Question 1
If and , what is the value of ?
DAT score calculator: Academic Average and percentiles
Pick your six section scores. You get your Academic Average, your Total Science and where each score sits among DAT candidates, from the percentile table the ADA publishes for the 200 to 600 scale.
Academic Average
420
69% of candidates in the ADA's national sample scored 420 or lower on the Academic Average. Total Science: 420.
| Section | Score | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 420 | 67 |
| General Chemistry | 410 | 60 |
| Organic Chemistry | 430 | 73 |
| Perceptual Ability | 400 | 52 |
| Reading Comprehension | 450 | 83 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 390 | 47 |
Academic Average: Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Quantitative Reasoning and Reading Comprehension, averaged and rounded; Perceptual Ability is not part of it. Total Science: the three sciences, averaged and rounded.
About the same as
| Academic Average | 410 |
|---|---|
| Total Science (Survey of the Natural Sciences) | 410 |
| Biology | 410 |
| General Chemistry | 410 |
| Organic Chemistry | 410 |
| Perceptual Ability | 410 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 420 |
| Reading Comprehension | 370 |
From the ADA's concordance table, which matches scores holding similar places in the two score distributions.
| Score scale | 200 to 600 in 10-point steps, for every section and average |
|---|---|
| Academic Average | Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Quantitative Reasoning and Reading Comprehension, averaged and rounded; not Perceptual Ability |
| Total Science | Biology, General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, averaged and rounded |
| Percentiles | The ADA's national sample of more than 30,000 attempts over two recent years |
How the calculator works
Each DAT section is reported on the same 200 to 600 scale. The ADA defines the Academic Average as the rounded average of your Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Quantitative Reasoning and Reading Comprehension scores, and Total Science as the rounded average of the three sciences. Perceptual Ability is reported on its own and is not part of either.
The percentile beside each score comes straight from the ADA's percentile rank table: it is the share of candidates in its national sample who scored at or below that score. The calculator rounds averages to the nearest 10, the scale's step.
Reading the percentiles
On the ADA's table a 400 sits near the middle: it is the 54th percentile for the Academic Average. A 450 Academic Average is the 85th percentile, a 500 the 97th. Section percentiles differ a little: a 460 in Quantitative Reasoning is the 85th percentile, the ADA's own example.
Each dental school decides what it treats as a good score. The ADA sets no passing score.
Old scores (1 to 30)
Since March 1, 2025 the DAT has been reported on the 200 to 600 scale, and the ADA reports older scores to dental schools on the new scale too. The second panel uses the ADA's concordance table to show what an old 1 to 30 score corresponds to: an old 18 Academic Average is about a 390, the ADA's example.
Try 2 questions
Question 2
A student dissolves 5.85 g of sodium chloride in water to make 250 mL of solution. What is the molarity? (Molar mass of NaCl 58.5 g/mol)
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Questions people ask
How is the DAT Academic Average calculated?
It is the rounded average of five scale scores: Biology, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Quantitative Reasoning and Reading Comprehension. Perceptual Ability is not included.
What percentile is a 400 on the DAT?
On the ADA's percentile rank table, a 400 Academic Average is the 54th percentile: 54% of candidates in its national sample scored 400 or lower.
How do I convert an old DAT score to the new scale?
Use the ADA's concordance table, which the calculator's second panel follows. For example, an old 18 in Biology corresponds to about 390 on the new scale.