Average Dental School Debt

Report Highlights. The average dental school debt over the past five years peaked in 2020 at $331,100 but has since dropped to $280,700 in 2023.

• The average dental school graduate owes $296,500 in student loan debt.
• University of Puerto Rico and Texas A&M University have the least expensive dental school programs for residents totaling $110,158 and $133,859 for the entire program, respectively.
• The East Carolina University has the most affordable program for non-residents totaling $150,786  for the entire program.
• 82% of dental school graduates take out loans specifically to pay for dental school.

Related reports include Average Medical School Debt | Average Student Loan Debt | Student Loan Debt by State | Student Loan Debt by Year | Student Loan Debt by Race       

Rising Costs of Dental School

Since the 1980s, state governments have been cutting back financial support for dental school budgets. As a result, dental schools have steadily passed on the expenses to the student by increasing the tuition rate.

• The average dental school graduate owes $296,500 in student loan debt.
• From 2004 to 2011, dental schools raised tuition and fees every year by 5% to 10%.
• The average dental school educational debt of indebted students has risen by $136,400 since 1996. 

Dental Schools

There are 73 American Dental Association accredited dental schools in the United States.

• University of the Pacific’s accelerated program is only 3 years long.
• The University of Puerto Rico has the cheapest program on the list at $110,158, but only for residents.
• Texas A&M University has the cheapest program for residents in the mainland United States, totaling $133,859 for the entire program.
• East Carolina University has the cheapest program for non-residents totaling $150,786 for the entire program.
• Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry of USC has the most expensive program for residents at $445,619.
• University of Illinois, Chicago has the most expensive program for non-residents at $456,236. 

Paying For Dental School

The American Dental Education Association surveyed the graduating class of 2023. In their survey, they found that the majority of respondents funded their education through student loans.

• An average of 66% of the education cost of the class of 2023 was financed through loans.
• 19% of education costs were financed by friends or family, 10% by grants and scholarships, and 4% by individual savings.
• Just 1% of educational costs were financed by part-time work.
• The percentage of 2023 graduates with dental school debt rose from 74% in 2018 to 83% in 2023. 

Types of Loans

Federal Stafford loans, Federal PLUS loans, and Health Professional Student Loans (HPSL) remain the most popular loans among dental school students. The Stafford loans are direct, unsubsidized loans available for a majority of majors. Federal PLUS loans are usually taken out by parents or graduate students and used in conjunction with other federal loans. HPSL loans are eligible for students in a healthcare profession with demonstrated financial need.

• 84% of dental school graduates who took out loans to fund dental school utilized federally backed student loans.
• 77% of 2023 graduates with debt took out federal direct Grad PLUS loans, compared to 70% in 2018.
• 16% of 2023 graduates with debt used Health Professions Student Loans (HPSL). 

Paying Back Loans

Studies found that dentists with higher education debt were more likely to enter into private practice over government service, teaching, or advanced education. Increased loan debts made it less likely for dentists to enter specialist fields. The following data is from the class of 2019.

• 18.7% of graduated respondents stated that their level of debt would influence their primary professional activity.
• The majority of graduates state that they plan to pay off their loans with an aggressive repayment plan – overpaying on the most expensive loan whenever possible.
• The 2nd favorite option was to minimize monthly payments – to protect income and help with monthly cash flow.
• 3.1% of graduates favored using a service commitment program like the National Health Service Corps or the military to pay off their debt.

Debt by Race/Ethnicity

The vast majority of respondents to the ADEA survey were white. American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Pacific Islanders accounted for less than 1% of survey respondents. The following data is from the class of 2019.

• 35.8% of non-resident aliens graduated with no debt, the largest majority for non-resident aliens.
• 21.3% of Asians graduated with no debt, the largest majority of Asians. 
• 15.4% of Whites graduated with no debt, the largest majority of Whites.
• Among the respondents in the two or more race category, 21.1% of them graduated with no debt – the largest majority for them.
• 10% of Asians owed between $250,000-$299,000.
• 18.7% of Black or African Americans owed between $250,000-$299,000.
• 9.0% of Hispanics/Latinos were indebted in the range of $250,000-$299,000.
• 13.1% of Whites respondents were indebted between $250,000-$299,000.
• Among the respondents in the two or more race category, 5.6% of them owed roughly $250,000-$299,000.
• Among the nonresident aliens and those who did not report their race/ethnicity, 17% were indebted in the range of $250,000-$299,000. 

Sources

1. American Dental Education Association (ADEA), Seniors 2023 Summary Report 
2. American Dental Education Association, 2019 Graduating Class Tables Report 
3. University of the Pacific, Doctor of Dental Surgery
4. Wiley Online Library, Journal of Dental Education: “Advancing Dental Education in the 21st Century”, Current State of Dental Education Executive Summary
5. American Dental Association, Health Policy Institute: Education
6. ADEA, A Report of The ADEA Presidential Task Force on the Cost of Higher Education and Student Borrowing