Do you wish to study dental medicine too, like many of your mates? Do we hear you say ‘not in India’? Wish to study in US? But do you for that you have to qualify DAT exam!
Yes, you read it right DAT exam is a Dental Admission Test conducted and prepared by American Dental Association (ADA). DAT is a standardized test for admission to dental schools in the United States.
This curated guide shall take you through the many depths that you definitely need to be familiar with before you start gearing up for your next fight towards pursuing a dental medicine degree outside of India.
Topics covered
Highlights of DAT exam
Take a look at the highlights about the DAT exam:
DAT exam pattern
DAT, among other things, is a test of endurance. Contains four sections and 280 multiple-choice questions. The duration of the exam is 4 hours 15 minutes.
The four sections in DAT exam include: Survey of Natural Sciences (including Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry), Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Quantitative Reasoning.
Below is the table to show the breakdown of questions and time limit.
| Section | Number of Questions | Time Limit |
| Optional Tutorial | 15 Minutes | |
| Survey of Natural Sciences | 100 | 90 Minutes |
| -Biology | 40 | |
| -General Chemistry | 30 | |
| -Organic Chemistry | 30 | |
| Perceptual Ability Test | 90 | 60 Minutes |
| – Angle Ranking | 15 | |
| – Cube Counting | 15 | |
| – Hole Punches | 15 | |
| – Keyhole | 15 | |
| – Pattern Folding | 15 | |
| – Top/Front/End Visualization | 15 | |
| Optional Break | 30 Minutes | |
| Reading Comprehension Test | 50 | 60 Minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning Test | 40 | 45 Minutes |
| – Applied Mathematics (Word Problems) | 30 | |
| – Mathematics | 10 | |
| Optional Post-Test Survey | 15 Minutes | |
| Total | 280 | 5:00 Hours |
DAT application fee
There are a number of costs associated with applying to a dental school that many students do not consider early. Make sure you set aside money to cover these costs before you start the application process so that you do not find yourself overwhelmed over time.
Following is the DAT exam application fee structure:
Rescheduling fee
The rescheduling fee is as follow:
DAT exam date
A candidate should keep track of all the DAT exam-related dates. Missing any important date might lead to missing important deadlines such as the last date to apply, examination date, date of result, etc. Hence, a candidate should keep on visiting the official website or this link to know about important dates or any date-related changes.
DAT cut off
DAT scores range from 1 to 30. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), competing DAT scores ranked 25% DAT points i.e., 19 to 20 percent. Thus, the maximum score is either 22 or higher. The DAT exam average score is 17.
DAT colleges
The DAT exam is accepted by 66 dental schools in United States and 10 dental schools in Canada.
DAT syllabus
In this section we will give you a brief of DAT exam syllabus:
Survey of the Natural Sciences (100 Items)
Biology
- Cell and Molecular Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Diversity of Life
- Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior
- Genetics
- Structure and Function of Systems
General Chemistry
- Acids and Bases
- Chemical Equilibria
- Chemical Kinetics
- Gases
- Laboratory
- Liquids and Solids
- Nuclear Reactions
- Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
- Periodic Properties
- Periodic Properties
- Solutions
- Stoichiometry and General Concepts
- Thermodynamics and Thermochemistry
Organic Chemistry
- Acid Base Chemistry
- Aromatics and Bonding
- Chemical and Physical Properties of Molecules
- Individual Reactions of the Major Functional Groups and Combinations of Reactions to Synthesize Compounds
- Mechanisms
- Nomenclature
- Stereochemistry (structure evaluation)
Perceptual Ability
- 3D form development
- Angle discrimination
- Apertures
- Cube counting
- Paper folding
- View recognition
Reading Comprehension
The Reading Comprehension Section contains three reading passages on various scientific topics. Previously understanding scientific topics is not a requirement to answer experimental material. This section requires the ability to read, comprehend, and analyze basic scientific knowledge.
Quantitative Reasoning
- Applied Mathematics (Word Pattern)
- Mathematical Problems
Note: It is advised to keep a check on the DAT exam pattern to avoid missing important notification. You can check the official website or this link to know any syllabus related changes.
Conclusion
So, here you have the tricky essentials of including DAT exam syllabus, exam pattern, colleges, etc. We hope you have some clarity about the matter now.
Although if you need guidance and want to take expert opinion before you go on to follow this career path, then consult a career counselor and make an informed career choice. We at iDreamCareer always believe in helping young minds discover their true mettle. We try to help young confused minds from 9th class, 10th class, class 11, class 12 with an aim to select their most-suited career choices.
Useful links
- Medical Colleges in Canada
- Best Medical Colleges
- World Directory of Medical Schools
- Canadian Medical School Profiles – Oxford Seminars
- A Guide to universities in Canada
- Our study abroad knowledge hub
- How to reach colleges abroad?
- US Education System
- US Academic Grading System
- Study in USA
- Study in Australia
- Study MBBS Abroad in USA & Canada
- NID Entrance Exam
- GMAT Syllabus
- Top Highest Paid Jobs
- Important Tips for Online Entrance Exams
- Crack MBA Entrance Exams
Anushree has 5 years of experience in the career counseling industry as a Senior Content Writer. She has also worked as a Social Media Marketing Expert for a startup and Content Quality Analyst for the Publishing and E-learning Industry. She has done her Master’s in Commerce and PGDM in Finance & Trade and Marketing & HR, but she is currently following her passion for writing.
