How to Prepare for the Dental Admissions Test

The Dental Admissions Test is an examination designed to measure the general academic skills, ability to comprehend scientific information and the overall perception of prospective dental school applicants. All dental school applicants are required to take the DAT. While admission to dental school is not based solely on your DAT score, most schools do have an expectation of what your minimum score should be, so adequate preparation is vital.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

1. Complete no less than one year of college that includes at least one year of Biology and Organic Chemistry. Most examinees complete two or more years of college. It is strongly recommended that prospective dental students take the test as far in advance as possible.
2. Register for the test at the American Dental Association's website. The DAT is administered across the United States and in Canada by Promtric Testing Centers. To find a testing center near you visit Prometric's website.
3. Browse the American Dental Association website for information pertaining to the DAT. The ADA is the official professional site of dentists in America. It offers a wealth of information about the career field and even has a section devoted completely to the DAT.
4. Familiarize yourself with the four section that the DAT focuses on. The sections are Natural Science, Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension and Quantitative Reasoning.
5. Take a practice test online or register for a prep course at one of the many test preparation centers. Talk with representatives from places such as Kaplan or the Princeton Review and find a program that fits your budget and time constraints. Assess the areas that you are weak in and focus your preparation on building skills in those areas.