The Dental Admissions Test. or DAT, is required by most dental schools as a part of the application process. If you're concerned about the process, read on to learn how to study for the Dental Admissions Test.

• Dental schools use the DAT to be able to compare students using a consistent methodology. Grades can tell them you succeeded in the college program you pursued, but it's not easy to compare GPAs from different schools. The DAT also includes a section that assesses your spatial skills, which are important in the practice of dentistry.

(Creative Commons photo by Eric James Sarmiento)

• The Dental Admissions Test was first administered in 1945. The early versions of the test included a chalk carving component, which has now been replaced by the perceptual ability test. It is a four and a half hour computer administered test that covers science knowledge, reasoning skills, reading comprehension, and spatial sense.

• The natural sciences portion of the test assess your knowledge in the areas of biology, chemistry, and organic chemistry. In order to do well on this section of the exam, you'll need to have taken these courses in college and mastered the material. Work with your pre-health adviser to make sure you've completed these courses prior to when you take the exam, which will usually be in the spring of your junior year.

• You should plan to begin to prepare for the test at least two months prior to sitting for the exam.

1. The American Dental Association's website includes some sample DAT questions that you can use to assess where you need to allocate your time.
2. A formal test prep class provides structured review and test taking tips, but can be expensive.
3. If you are preparing on your own, using books or software, try to replicate test taking conditions while doing practice questions.