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THE DAT
What is the DAT?
The DAT is the comprehensive test used as a measure
of aptitude for entrance into Dental School. *Big factor
in admissions/interviews
DAT = Dental Admissions Test
Cumulative Score of 6 sections for a total of 30 points
Scores 0-30
You get three scores:
-Academic Average (average of all sections but PAT)
-Total Science (average of the three science sections)
-PAT (scored individually, not factored into the
averages)
National Averages
Academic Average ~18-19
The average of students applying is 17. The average of
students accepted is a 19-20.
To be successful on the DAT, plan to have a BARE
MINIMUM of 17 on each section but shoot for a 20 in
each section to be safe.
What does the DAT consist of?
Biological Science (90 min, 100 MC)
-Biology
-General Chemistry
-Organic Chemistry
PAT Perceptual Ability Test (60 min, 90 MC)
Reading (60 min, 50 MC)/3 passages ~16-17 questions
each
QR Quantitative Reasoning (45 min, 40 MC)
Dental Admission Test
Actual Layout
Optional Tutorial 15 minutes
Survey of Natural Sciences 90 minutes
Perceptual Ability Test 60 minutes
Optional Break 15 minutes
Reading Comprehension Test 60 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning Test 45 minutes
Optional Post Test Survey 15 minutes
When should I take the DAT?
The timing of the DAT is very
important:
OPTIMAL TIME: Summer after you
Sophomore year
Danger Area: If you have not
completely by the end of the
summer after your Junior year
Heres the kicker
The DAT is completely COMPUTER-BASED.

So this means if you are like me and like to read and

annotate while you read on the paper, you cant. If you
like to mark off answers, you cant.

How can I possible overcome this obstacle?

Take practice tests. Practice, practice, practice. Scare
yourself.
Biology
The key to understand with the Biology section is to
understand you will NEVER know everything about
biology. The biology section is all comprehensive. You
could read 30 textbooks and still not know every question.
Best resource: Barrons AP Biology Book
This resource has tests to quiz you after each section and
spells everything out in very plain and simplistic language.
Flashcards:
-http://www.funnelbrain.com/sid-5128-ap-biology-exam-
review.html
-http://quizlet.com/11300546/dat-bio-6-flash-cards/
Topics included in Biology:
Evolution Heredity
Genetics the molecular basis of
Ecology inheritance
Classification
Plants animal physiology
The Cell the human immune
biochemistry system
animal reproduction
cell respiration
and development
Photosynthesis animal behavior
cell division
At the end of glycolytic pathway,
what is your next production of
ATP?
32 ATP
5 ATP
2 ATP
12 ATP
No ATP is produced during ATP
Which organelle has digestive
enzymes to break down waste and
cellular debris?
(a) Golgi apparatus
(b) Smooth ER
(c) Nucleus
(d) mitochondria
(e) lysosome
What is the main component that
fuels the Kreb cycle?
Succinyl CoA
Acetyl CoA
Cholinesterase
A-ketogluterase
malate
What term represents two or more
populations of different species?
Ecosystem
Community
Biosphere
Differential Speciation
Habitat
_____ provide(s) the major force for
the movement of water and solutes
from roots to leaves.
Translocation
Bulk flow
Transpiration
Root pressure
Solute pressure
Reading (60 min, 50 MC)
Reading is primarily about your ability to read
scientific articles quickly, efficiently and be able to
recall information readily
Most popular and effective method of attack:
-THE ROADMAP
You may be thinkingwhat the heck is a ROADMAP?!
ROADMAP
A roadmap is a way to catalog information for quick
recall. It is a way to annotate a paragraph.
Begin by counting the number of paragraphs in an
excerpt, and then write down key words or phrases by
that paragraphs number as you read, to go back later.
Another challenge (Kaplan wont
prepare you for this one)
The DAT likes to ask you two part questions in one so
sometimes you end up getting double questions. For
example, if you read a passage they may pull two ideas out
of it and write them out like so.
(1) The enamel of your teeth is the hardest surface of the
human body (and, or, but) can be eroded by heat, (2) once
gone, it is gone forever.

The way the DAT would ask the two questions would be:
A) Statement (1) is true but statement (2) is false
B) Statement (1) is false but statement (2) is true
C) Both statements are true
OR it may be a qualifying
statement such as:
Fiber optic wires are much faster than radio waves
because of the insulation.
(A) The statement is true but the reasoning is false
(B) The statement is false but the reasoning is true
(C) Etc.

VERY POPULAR!
 30 Questions
Survey of the Natural Sciences~35 mins
Basics
Resources that they give you:
Periodic table
Thats about it no calculator
Topics Covered
From the ADA websites official handbook:
Stoichiometry and General Concepts - percent composition, empirical
formulae,
balancing equations, moles and molecular formulas, molar mass, density, and
calculations from balanced equations
Gases - kinetic molecular theory of gases, Dalton's, Boyle's, Charless, and ideal
gas law
Liquids and Solids - intermolecular forces, phase changes, vapor pressure,
structures,
polarity, and properties
Solutions - polarity, properties (colligative, non-colligative), forces, and
concentration
calculations
Acids and Bases - pH, strength, Brnsted-Lowry reactions, and calculations
Balance the chemical equation.
SnO2 + H2 Sn + H2O

What is the coefficicent of H2 ?

