Dental Admission Test (DAT)

The Dental Admission Test (DAT) is accepted by all U.S. dental schools and select dental schools in Canada. It is designed to provide dental education programs with a means to assess applicants’ potential for success. The total administration time is five hours and 15 minutes. The DAT is offered year round by Prometric test centers in the U.S., its territories (including Guam, Puerto Rice and the Virgin Islands) and select locations in Canada. Learn more in the DAT Candidate Guide.

Get the DAT Candidate Guide (PDF)

Take the DAT during the spring of your junior year or the summer immediately after. Submit your application six to eight weeks before your desired test date. Practice tests are available.

Apply for the DAT

Download the DAT Guide (PDF)

Find information on scoring, fees and official requirements for taking the test in 2025.

Find a test site

Select “American Dental Association” under Program to find a Prometric site near you.

DAT tutorial

The DAT tutorial is an online sample test. You can take it at any time.

See your DAT score report, learn how to interpret the results, or request an audit.

See scoring details

Recent and Forthcoming Updates

Please download and check Recent and Forthcoming Updates to Examinations and Tests(PDF) often as you prepare for your examination.

Beginning March 1, 2025, the ADA will implement a new scoring system for the DAT. To learn more about the new DAT scoring system and how it will benefit communities of interest, please view the DAT Scoring Update (PDF).

For assistance with interpreting DAT scores reported under the new scoring system, please download Understanding the New DAT Score Reporting Scale(PDF)

In May 2026, updates to the DAT Organic Chemistry Test Specifications are expected to occur. Students planning to take the DAT in May 2026 or beyond are encouraged to review the NEW Organic Chemistry Examination Specifications(PDF) and check back regularly for updates.

FAQ-Dental Admission Test (DAT)

Who should take the DAT? When?

All U.S. and Canadian dental schools require their applicants to take the DAT as a component of their admission process. Each school uses its own criteria to determine how to weigh DAT results as part of admission decisions.

Prospective dental students should take the DAT after they have taken the subjects covered by the test, especially organic chemistry.

What is included in the DAT?

The DAT consists of multiple-choice questions presented in English, and includes a battery of four tests:

Survey of the Natural Sciences (100 items)
Perceptual Ability (90 items)
Reading Comprehension (50 items)
Quantitative Reasoning (40 items)

What is the DAT fee?

Please review the current DAT Candidate Guide (PDF) for the test fee.

How many times can you take the DAT?

The DAT retest policy is not subject to appeal and states that:

Candidates must wait 60 days between testing attempts on the DAT, with a maximum of four (4) such administrations permitted during any 12-month period of time.
Candidates with three (3) or more attempts on the DAT must apply for permission to test again, providing proof of recent application to dental school with each subsequent application to test.
Subsequent to the candidate’s fifth DAT attempt, the candidate may retest only once per 12-month period.

Is this test offered in Quebec, Canada?

No. This test is no longer offered in the providence of Quebec Canada. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Where do I take the DAT?

The DAT is offered year-round at Prometric Test Centers throughout the U.S. and select locations in Canada (no longer offered in the providence of Quebec). Once you have received your eligibility letter confirming that your test application has been accepted, you must contact Prometric to secure an appointment. We recommend doing this at least 60 to 90 days before your desired test date, since schedules fill up. Visit the Prometric website to find a testing center near you and schedule your test.

If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment due to an emergency please contact the Department of Testing Services by emailing testingproblems@ada.org or calling 800.232.1694.

How do I reschedule or cancel a testing appointment?

To reschedule or cancel a testing appointment, candidates must contact the Administration Vendor in advance of the testing appointment. The local test center cannot schedule, reschedule, or cancel your appointment. Additional fees apply, and must be paid directly to the Administration Vendor. Appointments must be canceled or rescheduled by the business day prior to the test (at least 24 hours in advance of the scheduled appointment). Candidates will receive a confirmation notification when rescheduling their testing appointment; please retain a copy of this confirmation.

Can I get a fee waiver?

Partial fee waivers are no longer available but will be available again starting July 1, 2025. What follows is for informational purposes only.

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 DAT 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

When partial fee waivers are available, you can request a partial 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 ‘DAT.’

The DAT Program will review all fee waiver requests and make the final approval/denial decision. After the request is reviewed, candidates will receive an email notification of the decision and instructions for submitting an DAT application online. Please allow up to 10 business days for review of all partial fee waiver requests.

How do you protect my personal information?

Review the DAT Program Use of Personal Information and Privacy Policy, which includes:

The ADA Privacy Policy
The Biometric Data Privacy Policy
Personal information used and disclosed in connection with the DAT
Your rights

You can also contact the ADA Department of Testing Services at dat@ada.org for more information.

Are there policies and procedures to support fairness in testing?

Yes. Fairness in testing is of vital importance, and is fundamental to a test's validity. Fairness considerations are embedded throughout the DAT program, affecting every aspect of how this examination is constructed, administered, scored, and reported. The Fairness document provided below shares additional details of interest: Policies and Procedures Supporting Fairness (PDF)

How can I contact the ADA for more information?

You can reach the Department of Testing Services at:

American Dental Association
Department of Testing Services
1.800.232.1694
Email: datexam@ada.org

Additional DAT information

Perceptual Ability Test Section

Review the instructions (PDF) associated with Perceptual Ability Test questions.

DAT Validity Study

Read the DAT Validity Study (PDF) to learn more about why the DAT is used for dental admissions and who takes the test. This report presents the relationship among pre-dental science and pre-dental total GPAs, DAT scores, and academic and preclinical achievements for a sample of students during their first and second years in U.S. dental schools.

DAT User's Manual

The DAT User's Manual (PDF) takes a deep dive into the history of the Dental Admission Test Program, from its beginnings in 1945 to the present day DAT. Learn about the content of the DAT as well as the development of the scoring.

Examinee Information Report

The Examinee Information Report report provides demographics for DAT test takers, including gender, ethnicity, occupational and educational attainment of examinees’ parents, high school rank, college GPA, college science GPA, college major, extracurricular activities, parents income, source and percentage of loans obtained during the years of dental education, and GPA and income by ethnicity.

Organic Chemistry Surveys

The ADA conducted a series of Organic Chemistry Readiness Surveys to inform potential updates to the content domain and test specifications for the organic chemistry section of the Dental Admission Test (DAT). This report documents the findings from these surveys. The survey findings were reviewed and interpreted by organic chemistry subject matter experts, who subsequently recommended updates to the test specifications. Updates to the organic chemistry test specifications will be shared with communities of interest prior to their implementation, which is expected to occur in 2026.

Organic Chemistry Readiness Surveys (PDF)

Vital Information and Tips for Taking the DAT

Watch the ASDA webinar to see general information, tips for studying, common problems encountered by test takers, and the most frequently asked questions about the DAT.

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.

Explore Volunteering

Dental Admission Test (DAT®)

Recent and Forthcoming Updates

FAQ-Dental Admission Test (DAT)

Additional DAT information

Vital Information and Tips for Taking the DAT