The Dental Admissions Test (DAT) is an important and mandatory component of every applicant’s journey to dental school. Scheduling the DAT at the Prometric Testing Center can be done in a few steps to ensure that you will be able to take it during your desired window in order to apply. It is highly recommended to register to schedule the DAT at a minimum of 2-3 months before you want to take it.

This will allow you to secure a spot to take the exam at your preferred time and keep you on the path on which you wish to apply to dental schools. Furthermore, choosing a date for the DAT ahead of time can provide motivation for preparing for the exam and help create an efficient study schedule within your given timeframe. Let’s get started!

I. Scheduling the DAT and Creating a DENTPIN

1. You must first go to the American Dental Association website and click the tab under “Education/Careers” called “Admissions Tests and Dental Exams” (ADAT, DAT, ATDH and NBDE). After scrolling through the page, there is a link called “Dental Admissions Test” which takes you to the page shown below. From here, you must click “DENTPIN” to start the registration process.
   
   
    
2.  When applying to schedule the exam, you must first create a DENTPIN, which is an individual code that you will use throughout the cycle and also indicated on your AADSAS application to keep track of all of the DAT exams you take. This personalized DENTPIN will be used not only to schedule your exam date but also to help schools identify your DAT scores after you have taken it.
   
   Once the instructions are followed, you must pay for the exam, which is currently $495 USD and wait to receive an eligibility email in order to schedule the location, date and time. When scheduling, it is crucial to indicate your first, middle and last name exactly as it is written on your passport or driver’s license.
   
   Pro-Tip: Save your DENTPIN as important as you will need it to register for many dental examinations in your dental career, including your Integrated National Board Dental Examination in your final year of dental school.
   
   

II. Eligibility and Finding a Testing Site  

1. After receiving an eligibility letter with a specific eligibility number from the ADA website, which can take up to multiple days, you can schedule your appointment with the Prometric Testing Center using the following link: https://securereg3.prometric.com/ProfessionalHome.aspx.
   
   Pro-Tip: The eligibility is only active for 6 months from the date that it is given and the exam must be scheduled within those 6 months or else payment will not be refunded.
   
   
    
2. On the Prometric website, it will ask to indicate the program and the region. Here, you will scroll and select “American Dental Association” and indicate the location where you will want to take your exam.
   
   
    
3. It will then ask you to provide the eligibility number in the email and the last 4 letters of your last name in order to proceed to be given a calendar with available seats in each location, time and date. The calendar will only show the dates and times of the upcoming 6 months.
   
   

III. DAT Availability

It is important to note that while some zip codes have many Prometric locations in the area, others may only have a few. Therefore, it is crucial to book the exam as soon as possible because the seats may get filled up quickly depending on the location. The windows of exam hours are given as a 5-and-a-half-hour time slot per student. These can be offered both weekdays and weekends, starting from the morning and going into early afternoon times, depending on the location and date.

Once the date and time are chosen, an appointment confirmation is sent via email including the protocols/procedures for the center, policy for identification, methods of rescheduling/cancelation and directions to locate the testing center.

With the DAT now scheduled, it is time to put all of your hard work and dedication into studying to ultimately achieve great success on the big day!