How to Prepare for the Dental Admissions Test

good, 2 tests in it, comprehensive, not heavy to carry with you

First of all, this book is not as bad as others make it out to be. But I think people should realize that this book is NOT a complete guide for the DAT. The science review sections were condensed...very much like preliminary lecture notes. However, the PAT section was very helpful. I found the level of hardness on the real test very similar to the book's. What I suggest is you use Kaplan or TopScore (some very heavy duty review books) along with this book for the PAT section. Then, a few days before the test, flip this book open to go through the materials quickly to keep your brain in science mode. And, of course, constantly practice the PAT section. My prelimary PAT score was 13 when I signed up for Kaplan (which was useless btw), and with this book I got an 18 on the real PAT.

Well, I read some of the reviews of this book and I wasn't sure whether or not to spring for it. Now, after purchasing it and using it as a study aide, I feel obligated to share that it is a MUST HAVE for anyone who wants do well on the DAT--I am reporting back to let applicants know that this book was invaluable!!! Yes, there were a couple of type-O's, but they didn't get in the way of me being able to benefit from the advise offered. I bought into the approaches and strategies given in the PAT section and I did incredibly well on the DAT. I liked the unique sections of the book that went beyond the basics of a prep book (e.g., what to expect in dental school and in the field). This is not an adapted MCAT book---it's a great DAT book!

This book has faults (sample exam errors, etc.) that have been abundantly pointed out by other reviewers, but the hints for the PAT are worth the money alone. I found the PAT on the DAT to be more difficult than some other prep products's sample tests would have you believe (Although, I did score well on the PAT). This book alone takes a methodical approach to finding the right answer, but also getting it fast, which was my problem. The science review sections were not as complete as some other books, but I found many of the explanations helpful in clarifying things that I had never learned well in my prereq classes, especially in the O Chem section, where the idea of using acid and base chemistry to solve problems was emphasized in a very helpful way. I would not recommend using this as your only review material, but in conjunction with TopScore Pro and my textbooks, etc., it helped me get very good scores on all sections of the DAT.

I reviewed for the Survey of the Natural Sciences and PAT with this text - both of my actual scores were over 20. I did find some mistakes though, but they were obviously typos. If for no other reason, get this for the information about the application process! Note that the actual DAT exam has multiple hole punches on the PAT. Overall, I thought it was a good review guide.