DAT (Dental Admission Test) exam help guide

The Dental Admission Test (DAT) is administered by the American Dental Association and is required by all U.S. dental schools and many Canadian dental schools as part of admissions review. The 2026 DAT Candidate Guide lists four multiple-choice sections: Survey of the Natural Sciences with 100 items, Perceptual Ability with 90 items, Reading Comprehension with 50 items, and Quantitative Reasoning with 40 items. The total administration time is 5 hours and 15 minutes, including an optional 15-minute tutorial, 90 minutes for Natural Sciences, 60 minutes for Perceptual Ability, an optional 30-minute scheduled break, 60 minutes for Reading Comprehension, 45 minutes for Quantitative Reasoning, and an optional 15-minute post-test survey. The DAT is offered year-round at Prometric test centers in the United States, U.S. territories, and select Canadian locations after ADA eligibility confirmation; candidates should apply 60 to 90 days before the desired test date, obtain or use a DENTPIN, and ensure the application name exactly matches physical test-day IDs. ADA scoring and reporting changed beginning March 1, 2025, so candidates should use the current ADA score-reporting resources. Students testing in May 2026 or later should also review ADA's new Organic Chemistry examination specifications and check ADA updates before finalizing content review.