DAT and OAT: Entrance Exams for Dental and Optometry School

Two exams, two health fields

If you are applying to dental school, you take the Dental Admission Test (DAT) . If you are applying to optometry school, you take the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) . Neither program requires the MCAT. Both exams are computer-based, run year-round at Prometric test centers, and combine science content with reading and quantitative reasoning, but the section lineup and scoring scales differ.

DAT format

The DAT has four timed sections. The Survey of Natural Sciences comes first, with 100 questions in 90 minutes split across Biology (40 questions), General Chemistry (30 questions), and Organic Chemistry (30 questions). Next comes the Perceptual Ability Test, 90 questions in 60 minutes, which checks spatial reasoning and your ability to visualize and manipulate shapes in three dimensions, a skill tied directly to dental procedures. The Reading Comprehension Test follows, 50 questions in 60 minutes, then Quantitative Reasoning, 40 questions in 45 minutes, covering algebra and applied math.

DAT scoring

The DAT reports eight standard scores: one for each of the six sections, plus two composites. The Academic Average combines your Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Biology, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry scores. Total Science combines the three science section scores. Each score sits on a 200 to 600 scale reported in 10-point increments (ADA moved to this scale for tests taken on or after March 1, 2025); scores in the low-to-mid 400s are roughly average. Dental schools weigh the Academic Average and Total Science scores heavily alongside your GPA when they screen applicants.

You can sit for the DAT up to 3 times without special permission. A fourth attempt or beyond needs authorization from the American Dental Association , which administers the exam. Scores typically post 2 to 4 weeks after your test date.

OAT format

The OAT also runs four sections. Survey of the Natural Sciences leads with 100 questions covering biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry. Reading Comprehension follows with 40 questions, then Physics with 40 questions, a section the DAT does not include, and Quantitative Reasoning with 40 questions. Counting the optional tutorial and scheduled breaks, the full OAT appointment runs close to 5 hours.

OAT scoring

The OAT converts your raw score to a scaled score between 200 and 400, reported in steps of 10. A score of 300 sits at roughly the 50th percentile among test takers. The American Dental Association administers the OAT on behalf of the Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry (ASCO), and every accredited US optometry program requires an OAT score as part of your application.

DAT vs OAT vs MCAT

The clearest structural difference: the DAT has a Perceptual Ability section testing spatial and visual skills, which the OAT and MCAT do not test at all. The OAT is the only one of the three with a dedicated Physics section. If you are choosing between dentistry and optometry, factor in which of these skill areas you test stronger in, since neither score converts to the other.

When to take each exam

Take the DAT before you submit your application through ADEA AADSAS, the centralized dental school application service, since your DAT score needs to post before schools review your file. Most applicants test in the spring or summer of the year they apply, after finishing the biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry coursework the science sections draw on.

Take the OAT on a similar timeline, before or during your application through OptomCAS, the centralized optometry application service. Both exams pull heavily on coursework from your first two to three years of a science-heavy undergraduate track, so most applicants wait until they have completed general and organic chemistry before testing.

Retaking either exam

If your score does not reflect your ability, both exams allow retakes, though DAT retakes beyond 3 attempts need direct authorization from the American Dental Association. Schools that review your application typically see your full score history, not only your best attempt, so treat every sitting as one a school could see.

Which schools accept which score

Every accredited dental school in the US requires a DAT score, and every accredited optometry program requires an OAT score. A handful of Canadian dental and optometry programs also accept scores from these US exams, so check each program's admissions page if you are applying outside the US. Neither exam substitutes for the other, and neither substitutes for the MCAT if you decide to switch tracks toward medical school later.

How to prepare

• Build a study timeline around your weakest science subsection first, since the Academic Average or your composite science score weighs multiple subjects.

• Practice spatial reasoning drills specifically for the DAT's Perceptual Ability section. It is unlike anything on the MCAT or OAT.

• Register early through your exam's official portal, since Prometric seats fill up around common application deadlines.

• Confirm current registration fees and retake rules directly with the American Dental Association before you schedule, since these details change from year to year.