Nearly 80% of dental school graduates take out loans to pay for dental school, according to data from the Education Data Initiative.
The Education Data Initiative provides information on dental school costs and debt in the U.S.
Data shows that dental students who graduated in 2025 owed an average of $297,800 in education debt. Debt from dental school alone was $280,300.
Here are seven statistics on how dental students are paying for their education:
Source: How students are paying for dental school / Becker’s Dental