# DAT Practice Test

The Dental Admission Test (DAT) is administered by the American Dental Association to assess the readiness of applicants for dental education programs.

Click “Start Test” to take a free DAT practice test!

## Eligibility

There are no specific eligibility requirements for this exam, though it is recommended that you have completed at least one year of college education that involved biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry courses. Most DAT test-takers have completed at least two years of college before taking the exam.

## Exam Outline Review

The DAT exam contains 280 multiple-choice questions and has a time limit of 4 hours and 15 minutes.

The exam is split into four sections:

### 1. Survey of the Natural Sciences (100 questions)

This section of the exam is split into three subsections, and you will be given a time limit of 90 minutes.

Biology (40 questions)
• Cellular biology
• Molecular biology
• Diversity of life
• Structure and function of systems
• Genetics
• Evolution
• Ecology
General Chemistry (30 questions)

An image of the periodic table will be available for reference during this subsection.

• Stoichiometry
• Gases, liquids, and solids
• Solutions
• Acids and bases
• Chemical equilibria
• Thermodynamics and thermochemistry
• Chemical kinetics
• Oxidation-reduction reactions
• Atomic and molecular structure
• Periodic properties
• Nuclear reactions
• Laboratory
Organic Chemistry (30 questions)
• Mechanisms
• Chemical and physical properties of molecules
• Stereochemistry
• Nomenclature
• Individual reactions of the major functional groups
• Combinations of reactions to synthesize compounds
• Acid-base chemistry
• Aromatics and bonding

### 2. Perceptual Ability (90 questions)

This section of the exam is split into six subsections, and you will be given a time limit of one hour.

1. Apertures
2. 3D form development
3. Paper folding
4. View recognition
5. Cube counting
6. Angle discrimination

### 3. Reading Comprehension (50 questions)

This section of the exam requires you to read three passages and answer the corresponding questions. Each passage will be about a different scientific topic, and everything you need to answer the questions is contained within each passage. You will be given a time limit of one hour to complete this section.

### 4. Quantitative Reasoning (40 questions)

This section of the exam covers various mathematical problems, including applied mathematics problems. You will be provided with a digital four-function calculator to use during this section, and you will be given a time limit of 45 minutes.

Check out Mometrix's DAT Study Guide

Get practice questions, video tutorials, and detailed study lessons

## Registration

### What is the passing score for the DAT exam?

There is no set passing score for this exam. The average score is a scaled score of 19.

By Peter Rench

Peter Rench joined Mometrix in 2009 and serves as Vice President of Product Development, responsible for overseeing all new product development and quality improvements. Mr. Rench, a National Merit Scholar, graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in mathematics from Texas A&M University.

by Mometrix Test Preparation | This Page Last Updated: January 17, 2023