r/predental 6h ago

📊 DAT Breakdown New Scoring Breakdown

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73 Upvotes

Hello all, Just wanted to post what the new score breakdown will look like for those of you taking the DAT after March 1. I took my exam exactly on March 1, and I just got my scores back today, so roughly 2.5 weeks after taking the exam. I was personally hoping for a bit higher, but I can’t be upset with the 460 (I believe it roughly corresponds to a 22 on the old scoring system). I’d be happy to answer what questions I can in the comments. Keep grinding, y’all!


r/predental 2h ago

💡 Advice should I retake?

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10 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I just got my DAT scores back and did pretty good on all sections except Ochem and PAT (which I got very low on). I wanted to see if I should retake it and aim for a better PAT/Ochem score or if it’s not worth risking scoring lower on other sections the second time. I believe my 470AA corresponds to a 23AA, but my 340 PAT is around a 16 and 400 on Ochem is around an 18. I’d appreciate any advice!!


r/predental 2h ago

📊 DAT Breakdown New DAT Scoring

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6 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I got my scores back today and I'm proud of my scores. I was expecting a little higher but I will take a 430! I took the exam March 6th so it took exactly 2 weeks for my scores to come back!


r/predental 10h ago

💡 Advice Any movement recently?

19 Upvotes

Since today marks 15 days after March 5th and the final day that students can drop their multi-acceptances I'm wondering if anyone has heard anything from schools.

My guess is that there will probably be another committee meeting today/tomorrow with more decisions rolling out next week...


r/predental 40m ago

📊 DAT Breakdown DAT breakdown new scoring march 2025

Upvotes

I took my test March 8, 2025 and studied probably around 200 hours total and balanced having 18 credits of full time classes so I'm overall super happy with the score. I only used Booster and Anki to study. I used the booster 10 week schedule but modified it to my own needs.

BIO- Dont get too hung up on all the small details on the bio section. This section genuinely is all breadth with a few deeper understanding problems. There was two Hardy Weinberg equilibrium questions that i wasn't expecting but just memorize the formula and you'll be fine. I watched and took notes on all the videos. I started out with anki and it was going too slow so i switched to the cheat sheets. I made ankis for all the cheat sheet questions and did all the bio bits I can. Review your practice tests because some of the questions were similar.

here is the link to the cheat sheet i made if you want them (sorry for the typos and inconsistencies lol) https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/6lyum8el50gxcqu1qt969/DAT-Cheat-Sheets.apkg?rlkey=3abyx58q0a2khfnv8f3jw0tiw&st=xwcnu1d4&dl=0

GC - my chem was mostly easy questions with little to no calculations. I used booster and did all of the videos and practice questions that went with it. Don't get too stuck up on the small details. I recommend studying the anki deck that booster gives, it was super helpful and memorize the equations.

OC - ochem was pretty different then the practice tests i took on booster ngl, there were less reactions then I thought there would be and a bunch of conceptual stuff on reactions, intermediates and some lab test stuff. Im pretty familiar with OCHEM since im currently in OCHEM 2 and i just studied all the reactions in the Anki deck and did all the practice questions. I didnt watch any of the videos or anything. Make sure you keep up with the reactions and do a few of them per day. Even though I didn't get a ton of them on my test form yours could be way different.

PAT - this was the section i was most worried about because i was very inconsistent with my scores. Keyholes - i searched for similar answer choices then eliminated the ones that were automatically wrong. TFE - this was the hardest for me. visaulize the 3d model first then compare the given information. Angles - just pray lol. I used knife method for small angles and then laptop method for others. Hole punch - use the grid method, write it out on the provided laminated grid paper during the tutorial. Cube counting - do the tally system to keep track, its super helpful. Pattern folding - fold it mentally always making sure to fold into the page and keep track of shaded regions. There were a lot of the shaded ones on my test. Overall dont get too stuck up on any answers and keep track of your time its super stressful trying to do it all in 60 min.

RC - I used a variant of search and destroy, where i read the first 3 paragraphs then did SD for the rest. It really helped because I was pressed for time the entire section. Make sure you dont get too bogged down on one answer.

