Dental Admission Test (DAT) - 2026 Candidate Guide

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo

Dental Admission Test (DAT) 2026 Candidate Guide outlines official policies and procedures for applying to and taking the examination. It describes the testing program structure, including roles of the American Dental Association and its Department of Testing Services, and explains required candidate acknowledgements. The guide details examination content and preparation materials, confidentiality, scoring and results reporting, eligibility and fees, and comprehensive administration and conduct regulations. Arbitration requirements are also covered.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages34

Reading Time1 h 26 min

AccessFree to download

Overview

About this Guide and Examination Program

Purpose of the Examination

Examination Fairness

Ethical Conduct

Examination Content and Preparation Materials

Examination Specifications

Scope of the Examination

Confidentiality of Examination Materials

Examination Preparation

Practice Test Questions

Test Drive

Results Information

Scoring of Examination

Results Audits

Results Reports

Eligibility Requirements

Fees, Application and Test Administration

Examination Fees

Eligibility Extension Requests

Rescheduling Fees

Partial Fee Waiver

Retesting Policy

Partial Testing

Administration Schedule

Application Procedures

Test Center Procedures

Identification Policy

Reschedule or Cancel a Testing Appointment

No-Show Policy

Emergencies on the Day of the Testing Appointment

Testing Problems on the Day of the Testing Appointment

Testing Accommodations

Acceptable Forms of Documentation

Unacceptable Forms of Documentation

Examination Regulations and Rules of Conduct

Rules of Conduct

Privacy and Security

Examination Misconduct

Irregularities and Appeals

Limited Right of Appeal for Examination Candidates

Arbitration Requirement and Agreement to Arbitrate

Dental Admission Test (DAT) 2026 Candidate Guide ©2026 American Dental Association. All rights [reserved. | 800.232.1694 | ADA.org/DAT](reserved. | 800.232.1694 | ADA.org/DAT) The Department of Testing Services (DTS) is a shared service of the American Dental Association (ADA) that employs testing professionals and provides professional examination services in all relevant areas (e.g., test design, content development, administration, analysis, and reporting). At the direction of the governing bodies it supports, DTS advises on policy based on testing industry best practices and professional experience, and implements policy for the orderly, secure, and fair administration of examination programs within its charge. IMPORTANT NOTE: You are required to read this Guide before you apply to take the examination. At the time of application, you will be required to confirm that you have read this Guide, understood its contents, and agree to the policies and procedures contained herein. Changes to the Dental Admission Test (DAT®) Program may occur after publication of this Guide. Updated PDFs will be posted [to](to ADA.org/DAT. You will be subject)[ ADA.org/DAT](to ADA.org/DAT. You will be subject)[.](to ADA.org/DAT. You will be subject)[ You will be subject](to ADA.org/DAT. You will be subject) to the policies and procedures currently in effect at the time of your test administration. Table of Contents OVERVIEW .............................................................2 About this Guide and Examination Program ......2 Purpose of the Examination ...............................2 Examination Fairness .........................................2 Ethical Conduct ..................................................3 EXAMINATION CONTENT AND PREPARATION MATERIALS ................................4 Examination Specifications ................................4 Scope of the Examination ..................................4 Confidentiality of Examination Materials ............9 Examination Preparation ..................................10 Practice Test Questions ...................................10 Test Drive .........................................................10 RESULTS INFORMATION ...................................11 Scoring of Examination ....................................11 Results Audits ...................................................11 Results Reports ................................................12 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ............................12 FEES, APPLICATION AND TEST ADMINISTRATION................................................13 Examination Fees .............................................13 Eligibility Extension Requests ..........................13 Rescheduling Fees ...........................................14 Partial Fee Waiver ............................................14 Retesting Policy ................................................15 Partial Testing .................................................. 15 Administration Schedule .................................. 16 Application Procedures .................................... 17 Test Center Procedures .................................. 18 Identification Policy .......................................... 18 Reschedule or Cancel a Testing Appointment..................................................... 19 No-Show Policy ............................................... 19 Emergencies on the Day of the Testing Appointment ........................................ 20 Testing Problems on the Day of the Testing Appointment ........................................ 20 Testing Accommodations ................................ 21 Acceptable Forms of Documentation .............. 22 Unacceptable Forms of Documentation .......... 23 EXAMINATION REGULATIONS AND RULES OF CONDUCT ................................ 24 Rules of Conduct ............................................. 24 Privacy an

FAQs

What is the purpose of the Dental Admission Test (DAT)?

The guide describes the DAT as an admission test and explains that the examination provides valid, reliable, and fair evaluations of candidate knowledge, skills, and abilities.

What must candidates do when applying for the DAT?

At the time of application, candidates must confirm they have read the guide, understood its contents, and agree to the policies and procedures included.

How are legal differences relating to the DAT handled?

The DAT Program uses arbitration to resolve legal differences related to the examination, and agreeing to arbitrate is a prerequisite for taking the DAT.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Himbo