Updated
DAT Registration: How to Register, Fees and Rules (2026)
To register for the DAT, get a DENTPIN, apply to the American Dental Association and pay the $580 exam fee, then book your date with Prometric once the ADA emails your eligibility, per the ADA. You then have 6 months to test. The ADA suggests applying 60 to 90 days before your test.
Below: each step, the 2026 fees, the partial fee waiver, the name and ID rules that cost people their fee, rescheduling, accommodations and a checklist we wrote. Facts are from the 2026 DAT Candidate Guide and ADA pages, checked October 30, 2026. When to test is in DAT test dates.
How do you register for the DAT?
- Get a DENTPIN at ADA.org/DENTPIN, or find your old one. If you have ever applied for a dental exam, you must use the DENTPIN you already have.
- If you may qualify for the partial fee waiver, request it from your DENTPIN account first. It is only for first-time test takers.
- Read the 2026 DAT Candidate Guide. The application asks you to agree to its rules.
- Apply to take the DAT through the ADA, with your legal name as it appears on your ID.
- Pick every dental school you might apply to as a score recipient. They are included in the fee, and the list can't be changed later.
- Pay the exam fee by card. It is charged when you submit and can't be refunded.
- Wait for the eligibility email from the ADA's Department of Testing Services. Check your spam folder.
- Book your date and center with Prometric, and keep your confirmation.
Your scores go to every school on your list, plus ADEA AADSAS, and Texas schools also get them through TMDSAS. Adding a school later costs $55 a report, and the list can't be edited after you submit. You can also ask for your advisor to see your scores at no charge.
Updating your details after you apply
The Candidate Guide says corrections to your name or birthdate must be done at least two weeks before your appointment, by emailing DENTPIN@ADA.org. Updating your contact details in your DENTPIN profile does not update an application you already submitted.
What does the DAT cost?
The 2026 fees, from the Candidate Guide. All are nonrefundable.
| Fee | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | Amount: $580 | What it covers: The test and scores to every school you pick when you apply |
| Score report | Amount: $55 | What it covers: Each report you request after applying |
| Score audit | Amount: $105 | What it covers: A recheck of your results, within 30 days of testing |
| Eligibility extension | Amount: $150 | What it covers: 45 more days, once per application |
The ADA also sells official practice tests: a full practice test for $100 or single modules for $20 each, on its apply page.
Is there a DAT fee waiver?
Yes, a partial one. Per the Candidate Guide, it covers 50% of the exam fee, or $290 by our math, for your first DAT and for one retest, and it includes one free full practice test. It does not cover rescheduling or later score reports. You may qualify if all of these are true:
- You have a demonstrated financial hardship.
- It is your first time taking the DAT, and you have never had a waiver.
- You are a US citizen, or a foreign national who meets the IRS “green card” or “substantial presence” test.
- You received financial aid at your school.
Request it from your DENTPIN account under Submit Request, then Waiver Request, before you apply. Waivers are limited and go first come, first served, in batches starting January 1, April 1 and July 1. Allow up to 10 business days for a decision.
What name and ID do you need?
Use your legal name. A middle name must be in full or as an initial. If the name on your application doesn't exactly match your IDs, the Candidate Guide says you can't test, you forfeit the appointment and fee and you must apply and pay again.
Bring two original, current IDs. The primary must be government issued with your photo, name and signature, such as a driver's license or passport. The secondary needs your name and signature, such as a debit card. Expired IDs and digital or paper copies are not accepted. Arrive at least 30 minutes early.
How do you reschedule, and what happens if you miss it?
Through Prometric's website or phone line, not the test center, and the fee goes to Prometric. Changes must be made by the business day before your test and at least 24 hours ahead. The fee depends on your notice:
| Notice before your test | Fee |
|---|---|
| 30 or more business days | Fee: $50 |
| 5 to 29 business days | Fee: $70 |
| 1 to 4 business days | Fee: $150 |
By our math, 30 business days is 6 weeks of weekdays, so a change more than six weeks out costs the least. If you don't show up, or arrive more than 30 minutes late and are turned away, you forfeit the full fee and must apply again. For an emergency on test day itself, such as sudden illness, email testingproblems@ADA.org with documents within five business days.
How do you register with accommodations?
Request them with each application, with a completed request form and supporting documents, through your DENTPIN account. You can send the request before you apply. Wait for the eligibility email that lists your approved accommodations before you book. The Candidate Guide says accommodations can't be added to an appointment you already booked, so booking early means canceling and paying a fee.
A checklist before you book
Ours, built from the ADA rules above:
- One DENTPIN, with my legal name exactly as on my government photo ID.
- My middle name is either in full or as an initial, matching my ID.
- Two current, physical IDs: a government photo ID with signature, and a second ID with my name and signature.
- Every school I might apply to is on my score recipient list.
- Accommodations, if I need them, are approved before I book.
- I know my six-month window ends and when the $50 reschedule tier closes for my date.
- I booked 60 to 90 days ahead and have a backup date in mind.
Choosing your date is covered in DAT test dates. What score to aim for is in what is a good DAT score, and the rest of the application is in dental school requirements.
Practice a question about details
Interviewers often ask for an example of precision. More questions are in our dental school interview questions guide.
“Tell me about a time a small detail mattered.”
Dentistry rewards precision, and interviewers like stories that show it. Pick one detail you caught, what would have happened if you hadn't and what habit came from it.
Example answer written by Confetto (the applicant is invented)
When I registered for the DAT, I noticed my application had my middle name spelled out but my driver's license only had the initial. I had read that a mismatch means you can't test, so I fixed it weeks ahead.
It was a small thing, but it taught me to check the boring details early. I do the same at the clinic where I volunteer, where I read back every appointment and medication to the patient before they leave.
Sources: the DAT 2026 Candidate Guide and the ADA's DAT and apply pages, linked throughout and checked October 30, 2026. The checklist and our math are ours.
Frequently asked questions
How do I register for the DAT?
Get a DENTPIN, apply through the ADA and pay the fee, then wait for the eligibility email and book a date with Prometric. You then have six months to test. See the ADA's apply page.
How much does the DAT cost in 2026?
$580, which includes scores for every school you pick when you apply. Score reports you ask for later are $55 each. Fees are nonrefundable. Read the Candidate Guide.
Is there a DAT fee waiver?
Yes, a partial one. It covers half the exam fee, so $290 by our math, for your first test and one retest, plus a free full practice test. It is for first-time test takers with financial hardship who received financial aid, given first come, first served in batches from January 1, April 1 and July 1. Read the waiver rules.
How much does it cost to reschedule the DAT?
$50 with 30 or more business days' notice, $70 with 5 to 29 and $150 with 1 to 4, paid to Prometric. Weekends don't count. Changes must be made by the business day before and at least 24 hours ahead. Read the Candidate Guide.
What ID do I need for the DAT?
Two current, physical IDs. The primary must be government issued with your photo, name and signature, like a driver's license or passport. The secondary needs your name and signature, like a debit card. The name must match your application exactly. Read the ID policy.
Can I extend my DAT eligibility?
Once per application, by 45 days, for $150. You must not have an appointment booked when you ask, so cancel first. Read the extension rule.
More dental school guides
Applying to more dental schools? These pages cover other schools’ interviews, numbers and the application: