DAT Perceptual Ability
Master the visual and spatial reasoning skills necessary for the Dental Admission Test Perceptual Ability section.
Advanced Topics
Paper Folding
Visualizing Folds and Punches
Paper folding questions present a flat sheet with one or more folds and a hole punch. You must determine what the unfolded sheet will look like.
Steps to Solve
- Visualize each fold, one by one, in your mind.
- Track the hole punch through all the folds.
- Unfold the paper mentally, step by step, to see where the holes end up.
Applying the Skill
This skill mimics tasks like imagining the result of drilling or prepping dental materials, where predicting the outcome is crucial.
Tips
- Draw or use scrap paper during practice to build your skills.
- Look for symmetry to speed up the process.
Being accurate with paper folding questions can boost your confidence with spatial reasoning in real-world dental applications.
Examples
Predicting how a dental dam will cover teeth after folding.
Visualizing the result of layered composite fillings after placement.
In a Nutshell
Paper folding tests your ability to mentally unfold and predict patterns.