannot be voided at the request of the test-taker after starting the exam. If you come across any persisting issues with your testing experience on test day, you should notify the concern to testingproblems@ada.org and you will be provided the opportunity to retest, and should you accept, your initial scores will be void. Many graduate applicants take the test the year before they plan to apply to dental graduate programs. Scores are generally valid for up to three years, but policies may differ depending on the dental school you apply to.
How to Study for the Dental Admission Test
Knowing when to take the exam depends on how much time you can commit to studying.
University of Illinois Chicago students, like Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) student Michael Carrera, recommend starting early.
“Start preparing around the middle to end of your junior year in undergrad,” he says. “Check out the SDN (Student Dental Network) forums for the latest and most effective materials [and] methods.”
Using an exam guide, like the one available from the ADA or the DAT Destroyer, provides helpful practice questions. Wondering how far in advance to study? A typical course recommended by Kaplan takes a total of 200 to 250 hours, which breaks down to at least three hours per day, five days per week, for three months (13 weeks). Of course, you can study more hours per day to shorten the duration of preparation, if that works best with your learning style. It all comes down to the amount of time you can dedicate to studying for the exam and the programs’ application deadlines.
Good luck and keep smiling!
Speak with a Shorelight advisor today to start planning your next steps toward studying in the US >
