The Best DAT Review Books of 2024

The Dental Admission Test or DAT is a year-round exam that assesses how well a student would succeed if he/she were to enroll in a dental education program. It is also an exam that helps dental schools all over America assess whether a student is fit for their program. That said, performing well in the DAT is of utmost importance if you want to be admitted to a good dental school. Using any of our choices of DAT review books will indeed increase your chances of getting a good score in the DAT.

If you want to just get back to studying, get our top choice for DAT review books here.

Last update: 2024-10-08

Our Favorites for the Best DAT Review Books (the best out of the bunch)

DAT Prep Plus by Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep has always been a leader in the review books industry. Their study guide for the DAT only serves to add to Kaplan’s success as a giant in this industry. DAT Prep Plus is a high-quality material that offers you a complete and holistic approach to your review in a sense that it helps you attack the exam in sorts of angles.

It bolsters your preparation with a comprehensive content review that includes all of the topic areas and subjects covered the DAT. However, it does not only focus on substantive content because it also includes strategies that are designed to improve your confidence and manage your anxiety as the DAT draws near. And, if you want to review while you are on the go, it provides you with quick review sheets that you can basically carry anywhere.

To make sure that you also get the right amount of practice, this material includes hundreds of practice questions for every subject. All of those questions have their own corresponding answers and explanations so that you are not left scratching your head wondering where you went wrong. And, of course, the book contains two full-length practice exams that are designed to mimic the DAT so that you will have an idea of what to expect in the real thing.

A book that has over 900 pages of good content,Kaplan Test Prep offers you a comprehensive and complete study guide. Its price and the fact that it is one of the most thorough materials on the market make it a top choice among students, teachers, and even professionals in the field of dental medicine.

What makes it unique:

• It gives you a holistic approach to your review.
• There are quick review sheets that you can easily bring anywhere for a more portable study experience.
• The book is a treasure trove of practice questions.

Why choose this book:

• If you want a book that stands alone as your only DAT study guide, this one does the job really well.
• It contains everything you need to the point that you probably won’t have to purchase a supplementary material.

Last update: 2024-10-08

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Cracking the DAT by The Princeton Review

Developed by The Princeton Review, another giant in the industry, Cracking is another one of those books that provides you with a top-quality study guide you should have in your arsenal. A book that contains everything you need to know, Cracking attacks your review from all angles to make sure that you do not come into the test as a one-trick pony.

While there are other books that are just as comprehensive as this one when it comes to content review, there is one factor that makes Cracking stands out. Unlike other study guides, it does not make you feel like you are reading a textbook because of how it is written in a way that is easy to comprehend and digest. There are also lots of examples and illustrations that can make understanding the topics easier. And, if you want a quick review, there are even quick reference pages that you can easily tear out.

Considering that this book is also a good all-around material, it provides you with enough test-taking strategies that you can use for the more difficult questions. And, to make sure that you come into the exam armed with enough experience, it provides you with a lot of drills and practice questions. On top of that, it has two full-length practice tests that are designed to be just as challenging or even more difficult than the actual DAT.

For its price, it is not the most affordable book but it certainly is cheaper than most other competitors on the market. Plus, you are also getting a material that is tried and tested over the years. The Cracking the DAT series has been getting a lot of positive reviews on Amazon particularly because of how it has helped students all across America get a good score on the DAT without them attending private classes or hiring tutors.

What makes it unique:

• The content review is extensive yet easy to understand.
• It offers you quick reference sheets you can tear out and bring anywhere.
• The practice exams are quite challenging.

Why choose this book:

• This book is arguably one of the most organized materials on the market and is one of the best DAT review books for those looking for a study guide that is easy to digest.
• If you want to challenge yourself with difficult practice exams, this one should be on your list.

Last update: 2024-10-08

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The Runners-Up for the Best DAT Review Books (still good but a little lacking)

Gold Standard Dental Admission Test Comprehensive Review by Gold Standard Team

Frankly speaking, there is no review book that comes close to how complete, comprehensive, thorough, and in-depth Gold Standard is. This material is actually a bundled up version of all of the Gold Standard Team’s individual books that each cover their own topic areas. In that case, you can just imagine how comprehensive and how long this one single book is.

Because of how long this book is, you are given focused content reviews of each topic. It simply feels as if you are given a year’s worth of information because of how extensive this material is. In that sense, all the knowledge and details you need to know about the topics and subjects covered by the DAT are all bundled up in this study guide.

