There Is No Published List of DAT Dates for 2027
The DAT does not have national test dates in 2027. The ADA offers it year-round at Prometric centers in the U.S., U.S. territories including Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, and at select centers in Canada. Quebec is no longer a testing location. You pick an open seat. The ADA does not post a calendar of DAT dates for 2027, or for any other year.
What people mean by “DAT dates 2027” is usually one of two questions. If you want to start dental school in Fall 2027, a test date during calendar year 2027 is probably too late. If you want to start in Fall 2028, then 2027 is the year you should sit for the exam. The application calendars are separate: Fall 2027 timeline and Fall 2028 timeline.
How to Book a DAT Seat
Get a DENTPIN, apply to the ADA, then schedule with Prometric after your eligibility letter arrives. You cannot pick the day on Prometric first.
- 1Create or retrieve a DENTPIN at ADA.org/DENTPIN.
- 2Submit a DAT application. A new application is required for every attempt. Processing runs on U.S. business days.
- 3After the ADA accepts it, you are eligible to test for six months, unless a retake rule shortens that window. You can extend eligibility once, by 45 days, for a fee.
- 4Call or book Prometric. The ADA says to do this 60 to 90 days before the day you want, because seats fill.
The ADA’s own timing advice is to take the DAT in the spring of your junior year, or the summer right after, and only after the tested courses are done, especially organic chemistry. If the date you want is in 2027, you are on the updated organic chemistry outline: what changed in DAT organic chemistry.
Official scores are reported within three to four weeks. There is no unofficial score at the test center. Do not book a date in the same week a school needs the number.
Which 2027 Dates Still Count for Fall 2027 Entry
A test in 2027 usually does not help a Fall 2027 application. That class applies in the 2026–27 AADSAS cycle. The cycle closes February 5, 2027, at 11:59 PM ET. Official test scores have to be matched by February 10, 2027, at 5 PM ET. A January test can miss that window, because reporting takes three to four weeks. A February or March 2027 test cannot land on a Fall 2027 file.
Schools set earlier cutoffs than the cycle close. Creighton says DAT scores for Fall 2027 matriculation must fall between June 1, 2023 and November 15, 2026. That is one school, not a national rule. Another school may want scores earlier, or may still accept a later date. Read the deadline on each program before you pay the $580 application fee.
If you have not submitted AADSAS yet, the school deadline matters more than the February cycle close. That check is in is it too late to apply for 2027?.
| Your goal | A DAT date that can still work |
|---|---|
| Fall 2027 entry, score not in yet | Only a 2026 date that beats your school’s score deadline, with 3–4 weeks left for reporting |
| One retake before a late 2026 school deadline | First attempt at least 60 days plus score-report time before that deadline |
| Fall 2028 entry | A 2027 Prometric date, ideally spring or early summer |
If You Take the DAT in 2027, You Are on the Fall 2028 Cycle
Spring or early summer 2027 is the normal window for students who will apply in 2027. ADEA has not posted the 2027–28 open date. The previous cycle opened May 12 and accepted submissions from June 2, so plan to have the official score before you need to submit, not the week of.
Leave room for one retake. The 2026 DAT Candidate Guide requires 60 days between attempts, with at most four attempts in any 12-month period. After three attempts you must request permission and show that you have applied to dental school. A May test plus a retake will not produce a second score before an early-June submit. If a retake is realistic, sit in January or February 2027 instead. How to decide is in should I retake the DAT?.
A competitive Academic Average is about 420 on the 200–600 scale, roughly an old 20. The table is 420 DAT to old score = 20.
What the 2026 Fee Schedule Says
The 2026 Candidate Guide lists the DAT examination fee at $580. That covers the test and score reports to the schools you select when you apply. Fees are non-refundable. A 2027 guide can change the number, so confirm it on the ADA page the day you apply.
| Fee in the 2026 guide | Amount |
|---|---|
| Examination, including score reports chosen at application | $580 |
| Extra score report after you apply | $55 each |
| Score audit, within 30 days of the test | $105 |
| One 45-day eligibility extension | $150 |
| Reschedule, 30 or more business days out | $50 |
| Reschedule, 5 to 29 business days | $70 |
| Reschedule, 1 to 4 business days | $150 |
Saturday and Sunday do not count as business days for those reschedule windows. A missed appointment forfeits the full testing fee. Partial fee waivers, when a batch is open, cover 50% of the exam fee. The ADA said the 2026 waivers were used up and pointed people to the next batch on January 1, 2027.
FAQ
When are the DAT dates in 2027?
There aren’t any fixed dates. Prometric posts open seats at each center. You become eligible for six months after the ADA accepts your application, then you book a seat, ideally 60 to 90 days ahead.
Is a 2027 DAT date early enough for Fall 2027 dental school?
Usually no. Fall 2027 applicants needed a score during the 2026–27 cycle. AADSAS stops matching official scores on February 10, 2027. Some schools, including Creighton, want the DAT even earlier. A 2027 test date is for Fall 2028 entry.
How far ahead should I schedule the DAT?
60 to 90 days before the day you want, after organic chemistry and your other tested courses are finished. Popular centers and summer seats go first.
How long do DAT scores take?
Three to four weeks for the official report. Schools do not get an unofficial score on test day.
Next Step
Pick the entry year first. Then book a Prometric day that still leaves three to four weeks, and 60 more days if you might retake.
Build a free DAT study plan from that date, or schedule a call if you are choosing between a late 2026 seat and waiting for 2027.
Written By
Future Dental Prep
Admissions Team