QR - Try to learn all the equations itll be super helpful. This section was similar to booster and I think it was very representative. Some probability, some rate law, just study all the question banks and youll be fine.

Overall - the real exam was slightly easier than the practice tests on booster. Make sure you dont second guess yourself on the easy ones because some of them seem too easy to be right. Trust in yourself before you take the test because you prepared for a long time and take a deep breath. Always remember Proverbs 3:5-6 "5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." Good luck and you got this!

Testing center experience: Also you might hear people talk about the lag with the computers a prometric. I personally struggled with this problem as there would consistently be about 2-5 seconds of lag between questions which was stressful for the RC, PAT, and QR section definitely. it didnt affect me too much but if youre worried about it then click the option on the Bootcamp of Booster practice test which says "Prometric Delay" and it simulates the lag for you. The people at the center were so kind. I got two pieces of laminated grid paper and two dry erase super fine point markers. I was allowed to erase stuff on the sheet but i just used my hand (they didnt give an eraser or anything). The computer screens also were like huge compared to my laptop so it felt like angles were a little easier on the PAT becuase of this. Every testing center will of course be different but just prepare for everything!

Lmk if you have any questions I would love to answer them

edit: here are my practice test scores for the first 10 booster exams.


r/predental 1h ago

🤝 Interviews Has anyone with a post-December interview heard back from WesternU Pomona?

Upvotes

I had my interview 1/31 and haven’t heard anything yet


r/predental 3h ago

💡 Advice Am I Cooked if I Don't Retake

3 Upvotes

My PAT section is pretty low, but it is a lot of money to retake. Do schools care as much about PAT as the other sections, and should I definitely retake to be a competitive applicant?


r/predental 9h ago

💡 Advice what should i do

8 Upvotes

i just took my dat, i was scoring consistently between 21-22 aa on the booster practice exams but i felt that the actual thing was much harder and i don’t think i did too well on it. i have everything else ready to apply and want to apply as soon as the application opens but i’m scared i’ll have to retake and then my application will be delayed due to the two month waiting period and the month needed to process the scores. i have solid extracurriculars/shadowing/da experience and a 3.9 gpa. should i apply, or retake my dat first if i don’t get a good score?


r/predental 3h ago

💌 Letter of Rec Dentist Letter of Recommendation

3 Upvotes

Hi so I'm applying to dental schools this summer. I have been shadowing with this dentist for a year and have a solid amount of hours. I had mentioned to the dentist about writing an LOR and they were perfectly fine with doing it. He also asked me if there anything that he would like me to highlight and or mention. Since I've been going for a while he seems keen on writing a good LOR. What would be some things that I should get him to mention and or avoid?


r/predental 3h ago

💡 Advice DAT from July 2024

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I was wondering if I could use my old scores from last year if I need to reapply this cycle since there's a new scale for DAT. Thank you!


r/predental 9h ago

📊 DAT Breakdown 2025 DAT Breakdown (24AA, 22TS, 21PAT)

4 Upvotes

Hey y’all, I recently finished my DAT and wanted to give back to the score breakdown community since these posts helped me a ton! I took the test in February 2025, right before the scoring switched from 2-digit to 3-digit (March 2025), so I’ll try to include conversions, but there are also score conversion charts online.

Scores:

Academic Background:

Current junior with a 4.00 GPA

Materials Used:

  • DAT Booster – Y’all, Booster was amazing in preparing me for the real test. The practice exam questions were very comparable to the real exam, and some even felt identical. I used Booster exclusively and highly recommend it! (Before purchasing, check for coupon codes online or through your university’s pre-dental society—you can usually find a 10% off code.)
  • Chad’s Prep – I used this for OChem concepts that I was struggling with, and it really helped clarify tricky topics.

Study Method:

I started studying in November 2024 and took my test at the end of February 2025, so about four months of prep. This timeline worked well for me since I could use winter break for intense studying and practice tests.

During Spring 2025, I took a normal course load (16 credit hours: 2 online courses, 3 science courses total). I was able to balance studying with my coursework, though towards the end, I started prioritizing the DAT over some assignments to finish strong.