A) 1
B) 3
C) 5
D)4
E) 2
Whats the Best Prep for Gen
Chem?
The most popular study material seems to be:
Chads chemistry videos (and quizzes!)
http://www.coursesaver.com/videos/DAT/
Kaplan Blue Books section on Chemistry
datQvault
A lot of good practice test questions
http://www.datqvault.com/
Organic
Chemistry
A. Methyl
B. Primary
C. Secondary
D. Tertiary
Which test will be performed to detect
presence of a halogen?
A. Bromination Test
B. Aromatic Ring Test
C. Water Solubility Test
D. Hexane SolubilityTest
E. Beilstein Test
Which of the following has the strongest
dipole moment?
A. C-F
B. C-Cl
C. C-Br
D. C-I
 What is the product of the above reaction?

A. Cyclohexane
B. Trans 1,2 dimethyl cyclohexane
C. Cis 1,2 dimethyl cyclohexane
D. 2 and 3
E. None of the above
Select the compound that reacts most
slowly in an SN2 reaction?
A. CH3I
B. (CH3)2CHI
C. (CH3)3CI
D. Benzene-CH2-CH2-I
E. 1 and 4
What is the name of the following structure?

A. 2, 3, 4-dimethyhexane
B. 4-ethyl 2,3-dimethylpentane
C. 2,3,4 trimethylhexane
D. None of the above
Answers:
1. A
2. E
3. B
4. C
5. C
6. C
 40 questions
45 minutes

Topics tested:
-algebra
-word problems
-numerical calculations
-geometry
-trigonometry
-probability and statistics
-conversions
2. Given 0.05x = 1.25, find the value of x.
a. 0.25
b. 2.5
c. 25
d. 250

13.A chocolate chip cookie recipe calls for 1.5 cups of chocolate chips. If one
pound of chocolate chips contains 2.5 cups, how many complete batches of
cookies can you make from a 5-pound bag of chocolate chips?
a. 3
b. 8
c. 9
d. 12

15. An amusement park sells season passes for $49.95 on an early bird
special. One month after the season starts, the price increases by $10. Two
months after the season begins, the passes are sold at the full retail price of
$74.95. What is the discount, to the nearest tenth of a percent, of the early
bird special when compared to the full retail price?
a. 20.0%
b. 20.1%
c. 33.3%
d. 33.4%
Answers:
2) C
13) B
15) D
60 minutes
90 questions

Subsections: Keyholes, Top-Front-End, Angle

Ranking, Hole Punching, Cube Counting, Pattern
Folding
10 minutes recommended

A 3-Dimensional
figure is given, you
must determine the
best keyhole for which
that 3-dimensional
object will fit
through.
The object can pass through the
opening in any orientation.
The object cannot be rotated once
it has started through the opening.
The external outline of the object is Draw projections
the exact shape of the opening. for back, bottom,
The object and opening are drawn and right.
to the same scale.
Crushing the
There are no irregularities in any
object
hidden part of the object.
There is only one correct answer.
Answers:
6) C
7) C
8) E
9) C
10) C
15 minutes recommended

You are given two

views of a three-
dimensional object
these views include the
front view, the top
view, and the end view.
You must imagine
what the third view is
for this object.
Presented are top, fron, and end
views of various solid objects
(there will never be a hollow
object with something else
hidden) Look for changes in
All views are presented without angles
perspective Ask if you can see edges
The top, front, and end views from where youre
are always presented in the same standing
position relative to a cross (grid). Fold the quadrants
Edges of the object that cannot
be seen are represented by
DOTTED lines
Answers:
6) D
7) C
8) A
5 minutes recommended
You must determine the
relative sizes of the
interior angles of the four
figures from
smallest to largest.
Four interior angles are given
and must be ranked in order
of increasing size.

-smallest and largest

angles
5 minutes recommended A square sheet of paper is
folded, then hole(s) are
punched in that folded
sheet of paper. Mentally
unfold the paper and
determine were that
square paper has hole
punches from choices A-E.
A flat, square piece of paper is
folded one or more times.
Broken lines indicate the
original position of the paper,
and solid lines indicate the
position of the folded paper.
The folded paper remains
within the boundaries of the
original, flat sheet. The paper is
not turned or twisted. -lines of symmetry
There are one, two, or three -number of folds
folds per question. -layers of paper
Answers:
6) B
7) B
8) C
 10 minutes

Each figure has been created by

cementing cubes together of the same
size. The cubes are then painted except
for the bottom face of all the cubes.
Determine the number of sides painted
for each cube.
 Six types of cubes
Tallying the cubes:
columns, entire figure
Each figure has constructed by
cementing together identical
cubes
After being cemented, each figure
was painted on all sides EXCEPT
for the bottom (pretend its sitting
on a table)
The only hidden cubes are the
ones necessary to support other
cubes in the figure
4) How many cubes have 2 sides painted?

5) How many cubes have 4 sides painted?

6) How many cubes have 3 sides painted?

Answers:
4) 6
5) 2
6) 6
15 minutes recommended
 A flat pattern is presented at left
There is only one correct 3-D
figure for each question
The flat pattern represents the
OUTSIDE of the figure (fold the
pattern into the page).

Unique face of the pattern

Unique shading
Focus on Key Landmarks
Book Loan talk from first week
 Use the book-rental system
Take a DAT Practice test with Kaplan this weekend, Saturday at 10AM to see where you are
starting from
Follow the guide book from the ADA of how to get ready for the DAT and how to sign up:
http://www.ada.org/sections/educationAndCareers/pdfs/dat_examinee_guide.pdf