While dental schools love to emphasize the holistic nature of their admissions processes, you shouldn’t lose sight of the importance of a strong GPA and DAT score. These are the most quantifiable aspects of you application and they will likely determine whether your application moves beyond an initial, cursory review.
An excellent DAT score can set you up for acceptance to the top dental schools, while a mediocre score can severely compromise your application, no matter how impressive your other materials are.
Dental school admissions committees look at DAT scores alongside GPA in order to apply a standardized calculus to their applicants. While a 3.8 GPA from Harvard is not directly equivalent to a 3.8 GPA from Tulane, a DAT score of 22 will be the same across the board. So, if you had a rigorous undergrad experience that left you with a lower than anticipated GPA, a strong DAT will be able to buoy this impression. On the other hand, a low DAT score could, in the eyes of admissions committees, throw a high GPA into doubt.
With such major stakes resting on a single test, it can be extremely frustrating to find out that your DAT score is not as high as you had hoped. It could be the case that your DAT Academic Average (or overall) score isn’t quite competitive for the schools you are hoping to get into. It could also be the case that one of your section scores is significantly lower than the others. These scenarios will lead you to ask, “Should I retake the DAT?”
This guide will provide you with all the information you need to confidently make this decision and to give yourself the best odds of getting into your dream dental school.
This is the first question many students ask when they are looking to raise their DAT scores. According to the DAT retest policy, you may take the DAT a maximum four times within a twelve month period, waiting at least sixty days between retakes.
If you have already taken the DAT three or more times, you must apply for permission each time you wish to take the test again. This involves providing proof of a recent application to dental school. Following your fifth DAT attempt, you may retest only once per 12 month period.
So, while you may retake the DAT a significant number of times, as you can see from these guidelines, the American Dental Association (ADA) does their best to dissuade you from making excessive attempts. The testing fee of $540 is also important to keep in mind.
Generally speaking, it doesn’t look bad to retake the DAT. Admissions committees understand that a lot rides on 4.5 hours of testing and that sometimes things don’t work out as planned. That said, if you retake the DAT (especially multiple times) without improving your score this will be viewed negatively by admissions committees. They like to see that you are capable of buckling down and improving your score.
While dental schools will see each of your DAT scores, different schools will evaluate multiple scores in different ways. These ways include:
Most schools do not describe how they evaluate multiple DAT scores on their websites, but you are welcome to contact admissions committees to ask.
The ADA does not publish statistics that tell us how re-takers of the DAT fare on subsequent attempts compared to their first. There are a number of individual factors that will contribute to your odds of improving your DAT score. For instance, if you did not have adequate time to prepare for your first attempt and you will have more time to study for a second attempt you have good odds of increasing your score. Likewise, taking relevant coursework between DAT attempts could put you in a position to raise your score.
According to 2022 data from the ADA, re-takers scored, on average, 1.73 points lower than first time test takers. This decrease, however, is to be expected because applicants who do well on their first attempt are less likely to retake the exam. The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) lists the 2022 mean “Academic Average” score for dental school applicants at 19.6, as opposed to 20.8 for students who ended up enrolling in dental school. It’s a good idea to keep these averages in mind when calculating your odds.
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Dental school applicants often assume that they will achieve a higher DAT score on their second, third or even fourth attempt simply due to increased familiarity with the exam. This is generally not the case, however, as the DAT is designed to provide reliable, consistent results. If you do not take concrete steps to improve your score, you are likely to receive an equivalent or even a lower score on subsequent attempts.
Receiving the same or a very similar score on your second DAT attempt will not necessarily come across negatively to admissions committees, though it will reinforce the accuracy of your original score. If you attempt the DAT a third or fourth time without improving your score, this could lead admissions committees to question your ability to succeed in dental school.
If your score decreases, however, on a second, third or fourth DAT attempt (which is not uncommon), this will negatively affect your application. The degree to which this affects your application will vary from school to school because, as mentioned above, different admissions committees evaluate multiple DAT scores in different ways. If a school weighs your most recent score most heavily, your odds of acceptance may be significantly hurt. So, there are clearly risks to consider when deciding whether you should retake the DAT. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. This decision will be dependent on your own particular circumstances.
In addition, there is also the opportunity cost that comes with retaking the DAT. Studying hard for the DAT will require a significant amount of time that could be used in other ways to bolster your dental school application. Depending on when you are thinking of retaking the test, the study time could take away from college coursework and extracurriculars or it could compromise the quality of your dental school personal statement or supplementary essays. It is important to consider all aspects of your dental school application when asking yourself, “should I retake the DAT?” Your time could be more impactful, for instance, if it allows you to prepare research for publication or organize a fundraiser related to one of your extracurriculars.
If you find yourself asking, “Should I retake the DAT?,” remember to consider each side of this question and to make your decision based on solid evidence. Even if your score is not up to your own expectations it may be “good enough” depending on the schools you’re looking at. Retaking the DAT is potentially rewarding, but it is also risky. Making this decision requires you to be honest with yourself about your own particular situation.
Dr. Shirag Shemmassian is the Founder of Shemmassian Academic Consulting and one of the world's foremost experts on dental school admissions. For nearly 20 years, he and his team have helped thousands of students get into dental school using his exclusive approach.
