Upcoming DAT dates for 2023 intake

12 July 2021

Upcoming DAT dates

Are you thinking of applying to the 2023 intake at an Australian dental school?

dentist's chair
Study dentistry at an Australian dental school

Many pre-dentistry students will be writing the Canadian DAT. The Dental Aptitude Test (DAT) is conducted by the Canadian Dental Association (CDA) to help students assess their aptitude for a career in dentistry and to assist dental schools in selecting first-year students. Of course, test dates have been all over the place lately.

Candidates should register for only one of the available DAT dates. Availability will vary based on the testing facility in your region. The registration opening time remains to be determined. Please visit the CDA Important DAT Dates page frequently for updates.

Date Details
August 25, 2021 Registration opening date
September 8, 2021 (23:59:59 EDT) Registration deadline
October 20 to November 8, 2021 DAT exam dates

What is on the Canadian Dental Aptitude Test?

There are four examinations included in the English DAT and three examinations included in the French DAT. The tests are administered over a half day and include the following tests:

1. Manual Dexterity Test – 30 minutes (N/A for Australian or New Zealand dental school applicants)
Please note, the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney, and the University of Western Australia do not require this section to be completed to be considered for entry. This test consists of carving a specified model out of a cylindrical bar of soap specially made for the DAT, and must be registered for separately from the DAT. It is important to understand that from 2021 onward, registration for the written DAT component is separate from registration for the MDT component, and these components are administered separately during different sessions.

2. Survey of Natural Sciences – 60 minutes
70 questions ( biology 1–40 chemistry 41–70)

3. Perceptual Ability – 60 minutes
The Perceptual Ability Test comprises 6 subtests: apertures, view recognition, angle discrimination, paper folding, cube counting, and 3D form development.

4. Reading Comprehension (English DAT only) – 50 minutes
Consists of 3 reading passages. Ability to read, organize, analyze and remember new information in dental and basic sciences. Ability to comprehend thoroughly when studying scientific information. Reading materials are typical of materials encountered in the first year of dental school and require no prior knowledge of the topic other than a basic undergraduate preparation in science.

Australian Dental Schools Requiring the DAT

University of Western Australia Dental School
Reading comprehension, biology, and chemistry. Minimum score of 16 required in each section to be considered. Academic average is used for ranking. It should be noted that due to the competitive nature of applicants for previous intakes, the university was required to increase the minimum to 17. So, the 16 minimums can be increased due to the quality of applicants who apply.

During the interview portion of the assessment process, UWA will administer a spatial awareness test. This is very similar to the PAT section of the DAT and therefore the PAT section of the DAT is not assessed.

University of Melbourne Dental School
Reading comprehension, biology, chemistry, science total, academic average, and PAT. No minimum score in each section is required.

University of Sydney Dental School
Reading comprehension, biology, chemistry, and PAT. Minimum score of 15 required in each section to be considered.

Dental Schools Without DAT Requirement

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Learn more about how you can study dentistry. Contact OzTREKK’s Dentistry Admissions Team at dentistry@oztrekk.com.

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