International students can register for and take the DAT -- but there are real, specific limitations worth understanding before you plan around it, especially around where the test is actually offered and what dental school admission itself requires beyond a strong score.
Where the DAT is actually administered
This is the single most important fact for anyone testing from outside North America: the DAT is administered at Prometric test centers in the United States and its territories (including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), and at select locations in Canada -- but it is no longer offered in the province of Quebec. Unlike the ACT, there is no broader international testing network -- if you live outside the U.S. or Canada, you'll need to travel to one of these locations to sit for the exam.
Related: What to Expect on the DAT: Format, Scoring, and How to Prepare
What registration requires
Before registering, you'll need a DENTPIN (Dental Personal Identification Number), obtained through ADA's own system, and a valid, active passport for identification, with the name and details matching your registration exactly. If you're applying to a U.S. or Canadian dental school as an international applicant, you'll typically also need to demonstrate English proficiency (commonly through a TOEFL score) as part of the broader application process, separate from DAT registration itself.
The DAT is only one part of a much bigger hurdle
Passing the DAT with a strong score does not by itself guarantee admission eligibility -- dental school admission requirements for international applicants vary significantly by school and by country, and are frequently far more restrictive than the DAT's own testing eligibility. In Canada specifically, many dental schools require Canadian citizenship or permanent residency status as a baseline eligibility requirement; the University of Toronto and University of Saskatchewan, for example, generally do not consider applicants without that status, while other schools such as the University of British Columbia do accept applications from international students, though with their own additional requirements, including proof of sufficient financial resources.
What to do before investing in DAT prep
Because dental school eligibility for international applicants varies so much by specific school, research the actual admission requirements at your target schools before committing significant time and cost to DAT preparation -- a strong DAT score is necessary but not sufficient at many programs if you don't otherwise meet a school's citizenship, residency, or financial requirements. Contact your target schools' admissions offices directly, since these policies can vary meaningfully between otherwise similar programs and can change from year to year.
The bottom line
If you're an international student seriously considering U.S. or Canadian dental school, plan your DAT test date around travel to an eligible Prometric location well in advance, and confirm your specific target schools' international-applicant policies early -- ideally before you begin serious test prep, not after.