DAT scores and percentiles: what’s average and what’s good
There’s no passing score on the DAT. Scores run from 200 to 600, and the ADA’s 2026 User Manual puts the average Academic Average at about 408, or about 414 for first-time takers. An Academic Average of 400 sits around the 54th percentile and 460 around the 88th, according to the ADA’s normative table as reported by prep guides.
Means and standard deviations from the ADA’s Dental Admission Test User Manual (2026). Percentile points from the ADA’s normative table as quoted by prep guides. Checked October 12, 2026. Each dental school sets its own expectations.
Average scores by section
| Score | Mean | SD | First-time mean | Repeater mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Average | 407.8 | 51.6 | 413.9 | 396.3 |
| Survey of the Natural Sciences | 402.1 | 60.8 | 408.7 | 389.5 |
| Biology | 405.3 | 67.7 | 411.4 | 393.6 |
| General Chemistry | 398.8 | 65.8 | 404.9 | 387.0 |
| Organic Chemistry | 402.1 | 66.5 | 409.6 | 387.8 |
| Perceptual Ability | 406.8 | 66.8 | 410.7 | 399.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 427.7 | 58.0 | 432.5 | 418.5 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 405.3 | 55.0 | 411.1 | 394.3 |
From the ADA’s DAT User Manual (2026). SD is standard deviation.
How the scores work
- Scale scores, not percentages. They’re equated across test forms, so a score means the same thing whichever version you sat. There’s no penalty for guessing.
- The Academic Average is the rounded average of Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Reading Comprehension and Quantitative Reasoning. Perceptual Ability is reported separately.
- Old scores convert. The 1-30 scale was replaced on March 1, 2025, and the ADA publishes a concordance table for comparing them.
- Repeaters average lower than first-time takers in every section, so plan to do your best on the first attempt.
Common questions
What's a good DAT score?
It depends on your schools; check the averages they publish for admitted students. Above the average of about 408 puts you ahead of most takers.
Do schools see all my scores?
Yes. The ADA reports every attempt, so schools see your full history.