Last Updated: October 12, 2026
If you are a pre-dental student applying to Canadian dental schools, one of the first questions you will ask is: what DAT score do I need? The answer depends on the school, but understanding each program’s requirements will help you set a realistic target and build a preparation plan that gets you there.
This guide compares DAT requirements across Canadian dental schools, explains the difference between the Canadian DAT and the U.S. DAT, and shows you how to prepare effectively. Some programs do not require the DAT, and requirements may differ by applicant category and admissions cycle.
Admissions-cycle note: This review uses official information available on October 12, 2026. McGill’s requirements below refer to the 2026–2027 application cycle; Montréal’s revised requirements apply starting with Fall 2027 entry; Dalhousie’s requirements refer to the 2027 intake; and Alberta’s information comes from its 2026–2027 university calendar. Manitoba’s retrieved bulletin contains older cycle references. Where a current-cycle detail could not be verified, it is identified below rather than assumed. Check the official source for your intended entry year.
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Canadian DAT vs U.S. DAT: What Is the Difference?
The Canadian DAT (cDAT) and the U.S. DAT are not the same exam. If you are applying to Canadian dental schools, you need to understand which exam is accepted and how scores are reported.
- The Canadian DAT is administered by the Canadian Dental Association and uses a 1–30 scoring scale.
- The U.S. DAT is administered by the American Dental Association (ADA) and reports scores on a 200–600 scale for tests taken beginning March 1, 2025. Earlier American DAT scores use the previous scale.
- Some Canadian schools accept both exams, some require the Canadian DAT, and some do not require the DAT for the specified cycle. Always verify directly with the school before applying.
- The Canadian DAT’s science test covers biology and general chemistry. The American DAT also tests organic chemistry and quantitative reasoning. The Canadian DAT does not have a Quantitative Reasoning section.
- The French Canadian DAT does not include Reading Comprehension. It cannot meet a school’s requirement for a DAT that includes that section.
Organic chemistry may still be required as prerequisite coursework even when it is not tested on the Canadian DAT. Prepare for the accepted exam version and the sections used by your intended schools.
Official exam information: Canadian Dental Association DAT FAQ and American Dental Association DAT information.
➡️ DAT Score Conversion — understand how the scales compare:
https://orgoman.com/blogs/dental-admissions-test-and-road-to-dental-school-acceptance/dat-score-conversion-understand-the-new-3-digit-scale
What DAT Score Do You Need? School-by-School Breakdown
Canadian dental schools differ in whether they require the DAT, which exam versions and sections they accept, and how they use the results. Published minimums establish eligibility; they are not guarantees of an interview or admission. Historical applicant statistics must be identified by year and applicant group rather than presented as universal competitive targets.
University of Toronto Faculty of Dentistry
Toronto accepts the Canadian or American DAT and evaluates Academic Average and Perceptual Ability scores. Its published minimum cumulative GPA is 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, with three years of university education required. The DAT must have been taken within 24 months of the application deadline. Published admitted-class averages describe a particular cohort and should not be treated as admission cutoffs. Toronto welcomes international applications; applicants should follow the instructions for their category.
Official source: University of Toronto DDS admissions.
McGill University Faculty of Dentistry
McGill does not require the DAT for the 2026–2027 application cycle and does not use DAT scores in applicant ranking. Its academic assessment emphasizes undergraduate cumulative GPA and academic context, alongside other selection criteria. Degree and eligibility requirements differ among Québec, other Canadian, and international applicant categories. Science prerequisites, Casper, and applicable language requirements must also be met. International applicants may apply without French-proficiency proof at application, but accepted students must obtain French proficiency before third-year clinical work.
Official sources: McGill DMD requirements and McGill selection process.
University of British Columbia Faculty of Dentistry
UBC’s official calendar states that it accepts the Canadian or American DAT, taken within the previous five years before the application deadline. It lists three academic years of university preparation and a minimum scholastic average of 70% under UBC’s grading system. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission. A limited number of international applicants may be admitted. More specific current-cycle DAT section cutoffs or applicant-category exceptions were not verified; confirm these directly with UBC admissions rather than relying on an estimated score target.
Official source: UBC DMD admissions calendar.
Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry — Western University
Western accepts the Canadian or American DAT, provided the test includes Reading Comprehension. The French Canadian DAT therefore does not meet its DAT requirement. Its published minimum cumulative GPA is 3.0, with at least 90 credit hours of qualifying undergraduate study. Western uses the most recent eligible DAT taken within the two years before the application deadline. Interviews are virtual, structured panel interviews, not an MMI. Its international applicant pathway offers up to four seats, with the same academic and non-academic requirements as domestic applicants and applicable English-proficiency requirements.
Official sources: Western dentistry admissions requirements and international applicant pathway.
University of Alberta School of Dentistry
Alberta’s 2026–2027 university calendar requires the Canadian DAT and considers Survey of Natural Sciences, Perceptual Ability, and Reading Comprehension. Its published minimum overall GPA is 3.3, alongside prerequisite and course-load requirements, including at least 60 transferable credits and two qualifying full-course-load academic years. The calendar reserves 90% of the 32 places for qualified Alberta residents. The regular-entry DDS policy for international applicants was not independently verified; confirm eligibility directly with admissions. Do not apply the citizenship rules of the separate Advanced Placement program to regular DDS entry.
