DAT Information
Overview
The Canadian Dental Association uses the Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) to assess an applicant's potential for a career in dentistry, as well as a means for dental schools to select first-year students. As of 2022, the DAT has changed to an online test and is offered every month of the year. It consists of four (4) components:
- Survey of Natural Sciences (30min) - examines knowledge in Biology and Chemistry
- Perceptual Ability Test (60min) - examines angle discrimination, form development, cubes, orthographic projections & apertures
- Reading Comprehension Test (50min) - 3 reading passages
- Manual Dexterity Test (30min) - carving a specified model out of a cylindrical bar of soap specially made for the DAT [currently suspended]
Further details about the Canadian DAT can be found on the Canadian Dental Association DAT Information site.
To help you prepare for the DAT, take a look at this plan.
For information about admission to Dalhousie's DDS program, explore the DDS Admissions page.
Other schools
If you are interested in learning more about admissions to dentistry schools across Canada, please select your school of interest from the list below. If you plan on applying to one of these dentistry schools upon completion of your Medical Sciences degree, check out the course-selection plans provided by the Medical Sciences Program Coordinator (medsci@dal.ca) to help you prepare.