Not satisfied with its ultra-detailed content review portion, Gold Standard offers you thousands of practice questions that cover all of the topics tested by the DAT.  In that sense, you will never run out of practice materials as the book has more than 3,000 questions that are all designed to drill you to success.

Of course, the content does not end there. The book includes over ten hours of teaching videos that improve your knowledge and understanding of the Natural Sciences. It also has a section that helps prepare you for your dental school interview as some schools put a lot of emphasis on the interview portion as well.

While this book might very well be the most complete material you can get your hands on, it is not the lightest one on your wallet. It comes with a hefty price tag that not everyone can afford. Had it been a lot more affordable, it would have been our top choice. Nevertheless, it is the best book you can find if you have a lot of time left before the review and if you want a material that really stuffs your head with information and knowledge.

What makes it unique:

• It is the compilation of the Gold Standard Team’s individual books.
• The book contains thousands of practice questions.
• It includes video content

Why choose this book:

• If you are not shy about spending hundreds of dollars to ensure your success in the DAT, then this should be the top book on your list.

Last update: 2024-10-08

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DAT Prep 2019-2020: DAT Secrets Study Guide, Full-Length Practice Test, Step-by-Step Review Video Tutorials by DAT Secrets Test Prep Team

Made by Mometrix's team for the DAT, this book gives you a condensed, concise, and easy-to-understand review that is perfect for anyone looking to study for the exam in such a short amount of time. Because it goes straight to the point, you do not have to waste a lot of time reading this book. It just simply cuts directly to the most important concepts and details.

DAT Prep 2019-2020 was able to condense and break down the topics covered by the exam into short summaries. In that sense, you are given a quick content review that eliminates fluff and extra details. On top of that, it also teaches you how to strategize and apply the information you learned in the different parts of the DAT so that you will be able to perform better than expected.

It is not the most comprehensive book nor is it the most substantive material you can find. For its price, DAT Prep 2019-2020 also is not the most affordable study guide on the market. However, it is only 348 pages long making it the shortest book on this list. In that sense, it has received a lot of positive reviews on Amazon particularly because of how it has helped time-crunched students in the DAT.

What makes it unique:

• It summarizes subjects and topics to give you a condensed content review.
• Focuses primarily on content review and secondarily on tips and strategies.

Why choose this book:

• This is the best DAT review book you can find if you are looking for a short and concise material that saves you time.

Last update: 2024-10-08

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The Best Value for Your Money for Best DAT Review Books (good and affordable)

Barron's DAT by Joseph DiRienzo, John Ference, Nicole Cornell, Edwin Hines, John Phil

Barron’s has always been one of the top names in the industry of review books. In this case, although its book for the DAT is not the most popular, it is by far one of the most affordable study guides you can find. And when it comes to quality, it does not lag far behind as it still delivers you content and information that is on par with the best of them.

At only 500 pages, it is one of the shortest study guides on the market. Nevertheless, it was able to condense a holistic review experience in one efficient book. The content review is not as comprehensive as the others because it is only a general and quick survey of the topics covered by the DAT. But that is already enough to provide you with a thorough explanation of what you need to know to get a good score in the exam.

And, like any good Barron’s book, this study guide contains three tests. The first one is a diagnostic exam, which aims to help you gauge your level of preparedness prior to using the book. The other two are full-length practice tests that were designed to work your mind and train how you use your knowledge as the DAT draws closer and closer.

For its price, Barron’s is the most affordable book on this list. It is comparatively newer than all of the other lines of review books but it has already garnered a lot of attention because it is a high-quality material that does not break the bank.

What makes it unique:

• It includes a thorough general survey of the topics covered by the DAT.
• The book contains three tests.

Why choose this book:

• This is the best choice thus far if you are looking for an affordable yet high-quality study material for the DAT.

Last update: 2024-10-08

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Summary of the Best DAT Review Books

Here’s a table of what the best DAT review books we evaluated:

Last update: 2024-10-08

Because you only have about 4 hours and 15 minutes to finish this long exam, the DAT is more of an endurance test rather than an exam that is based on your knowledge alone. That said, it is important for you to prepare yourself in both mental and emotional aspects as it is a test that can easily break you down. Our top reviewed DAT books picks can help you in that regard as they build your mental fortitude while also giving you enough confidence to face and finish the test without worrying too much.

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