Official source: Alberta 2026–2027 admissions calendar, Doctor of Dental Surgery section.
Dalhousie University Faculty of Dentistry
The primary dental school serving Atlantic Canada. For the 2027 intake, Dalhousie publishes minimum scores of 17 in Perceptual Ability, Reading Comprehension, and Survey of Natural Sciences on the Canadian DAT. The corresponding published American DAT minimums are PAT 360, Reading Comprehension 340, and Survey of Natural Sciences 380. All required minimums must be achieved in one attempt. These are eligibility requirements, not guaranteed admission scores.
The calendar states that most successful applicants score 20 or better on each component; this is competitive guidance on the Canadian scale, not a higher mandatory minimum. Canadian residents must take the Canadian DAT unless they are living outside Canada. International candidates may take the Canadian or American DAT. Minimum academic averages are A−, identified as 3.7 on a 4.3 scale or 80%, in both the last 60 credits and specified higher-science courses. Domestic seat allocation prioritizes Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island; international applicants have a separate seat pool.
Official source: Dalhousie DDS admissions calendar.
University of Manitoba College of Dentistry
Serves Manitoba and surrounding provinces. Manitoba’s retrieved applicant bulletin requires the Canadian English DAT and uses its own DAT-average calculation combining Reading Comprehension, Biology, Chemistry, and Perceptual Ability, rather than simply Academic Average. Interview-selection DAT and core-course averages are determined by the committee and may change annually. Admission is restricted to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, with priority given to Manitoba applicants.
The retrieved bulletin contains 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 cycle references. It lists a PAT eligibility floor of 14, but that figure should not be assumed to apply to the next intake without the applicable bulletin. Confirm current-cycle thresholds, score-validity dates, and deadlines directly with Manitoba admissions.
Official source: Manitoba dentistry applicant information.
University of Saskatchewan College of Dentistry
Strong regional program. The current admissions page, addressing the 2027–2028 intake, publishes Canadian DAT minimums of Academic Average 15, Perceptual Ability 14, and Reading Comprehension 14. Meeting these minimums does not guarantee an interview or admission. Saskatchewan residents and out-of-province applicants compete in different categories; historical interview-pool statistics must not be treated as minimums or admitted-class averages.
International applicants are directed to ADEA AADSAS rather than the university application portal. Confirm the requirements for that pathway directly with admissions rather than assuming domestic rules apply unchanged. The separate International Dental Degree Program is for already-trained dentists and is not interchangeable with first-year DMD admission.
Official source: Saskatchewan dentistry admissions.
Université de Montréal Faculty of Dental Medicine
One of two French-language dental schools in Canada. Starting with Fall 2027 entry, Université de Montréal no longer requires the DAT/TAED or Casper. Applicants must satisfy its academic, French-language, and other selection requirements. Regular entry requires Canadian citizenship or permanent residence; the program is not offered to foreign applicants on study permits.
Official source: Université de Montréal program admissions.
Université Laval Faculty of Dentistry
The second French-language dental school in Canada, located in Québec City. Laval’s current program page requires a minimum score of 15 out of 30 on the Canadian DAT/TAED Perceptual Ability section. Passing satisfies this eligibility requirement; higher DAT scores are not used in selection ranking, and the science-section result is not considered. French-language requirements also apply.
Laval prioritizes Québec applicants and qualifying francophone New Brunswick applicants, followed by applicants from other Canadian provinces and then non-Canadian applicants. The school warns that admission outside the priority groups is unlikely. Check the official page for the requirements applicable to your category and entry year.
Official source: Université Laval program admissions.
What Do These Requirements Have in Common?
Canadian dental schools differ in whether they require the DAT, which versions and sections they accept, and how they use the results. There is no universal rule that Academic Average is the most important score or that Perceptual Ability ranks second. Distinguish published minimum requirements from historical applicant statistics, and check the requirements for your applicant category and entry year before setting a score target.
For schools that evaluate Perceptual Ability, start early and practice consistently. Give each required section preparation time based on your intended schools’ policies and your own needs.
How to Prepare for the Canadian DAT
The Canadian DAT tests biology and general chemistry, while the American DAT also tests organic chemistry and quantitative reasoning. Prepare for the exam version and sections accepted by your intended schools. Dr. Jim Romano has been helping students prepare for the DAT for more than 35 years. His preparation materials are built around deep conceptual understanding — the foundation required to score competitively at Canadian dental schools.
Canadian students preparing for the DAT consistently use these materials when applying to both Canadian and U.S. dental schools.
- DAT Destroyer
- Math Destroyer
- General Chemistry Destroyer
- Organic Chemistry Odyssey
- Dr. Jim Romano Biology Review Book
Math Destroyer and Organic Chemistry Odyssey support preparation for the American DAT’s quantitative reasoning and organic chemistry content. Those subjects are not sections of the Canadian DAT; organic chemistry may nevertheless be needed for prerequisite coursework. Choose materials according to the exam you will take and the coursework your schools require.
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Join the DAT and OAT Destroyer Study Group on Facebook for free resources and daily practice questions.
Bottom Line: Canadian dental schools are competitive, but DAT requirements differ by school, applicant category, and admissions cycle. Confirm whether a DAT is required, which version is accepted, and which sections are evaluated. Distinguish minimum scores from competitive statistics. Start early, study with proven materials, and use the official admissions sources alongside the school-by-school guides above to understand each program’s requirements.