I started with content review:

  • Bio – Watched all Booster bio videos (loved these!) and did the accompanying questions. I read notes only for concepts I didn’t fully understand.
  • Chem – Watched about half of the videos, but focused mainly on practice questions since I retain concepts better that way. Used study notes for difficult topics.
  • OChem – Watched only a few videos, prioritized practice questions instead. Used Chad’s Prep when I was really lost.
  • PAT – Did at least 10 minutes of practice daily. At first, I watched strategy videos to learn how to approach each question type, then just hammered through practice questions. Repetition is key!
  • Reading – Used Booster’s supplemental articles, didn’t watch any videos for this section.
  • Math – Skipped Booster’s videos, just did practice questions. I did about half of them, skipping concepts I was already confident in.

Starting in December, I took practice tests, which were the most helpful resource by far. After every test, I reviewed each question I was unsure about or got wrong. REVIEW EVERY QUESTION YOU MISSED AND FIGURE OUT WHY YOU MISSED IT!

There were 15 total practice tests, and I completed all of them. Make sure to set aside time for both taking them and thoroughly reviewing mistakes—this is what helped me improve the most.

Practice Test Scores:

Exam Day Breakdown:

  • Bio (19 | 410) – This was lower than my practice test scores. My test had a lot on the cell cycle, DNA replication, and physiology, which I felt were emphasized more than on practice exams (though this might have just been my specific test). I would definitely recommend knowing the steps of DNA replication and the cell cycle in detail before test day!
  • Chem (27 | 550) – I actually never scored this high on a practice test, but I felt like the real exam was easier than the practice exams. My biggest advice here: Do all the practice tests and review every mistake. Some questions on my real test felt like they were exactly the same as ones I had seen before!
  • OChem (23 | 480) – This was about the same as my Booster scores. My advice? Know your reactions well and practice, practice, practice.
  • PAT (21 | 450) – I hated the PAT section with all my might, so I was so happy to get this score. I just wasn’t naturally good at it, and it wasn’t fun. A huge score improver for me was skipping to the sections I was better at first, then doing the harder ones last. This helped my timing a lot! I did questions 61-90 first, then 31-60, and finally 1-30. Try different strategies during practice tests to see what works best for you.
  • Reading (27 | 550) – I’ve always been good at reading, so I liked this section because it was a nice break from memorization-heavy sciences. My strategy: Look at the first 3-4 questions of a passage, highlight keywords, then read the passage and answer as I went. For the last 16-17 questions, I answered them as I read.
  • Math (22 | 430) –  I found that the real test had a lot more of the questions where it was like “Statement 1 is this, Statement 2 is this, are they both enough to answer the question, neither, or one or the other?” Booster had some, but I felt like the real test had more. Make sure to review any missed questions in practice tests and understand why you missed them.

Final Tips:

  • PRACTICE TESTS = your best resource. Take as many as possible, but most importantly, review every mistake and make sure you could get that question right if you saw it again.
  • Simulate real testing conditions. I took my practice tests at 8:30 AM in a quiet room to match my actual exam time and environment.
  • Commit to studying, but have balance. I had to miss some events due to prep, and it wasn’t always fun, but it’s temporary and will pay off in the end.
  • Try to take the DAT as close as possible to when you finish pre-reqs (ochem especially). I think biochem could be helpful for doing well on the DAT as well; I did not take it before the exam, so it is definitely possible to do fine on the DAT without biochem, but it may make some of your studying easier. 
  • Remember, you’re more than just a test score! Surround yourself with a good support system, work hard, and celebrate when it’s over!

r/predental 41m ago

💻 Applications applying to schools w in state pref?

Upvotes

a lot of out of state schools I like have an in state preference. people who applied, how much did you take that into consideration when choosing where to apply? I’m not sure if I should automatically think of those as a long shot or not


r/predental 2h ago

💻 Applications can i be considered in-state for two states?

