If your score on the DAT isn't what you need, you can retake the test, but the American Dental Association sets firm limits. These rules come from the ADA's 2026 DAT Candidate Guide, and the guide states they are not subject to appeal.
What counts as an attempt
A testing attempt is any administration where you were seated at a computer at a test center and electronically agreed to the confidentiality statement to start the test. Every attempt requires a new application and fee. Partial testing isn't allowed: every section must be taken, and any section not taken is reported at the lowest possible score.
Related: What to Expect on the DAT: Format, Scoring, and How to Prepare
The retake rules
- Wait at least 60 days between attempts.
- No more than four attempts in any 12-month period. If you use all four, you can't take a fifth until 12 months have passed since the first of those four.
- After three or more attempts, you need permission to test again, and you must provide proof of a recent application to dental school with each new application to test.
- After your fifth attempt, you may retest only once per 12-month period.
Asking to test beyond three attempts
Requests go to the DAT program in writing and must include acceptable evidence that you tried to apply to dental school within the previous 18 months: a copy of a completed, submitted ADEA AADSAS application; a rejection letter from a dental school; a letter on school letterhead from a dental school admissions officer encouraging you to retest; or a letter on letterhead from a college or university health professions advisor or instructor confirming you are applying to dental school.
The score scale changed in 2025
Effective March 1, 2025, the DAT moved from a 1-30 reporting scale to a 200-600 scale. The ADA publishes a concordance table for comparing old and new scores. If you're retaking after testing under the old scale, schools can use that table to compare your results.
Should you retake?
- Compare your scores with what your target schools report for admitted students, on their own websites.
- Look at your section scores, not just the overall picture. A retake makes most sense when one or two sections clearly held you back and you can fix them.
- Use the 60-day wait to prepare differently, not just longer. Review which sections cost you points and change how you practice them.
Plan around the limits
Because attempts are limited and each one needs a new application and fee, schedule your first DAT early enough in your application cycle that a retake, with the 60-day wait, can still fit before your deadlines.