The DAT is a mountain every pre-dental student must climb in order to apply to dental school. While definitely daunting, that’s not what the D stands for. The DAT, otherwise known as the Dental Admissions Test, is an entrance exam administered year-round by the American Dental Association (ADA) that is required by all dental schools. More than 14,000 people take the DAT each year, so you are not alone in your journey (ADA). Why is the DAT important? The reason the DAT is crucial for admissions is because the scores serve as a tool or metric for admission committees to evaluate a students’ ability to succeed academically at their school. Dental schools want to see their students succeed and want to know their admitted students are fit for the academic rigor. What does the DAT cover? The DAT is a 280 multiple-choice online exam with four individual components: Survey of the Natural Sciences, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning. The Survey of the Natural Sciences encompasses Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. Perceptual Ability encompasses questions testing your spatial visualization skills, as you are expected to analyze 2D and 3D objects. The Reading Comprehension portion aims to test applicants on understanding the purpose of a written passage and the author’s intent for readers. The Quantitative Reasoning portion tests applicants’ math skills that dental schools require of students. Each of the four tests is scored from 1-30, with 1 being the lowest and 30 being the highest. A scale score of 19 is an average performance, according to the ADA. Check out specific dental schools’ matriculation averages to get a grasp of metrics for individual dental schools. If you are curious to see the online format of the DAT, the ADA website shows a tutorial so applicants can get accustomed to the format: https://www.prometric.com/sites/default/files/ada/DAT/ Try it out for yourself! How much does the DAT cost? The fee for taking the DAT itself is $510, according to the ADA, while additional fees are listed down below: (Credit: ADA) How to study for the DAT? To set yourself up for success, planning is needed in order to develop a study schedule that best fits your school/work schedule or responsibilities life has thrown your way. Typically, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) recommends setting aside 3-4 months to study. Some pre-dental students who have been through the rigor (and have survived) say studying for the DAT is akin to a full-time/part-time job. Make no mistake about underestimating the time commitment and plan accordingly. Luckily, there are a plethora of study programs, like DAT Bootcamp, DAT Booster, DAT Destroyer, Kaplan DAT Prep, just to name a few. All of these programs have study material, like full-length practice exams, study questions, and some may have recorded instructional videos. (Being a Pre-Dental Society member, we receive a discount on the DAT Bootcamp and DAT Booster program– check it out through the notion!) As UC Davis students, check out Health Professions Advising and visit our Test Prep Specialist, Doug McLemore, who hosts DAT study sessions and is knowledgeable about all things DAT-related, from how to devise a study plan to study tips for trouble areas. The DAT, the test of all tests for pre-dental students, is no walk in the park. But with thorough planning and lots of studying, success is in sight! Reach out to fellow PDS members to hear about their DAT journeys because you are not alone. Let’s crush it together, PDS family! Author: Megan Chang
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Our CommitteeMegan Chang Blog committee lead 2nd-Year NPB Major Fall 2021Winter 2022Spring 2022Blog Categories |