It’s no question that dental school is expensive and one of the most important financial actions you will take. To help you navigate your path toward financial sustainability, we’ve provided you with a list of links containing a few of the existing financial resources made available to dental students.
“The following is a non-exhaustive list of scholarships and repayment programs available to dental students.”
“The average debt per graduating senior in 2020 was $304,824, according to the according to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA).”
“Dental students are very familiar with abbreviations such as MOD, FMX and N2O. However, many dental students do not understand basic financial terms such as APY, CFP and 401(k) and graduate dental school ill-equipped to deal with their debt and future financial planning needs.”
“Your cost of attendance (COA) is one of several important things you should always know about financing your dental school education.”
“Like many of your fellow dental students, you may need financial aid to help pay for school, and that likely means taking out student loans.”
“You may have to borrow to help pay for dental school, but the good news is that with smart budgeting and responsible borrowing, you should find repayment of your student loan portfolio manageable.”
“The following chart may help answer questions about the differences in the types of loans available to dental students.”
“Remember two important principles when you start thinking about student loans for dental school: (1) Never borrow more than you really need. (2) Plan to pay back what you borrow.”
“While you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident to qualify for federal financial aid, there may be other opportunities for financial assistance.”
“When determining which repayment plan is right for you, remember there is never a penalty for aggressive repayment under any federal repayment plan.”
“Your first step for applying for financial aid is to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 of your anticipated matriculation year. In some cases, you can apply for federal aid earlier than January 1 of your anticipated matriculation year. Check with your FAO.”
“Use this list of resources to help you find more information about different programs and services that can help.”
“Dentists, dental hygienists and allied dental providers are eligible for the programs described in the chart below where applicable in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.”
Listed below are some additional programs and resources dental students use to finance their dental education.
This searchable database found on the UCSF School of Dentistry website contains information on the external scholarships received by graduate students in health professional programs.
The Scholarship List PDF is found on the UCLA School of Dentistry website. It contains general contact information for organizations that have provided or may provide scholarship funds for students.
Additional financial aid resources found on the Loma Linda School of Dentistry website.
