DAT Scores by Dental Schools in the US and Canada

DAT scores are reported by the ADA (American Dental Association) as eight standard scores. The first six scores are from the individual tests themselves, i.e. biology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, perceptual ability, reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning. These multiple choice questions are first scored right or wrong resulting in a raw score. Note that wrong answers are worth the same as unanswered questions so ALWAYS ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS even if you are not sure of certain answers. The raw score is then converted to a scaled score ranging from 1 (lowest) to 30 (highest). A test section that is skipped will be scored 1. This is neither a percentage nor a percentile.

The test is not based on a curve. Essentially, DAT performance is measured using an ability-referenced system. Based on standard scores, your abilities (i.e. knowledge and problem solving skills) are directly compared to that of the other DAT examinees.

The remaining two scores are Total Science (TS) and Academic Average (AA). The Total Science score is the standard score for the 100 questions in the Survey of Natural Sciences as a whole – NOT THE AVERAGE OF THE STANDARD SCORES of the Science subtests. This is derived from the sum of your raw scores each in biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry. The total score is then converted to a standard score for Total Science. In contrast, a score in the Academic Average is the rounded average of the standard scores from the reading comprehension (RC), quantitative reasoning (QR), biology (BIO), general chemistry (CHM), and organic chemistry (ORG) tests. Here is an example of an Academic Average calculation:

TOTAL: 103 ÷ 5 = 20.6; rounded up to the nearest whole, the Academic Average for these scores would be 21. Standards for interviews or admissions may vary for the individual scores, Total Science and the Academic Average. For example, one particular dental school may establish a cutoff (minimum) of 17 for all sections. In other cases, admissions committees assess candidates against a mean of DAT scores in a particular batch of applicants; therefore, the range can vary from year to year. Consider examining DAT scores from dental schools below, carefully reviewing their websites for specific admissions requirements, and contacting individual programs wherever you may have any doubts.

There is no "pass" or "fail" grade for the DAT since the ADA uses an ability-referenced measurement. Your standard score indicates your test performance relative to all the students who completed the same test on the same day. This means that the national average on the scored sections is not always a guarantee for acceptance in a dental program. In most instances, what is considered "average" depends on the entering batch of a particular academic year. In other words, you are not trying to pass or fail but rather you are trying to achieve a score acceptable to the dental school that you wish to attend.

Please keep in mind that the percentile rank indicates your test performance relative to all the students who did the same test on the same day. It records the percentage of students whose scores were lower than yours. Percentile ranks are not used as dental school admissions criteria and the following percentile ranks fluctuate significantly from year to year.

Right after completing the DAT, you are provided with an unofficial score report at the Prometric Test Center. This report will then be audited for accuracy and verified by the Department of Testing Services. Official scores are forwarded within three to four weeks to the dental schools, which are indicated on your DAT application. The ADA also sends the scores to the appropriate standardized application service such as the Associated American Dental Schools Application Service (AADSAS) or the Texas Medical and Dental Schools Application Service (TMDSAS) in case the specified dental schools participate in any one of these services. Scores are then posted to your dental school application and then forwarded to the respective faculties within one week. In such a case, you can confirm the proper submission of your official DAT scores by logging into your ADEA AADSAS application. Requests of additional copies and/or recipients mean additional fees and transmittal time. For more details about this process, please check the ADA website.

The average DAT score is 19/30. Just a few years ago, the average DAT score (overall mean given all test takers) was 17/30. Note that the average DAT (AA) score for students accepted to dental school in 2020 was 20.2 and the average GPA was 3.55. Of course, obtaining an average DAT score does not guarantee admissions.