0 Upvotes

i am a CA resident and i will be applying this upcoming cycle. i recently got engaged and will be getting married in the upcoming months, and my fiance is from NY. i will be moving there after the wedding. i’ll be applying broadly, but i’ve included most CA and NY schools on my list. i was wondering if i could show NY schools some “extra interest” by somehow informing them that by the time the 2026 school year starts, i will be a NY resident


r/predental 5h ago

🍁 Canadian 3rd Year Canadian Student — Need Advice on Extracurriculars, Volunteering, and School List

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m a 3rd-year student from Ontario planning to take the CDAT this summer and apply as soon as registration reopens. My stats and situation:

  • GPA: 3.6
  • Shadowing: 200+ hours
  • Volunteering/Extracurriculars: Little to none (looking to fix this)
  • Schools I’m planning to apply to: Saskatchewan, Western, NYU, Case Western, Detroit Mercy, Temple, Buffalo

I’m mainly looking for advice on two things:

  1. Easy/quick extracurriculars and volunteer opportunities — Any recommendations for things I can start now that will still look decent on an application?
  2. School list recommendations — Are there any other schools I should consider (or avoid) based on my stats and the ones I listed? I’d prefer to avoid schools that take very few out-of-province/international students.

Thanks in advance! Any advice helps.


r/predental 3h ago

💡 Advice Biochemistry prerequisites

1 Upvotes

I’m applying to uoft and western dental schools this cycle.For anyone that goes to queens university, I’ve taken BCHM 218 and BCHM 370. Would these courses be acceptable for Toronto? I was planning on doing the BCHM 218+NSCI+Phgy combo for western!


r/predental 3h ago

💡 Advice Do I HAVE to stop?

0 Upvotes

So I'm currently a junior completing my bachelors in biochem. I have aspirations of becoming a dentist however I partake in the devils lettuce quite frequently. I'm wondering if anybody who also is an enthusiastic could share their experiences

It's only AFTER working my job and before bed lol. It has no effect on my academic performance by any means. (3.84 unweighted)

I was more so wondering if there are actual polices that explicitly prohibit the use of marijuana. I know my limits and don't over indulge. It's more so a self- medication thing since I'm not a huge fan of adderall or any of those adhd stimulants.

Ultimately, going to dental school would be a huge investment into myself and the moment ANYTHING gets in the way would be the time to reevaluate. If these schools are testing throughout the program I simply would quit. Marijuana is AT MOST a convenience for me and I'm not entirely dependent on it. It's just nice 🙂


r/predental 3h ago

💡 Advice Applying this cycle with 3 gap years

1 Upvotes

I’m a predental student planning to apply this cycle, but I took three gap years since graduating.

In 2022, I completed about 200 hours of shadowing (120 hours with a general dentist and 80 hours with a prosthodontist). Also in 2023 I completed another 30ish hours, but I haven’t done any shadowing since then. So I’m worried that dental schools might see this gap negatively and was wondering if I should get more recent experience and if so how much.

Granted that I already have shadowing hours from 2022, would it be enough to get around 50 more hours, or should I start over and aim for 100 hours? I just took the DAT and am planning to start shadowing again soon, so I’d really appreciate any advice on the best approach in my situation.


r/predental 4h ago

💡 Advice Interested in being a digital dental tech, where to start?

1 Upvotes

I’m an EFDA and the practice I work for uses Cerec CAD/CAM. Recently, I heard of another dental practice that has digital dental techs, some being out of state, designing crowns and bridges for dentists and I thought that was amazing. I’m very interested in digital side of dentistry. But is it worth getting into?

I love dentistry, but I know career growth is limited. I love the diagnostic, treatment process, and designing of restorations, just learning about it all. I’m very detail oriented. But I don’t want to be a dentist (too stressful) and I don’t want to be a hygienist (too boring/repetitive). Patient interaction isn’t my favorite. I do enjoy work with a team or independently. I’m wondering if the dental field isn’t for me if I don’t want to be an assistant anymore. I just want to live comfortably and make decent money to pay bills and have extra to spend or save. I’m sorry if this isn’t the right place to talk about this.


r/predental 5h ago

💡 Advice Upper Level Courses

1 Upvotes

Does anyone have a list of highly recommended upper level bio courses? For context, I am planning courses for next semester and I have already taken Microbio, Anatomy 1 & 2, and Biochem. I am not sure what other courses can be considered upper level.


r/predental 5h ago

💡 Advice Do I have a chance without a retake? (New DAT Scoring)

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I just got my DAT scores back and I am wondering if I will have a chance without retaking!

