Advanced Dental Admission Test ADAT

The Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT) is used by 400+ advanced dental education programs to assess applicants’ potential for success. The test takes 4.5 hours to complete and is offered at test centers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

FAQ - Advanced Dental Admission Test (ADAT)

Who should take the ADAT?

Take the ADAT if you are a:

Third- or fourth-year dental student interested in post-graduate training (e.g., in a dental specialty area)
Practicing dentist interested in post-graduate training (e.g., in a dental specialty area)
International dental student applying to advanced dental education programs or advanced standing in pre-doctoral programs

What is included in the ADAT?

The ADAT consists of multiple-choice test questions presented in English, and includes a battery of three tests:

Biomedical Sciences (80 items)
Clinical Sciences (80 stand-alone and case-based items)
Data, Research Interpretation, and Evidence-Based Dentistry (40 items)

How do I apply to take the ADAT?

Start by reading the official ADAT Guide, which explains:

How the exam is constructed and scored
How to prepare for the exam
Eligibility requirements
Fees and waivers
How to schedule, reschedule, or cancel testing
The ADAT Rules of Conduct

Once you have read the Guide, apply for the exam with your existing DENTPIN (the same DENTPIN you used to apply to dental school). You can also retrieve a lost DENTPIN.

After your application has been processed, you will receive an eligibility letter that permits you to schedule your testing appointment.

Where do I take the ADAT?

The ADAT is offered at Pearson VUE Test Centers throughout the U.S. and Canada from March 1 – August 31, 2022. Once you have received your eligibility letter confirming that your test application has been accepted, you must contact Pearson VUE to secure an appointment. We recommend doing this at least 60 to 90 days before your desired test date, since schedules fill up.

Visit the Pearson VUE site to find a testing site near you, see updated COVID-19 procedures, and schedule your test.

Can I get a fee waiver?

Fee waivers are now available. Application information is provided below.

In documented cases of severe financial hardship, a limited number of partial fee waivers are available to ADAT examinees each calendar year (January - December). The partial fee waiver covers 50% of the ADAT fee. The partial fee waiver does not apply to any charges associated with rescheduling/canceling a test date or score reporting after the time of initial application. Partial fee waivers are granted on a first-come, first-served basis to eligible examinees who have submitted the required documents. An examinee is eligible to request a partial fee waiver if each of the following criteria are met:

First-time examinee
Has not previously received a partial fee waiver
U.S. citizen or resident alien
Has demonstrated financial hardship
Received financial aid from their school

To apply, download the 2023 financial information form (DOCX) complete and email it to adat@ada.org with a copy of the financial aid award letter you received from your school. (The financial aid award letter cannot be older than 18 months.) Alternatively, applicants who have not been enrolled in a college or university in the past 18 months can substitute a copy of their most recent tax return.

The ADAT Program will review all partial fee waiver requests and make the final approval/denial decision. After the partial fee waiver request is reviewed, you will receive an email notification of the decision and instructions for submitting an ADAT application online. Please allow up to 10 business days for review of all partial fee waiver requests.

Which programs accept ADAT?

More than 400 advanced dental programs require or accept ADAT scores. Consult the current ADAT Program List (PDF) to see how each program plans to use ADAT scores. If a program is not listed, they have not shared their intended ADAT use with the ADA. In that case, contact the program directly for more information.

All programs have electronic access to ADAT scores.

How do programs use the ADAT score?

Programs differ in how they choose to use the ADAT. Some supplement the scores with other information, while others only use ADAT results when required to break a tie between equally qualified candidates. Review the current 2022 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF) for more information, including:

History of the ADAT
Evidence supporting the ADAT
Score scales and frequency distributions

Program administrators can also review earlier guides for Interpreting ADAT Results below:

2021 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
2020 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
2019 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)
2018 Using the ADAT for Admission Purposes: A Guide for Advanced Dental Education Programs (PDF)

Are there policies and procedures to support fairness in testing?

Yes. Fairness in testing is of vital importance, and is in fact fundamental to an examination’s validity. Fairness considerations are embedded throughout the ADAT program, affecting every aspect of how this examination is constructed, administered, scored, and reported. The Fairness document provided below shares additional details of interest:

Policies and Procedures Supporting Fairness (PDF)

How do you protect my personal information?

Review the ADAT Program Use of Personal Information and Privacy Policy, which includes:

The Biometric Data Privacy Policy
Personal information used and disclosed in connection with the ADAT
Uses and Disclosures of Personal Information in Connection with the ADAT
Privacy and Security

You can also contact the ADA Department of Testing Services at adat@ada.org for more information.

Review the provided guides, practice tests, and texts to prepare yourself for the ADAT. When you’re ready, apply for the exam and schedule your appointment.

Download the 2023 ADAT Guide

Learn everything about the 2023 test, including fees, scoring and eligibility requirements.

Download a practice test

Get familiar with the format and sample questions.

Download the ADAT Tutorial

Prepare to take the ADAT with the tutorial. Installation requirements and instructions are provided.

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Review the list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations.

Review reference texts

See the texts subject matter experts referenced while writing the exam.

Find a test site

See the Pearson VUE test sites near you, review their policies and schedule your test.

Ready to begin? Make sure to review the prep materials before you submit your application. Remember to apply between March 1 and August 31. Typically, we recommend taking the ADAT the year before your program begins, but confirm deadlines with your desired program(s).

Get information before you apply

Additional ADAT information

Spring 2022 Webinar: Watch a video on a webinar about the ADAT program. Content includes scoring and score reporting, examination content, resources and much more.

ADAT Program Update, March 2019 (PDF): See updates about the ADAT program, as presented at the ADEA Annual Session on March 16, 2019. Topics include content specifications, a scoring breakdown, utilization, feedback from advanced dental education programs, reliability, and validity. ADAT Examinee Information Report (PDF): This report is for informational purposes and reflects data about ADAT examinees collected during the 2016 through 2019 ADAT examination years. Data includes:

self-reported gender
ethnicity
whether examinees spoke English at home
dental school attended, dental school year of graduation, dental school year (if current student)
highest degree achieved, dental school grade point average (GPA)
the number of times examinees took the Dental Admission Test (DAT)
reported specialty area of interest

Important note concerning periodontics terminology

In 2017, the American Academy of Periodontology introduced new classifications. Periodontal items now incorporate the new classifications for this examination. During the transition period, it is recommended that individuals become knowledgeable with both sets of classifications, because individual researchers, practitioners, and existing textbooks can communicate information using either set of classifications. Periodontal educators recommend that individuals refer to the following aids:

Request your score report, learn how to interpret the results, or request an audit.

See scoring details

Lend your talents to future applicants. The Department of Testing Services needs volunteer subject matter experts to assist with test construction. Volunteers may also earn CE credit.

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