Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)
The Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) is available to over 750 advanced dental education programs. It is used to assess applicants’ potential for success. The test takes 4.5 hours to complete and is offered at Pearson VUE test centers throughout the U.S., its territories (including Guam, Puerto Rice and the Virgin Islands) and select locations in Canada. Download the ADAT Candidate Guide to learn more about the test.
Ready to begin? Make sure to review the available resources before you submit your application. Remember to apply between March 1 and August 31. Typically, we recommend taking the ADAT the year before your program begins, but confirm deadlines with your desired program(s).
Review the provided guides, practice tests, and reference texts to help you prepare for the ADAT. When you’re ready, apply for the exam and schedule your testing appointment.
ADAT Resources
See your ADAT score report, learn how to interpret the results, or request an audit.
Recent and Forthcoming Updates
FAQ - Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)
Take the ADAT if you are:
- A third- or fourth-year dental student interested in post-graduate training (e.g., in a dental specialty area)
- A practicing dentist interested in post-graduate training (e.g., in a dental specialty area)
- An international dental student applying to advanced dental education programs or advanced standing in pre-doctoral programs
The ADAT consists of multiple-choice test questions presented in English, and includes a battery of three tests:
- Biomedical Sciences (80 items)
- Clinical Sciences (80 stand-alone and case-based items)
- Data, Research Interpretation, and Evidence-Based Dentistry (40 items)
Start by reading the official ADAT Candidate Guide (PDF), which explains:
- How the exam is constructed and scored
- How to prepare for the exam
- Eligibility requirements
- Fees and waivers
- How to schedule, reschedule, or cancel testing
- The ADAT Rules of Conduct
Once you have read the ADAT Candidate Guide (PDF), apply for the examination with your existing DENTPIN (the same DENTPIN you used when you took the DAT and INBDE). If you have forgotten your DENTPIN and or password, get help here.
After your application has been processed, you will receive an eligibility letter that permits you to schedule your testing appointment.
The ADAT is offered at Pearson VUE Test Centers throughout the U.S. and Canada (except the providence of Quebec). It is available within designated testing windows. Please refer to the guide for more details. Once you have received your eligibility letter confirming that your test application has been accepted, you must contact Pearson VUE to secure an appointment. We recommend doing this at least 60 to 90 days before your desired test date, since schedules fill up.
Important Notice of service disruption: The Pearson VUE website will be unavailable while undergoing system maintenance from Friday, October 11 at 1:00 p.m. US Central Time through Sunday, October 13 at 9:00 a.m. US Central Time. During this time, you will not be able to schedule, reschedule, or cancel test appointments. We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
Visit the Pearson VUE website to find a testing site near you and schedule your test.
There are a limited number of partial fee waivers available to ADAT candidates each calendar year. Partial fee waivers are granted on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible candidates who have submitted the required documents. The partial fee waiver covers 50% of the ADAT fee. It cannot be applied to any charges associated with rescheduling/canceling a test date or score reporting after the time of initial application.
An examinee is eligible to request a partial fee waiver if each of the following criteria are met:
- First-time examinee
- Has not previously received a partial fee waiver
- U.S. citizen or resident alien
- Has demonstrated financial hardship
- Received financial aid from their school
You can request a fee waiver by signing in to your DENTPIN.
Once you have signed in, select ‘Submit Request’ and then ‘Waiver Request.’
You will be prompted to select the test for which you are requesting a waiver. Select ‘ADAT.’
The ADAT Program will review all partial fee waiver requests and make the final approval/denial decision. After the partial fee waiver request is reviewed, you will receive an email notification of the decision and instructions for submitting an ADAT application online. Please allow up to 10 business days for review of all partial fee waiver requests.
All programs have electronic access to ADAT scores.
- History of the ADAT.
- Evidence supporting the ADAT.
- Score scales and frequency distributions.
- 2023 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
- 2022 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
- 2021 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
- 2020 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
- 2019 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
- 2018 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
Yes. Fairness in testing is of vital importance, and is in fact fundamental to an examination’s validity. Fairness considerations are embedded throughout the ADAT program, affecting every aspect of how this examination is constructed, administered, scored, and reported. The Fairness document provided below shares additional details of interest:
- The Biometric Data Privacy Policy
- Personal information used and disclosed in connection with the ADAT
- Uses and Disclosures of Personal Information in Connection with the ADAT
- Privacy and Security
Additional ADAT information
Fall 2024 Webinar: Updates on the Advanced Dental Admission Test
The webinar will be hosted via Zoom. Join us on October 30, 2024, from 12 PM to 1 PM CST.
Dr. Matthew Grady and Nicholas Hussong will present information on score reporting, content specifications, and updates to the Advanced Dental Admission Test. This informative webinar is intended to provide relevant information for examination users, academic programs, and faculty.
Registration is required
Spring 2022 Webinar: Watch a video about the ADAT program. Content includes scoring and score reporting, examination content, resources and much more.
ADAT Examinee Information Report (PDF): This report is for informational purposes and reflects the most recent data about ADAT examinees. Data includes:
- Self-reported gender
- Ethnicity
- Whether examinees spoke English at home
- Dental school attended, dental school year of graduation, dental school year (if current student)
- Highest degree achieved, dental school grade point average (GPA)
- The number of times examinees took the Dental Admission Test (DAT)
- Reported specialty area of interest
Lend your talents to future applicants. The Department of Testing Services needs volunteer subject matter experts to assist with test construction. Volunteers may also earn CE credit.