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Dental Student Debt Fast Facts

  • The average debt of graduating dental students has significantly increased in the last 20 years. In 2022, the average debt per graduate was $293,900, according to ADEA. 83% of dental students graduated with educational debt in 2022.
  • Educational debt factors into dentists' career decisions after graduation. New dentists can be deterred from pursuing their desired career path when burdened with substantial debt.
  • ASDA supports initiatives to reduce the burden of debt for dental students such as the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, which would allow medical and dental residents to defer their student loans, interest-free, during residency.
  • ASDA urges Congress, state legislatures and state dental associations to pass measures that include, but are not limited to:
    • Reducing student loan interest rates;
    • Providing refinancing opportunities to borrowers;
    • Providing opportunities for loan forgiveness, scholarships, grants and tax deductibility.
  • Read ASDA’s F-4 Policy.
Student Debt 2023

The average debt per graduating senior in 2022 was $296,500, according to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). This high level of debt can jeopardize a new dentist’s ability to choose their preferred career path.

ASDA Policy

ASDA considers the growing student debt crisis a top priority and advocates for financially sustainable, long-term solutions.

ASDA's F-4 policy states: The American Student Dental Association supports initiatives to reduce the burden of debt for dental students. The association urges Congress, state legislatures and state dental associations to pass measures that include, but are not limited to:

  1. Reducing student loan interest rates;
  2. Providing refinancing opportunities to borrowers;
  3. Providing opportunities for loan forgiveness, scholarships, grants and tax deductibility.

What Has ASDA Done?

Students and dentists have lobbied members of Congress in support of several bills pertaining to student loans at ASDA and the ADA’s annual Lobby Day in Washington, D.C.

Want to show your support for this bill? Make your voice heard by sending a letter to your legislator today via ASDA Action.

Other student debt bills that ASDA has lobbied at Lobby Day include:

  • Student Loan Refinancing Act: This legislation would allow borrowers to refinance federal student loans more than once, so they can take advantage of lower interest rates. ASDA lobbied for this bill at Lobby Day 2021 and 2022.
  • Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act: This bill directs the Department of Education (ED) to establish a program to refinance the outstanding principal, interest, and late charges on federal student loans to give borrowers fixed interest rates equal to the 10-year Treasury note rate plus 1%. Further, this bill would eliminate origination fees and would allow borrowers in dental internships or residency programs to defer student loan payments until the completion of their programs. ASDA lobbied for this bill at Lobby Day 2021.

You can view all student debt bills that ASDA supports on the Bills tab of ASDA Action.  Review student debt bills that ASDA has supported in previous sessions of Congress here.

What ASDA members are saying:

Resources to Help Manage Debt

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