The high cost of receiving a dental education has changed the way graduates approach their livelihood after graduation, with some choosing to not pursue a residency program or following a different career path than previous generations.
According to the Education Data Initiative, the average dental student loan debt in 2025 was nearly $300,000, and the average amount of dental school debt has increased by 587% since 1996.
Some students are choosing to seek out other professions entirely, which would create pipeline problems for dentistry in the future.
Four dentists recently spoke with Becker’s about the impact high student debt is having on new dental graduates, and some potential solutions to the problem.
Source: How $300K in student debt can change dental career paths / Becker’s Dental