DAT (Dental Admission Test)
The DAT is the American Dental Association's admission test, required by all U.S. dental schools: four tests in 5 hours 15 minutes at Prometric centers all year, scored 200–600. The 2026 fee is $580.
Made by American Dental Association, Department of Testing Services. Who: Pre-dental college students, usually in the spring of junior year or the summer after. Checked on the owner's own pages, 21 Oct 2026.
Who takes it
- All U.S. and Canadian dental schools require it, and each school decides how much it counts. Take it after the subjects it covers, especially organic chemistry: ADA suggests the spring of junior year or the summer after, applying 6–8 weeks before your date.
ADA
Dental Admission Test (DAT)American Dental Association- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Retest rules: wait 60 days between attempts, at most four in 12 months; from the third attempt you need permission and proof of a recent dental school application; after the fifth, once every 12 months.
ADA
Dental Admission Test (DAT)American Dental Association- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Format and sections
Multiple-choice questions in English. The 5 h 15 min includes an optional 15-minute tutorial, an optional 30-minute break after Perceptual Ability and a 15-minute survey. ADA
View source
| Test | Items | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Survey of the Natural Sciences (biology 40, general chemistry 30, organic chemistry 30) | 100 | 90 min |
| Perceptual Ability | 90 | 60 min |
| Reading Comprehension | 50 | 60 min |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 40 | 45 min |
- New organic chemistry test specifications took effect in 2026; ADA asked anyone testing from May 2026 to use them.
ADA
Dental Admission Test (DAT)American Dental Association- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Scoring
- Scale scores from 200 to 600 in 10-point steps, not raw scores or percentiles. There is no penalty for guessing and no official passing score: each school decides.
ADA
Dental Admission Test (DAT) 2026 Candidate Guide (PDF)American Dental Association, Department of Testing Services- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- The old 1–30 scale ended on March 1, 2025; older results are converted to the new scale when reported to dental schools through ADEA AADSAS.
ADA
Understanding the New DAT Score Reporting Scale (PDF)American Dental Association, Department of Testing Services- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Fees and fee waivers
2026 Candidate Guide, U.S. dollars: ADA
View source
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Examination fee (includes reports to schools chosen when you apply) | $580 |
| Score report requested later | $55 each |
| Score audit | $105 |
| Eligibility extension (45 days) | $150 |
| Reschedule 30 or more business days ahead | $50 |
| Reschedule 5–29 business days ahead | $70 |
| Reschedule 1–4 business days ahead | $150 |
- Partial fee waivers cover 50% of the exam fee for first-time U.S. citizens or resident aliens with financial hardship who received school financial aid. They go first come, first served; all 2026 waivers are gone and new ones open on January 1, 2027.
ADA
Dental Admission Test (DAT)American Dental Association- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Test dates
- Year-round at Prometric centers in the U.S., its territories and some Canadian cities (not Quebec). After your eligibility letter, book 60–90 days before the date you want.
ADA
Dental Admission Test (DAT)American Dental Association- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Official practice
- Practice test questions are posted at ADA.org/DAT, and Prometric's Test Drive previews test day.
ADA
Dental Admission Test (DAT) 2026 Candidate Guide (PDF)American Dental Association, Department of Testing Services- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- An online DAT tutorial (a sample test you can take any time) opens with your DENTPIN as the keycode.
ADA
Dental Admission Test (DAT)American Dental Association- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
Used by these careers and colleges
Careers on this site whose step-by-step roadmap includes this exam, and the license it leads to.
The license at the end of this route
Careers that need it
Next on this site
Where these facts come from
Official and primary sources only, each checked on the date shown. Rules on testing, aid, licensing and immigration change, so confirm a detail with its source before you rely on it.
- Dental Admission Test (DAT) · American Dental Association checked 2026-10-21
- Dental Admission Test (DAT) 2026 Candidate Guide (PDF) · American Dental Association, Department of Testing Services checked 2026-10-21
- Understanding the New DAT Score Reporting Scale (PDF) · American Dental Association, Department of Testing Services checked 2026-10-21