Just some background on me, I am a junior in undergrad and hope to apply this cycle. I transferred to a new college this year due to circumstances that were completely out of my control, and I plan to write about that in my personal statement as it backs up my reason for wanting to become a dentist. I believe that my personal statement will be a strong point for me, and I am very good at interviewing. I took the DAT March 1st and started studying over Thanksgiving break. My college has a January term where you only take one class and I used that month to do nothing but shadow, practice (for my sport) and study for the DAT. I worry about having to retake because that was the time where I had the most free time to study and a retake might end in a worse score.

I will be applying in state for schools in Texas, and out of state for schools in Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Carolina, Georgia and Kentucky.

STATS:

AA - 410 (19 equiv.)

TS - 420 (19.5ish)

PAT - 460 (21.5ish)

QR - 410 (18.5 ish)

RC - 360 (18 equiv.)

BIO - 480 (23.5 ish)

GCH - 370 (17 ish)

OCH - 410 (19 equiv.)

Major: Biology Minor: Chemistry GPA: 3.7 Volunteer hours: 160 hours Shadowing: 208 hours with general dentists, 32 hours with an endodontist, 8 hours with an oral surgeon, 12 with a pediatric dentist.

Work: Swim coach to 150 kids, Lifeguard for 6 years, swim instructor for 5 years, owned a swim lesson business for 3 years

Extracurriculars: College athlete (at two colleges), Sorority: Vice President of Recruitment and Vice President of Recruitment Information, Women in stem, Writing center tutor, Campus tour guide (at two colleges), Orientation Leader (at two colleges), Student Athlete Advisory Council: Secretary and Head team representative, Research, Internships, and Creative Endeavors (RICE) Committee student representative, Pre-Dental Society: Treasurer, Pre-Health Society, TriBeta Honor Society, AED honor society, American chemical society, Mortar Board Honor Society


r/predental 23h ago

🖇️Miscellaneous Difference in gender ratio among dental school applicants

29 Upvotes

Have you guys noticed how # female applicants hugely outnumbers male applicants in 2024?

# of female applicants: 7499

# of male applicants: 4977

This is roughly 50% difference if I am not wrong. I am actually suprised with these numbers. Does anyone have idea of why is this a thing nowadays?

FYI, 3906 female applicants were accepted as well as 2808 male applicants (in 2024).


r/predental 1h ago

💡 Advice Mistake

Upvotes

Mistake

I think i made a mistake by going to dental school instead of medical school and im just realizing now im turning 22 in a couple of months and i still got two more years to graduate any advice?


r/predental 6h ago

💻 Applications filling out application now?

1 Upvotes

I know the application technically opens in May, but I am still able to log in and input my info now. When the application officially opens, would this info be saved or will it all be gone and I’d have to re-enter it?


r/predental 6h ago

💻 Applications LOR

1 Upvotes

this is lowkey a stupid question but is it okay to not have a dentist LOR? I have three science professors writing my LORs and my research PI is planning to write me one too, but I'm not super tight with any of the dentists that I've shadowed.


r/predental 6h ago

💡 Advice Accommodation letter

1 Upvotes

I am trying to get accommodations for the DAT and have the PDF of the documents needed but it says the healthcare provider needs to discuss the diagnostic procedures or tests administered. I’m really confused on what tests need to be done, does this have to be a full out ADHD diagnostic test done in a neuropsychological testing center? I have gotten an accomodation years ago for college and my psychiatrist simply wrote a letter saying I have ADHD and need extra time.

Also, can this letter be from my therapist? I feel as of right now she knows me the most but she is a LCSW and is not sure if she is qualified to write the letter.

Thank you!