Student Debt Success Stories

The Do’s and Don’ts of Dental School Loan Repayment

By Andrew Paulson, CSLP

Pursuing a career in dentistry is a noble and rewarding endeavor, but it often comes with an eye-popping price tag. According to the American Dental Education Association, the average student loan debt for the dental Class of 2024 was $312,700.(1) Those who choose to specialize will usually end up borrowing even more to fund further postgraduate education. Navigating this financial burden requires careful planning and strategic decision-making. In this article, we’ll explore the do’s and don’ts of borrowing for dental school and how to pay down dental school loans.

Borrowing for Dental School

The Do’s

1. Borrow only what you need. Dental school is expensive, but avoid the temptation to borrow more than necessary. Create a detailed budget that accounts for tuition, fees, books, equipment and reasonable living expenses. Work with federal loans first, as they often have lower interest rates and more flexible repayment options compared with private loans. As part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, federal student loan limits are changing in 2026, with a new borrowing cap of $200,000 for dental school ($50,000 per year) for those who begin borrowing July 1, 2026, or later.

2. Explore scholarships and grants. Before taking out loans, research scholarships, grants and work-study opportunities. Organizations like the American Dental Association and state dental associations offer financial aid for dental students. Even small awards can reduce your borrowing needs.

3. Understand loan terms. Familiarize yourself with the terms of federal and private loans. Federal loans typically offer fixed interest rates and benefits like loan forgiveness, while private loans may have variable rates and stricter repayment terms.

4. Consider loan repayment assistance programs. Look into programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program or Income-Driven Repayment Forgiveness. Please note, PSLF is not a common track for most dentists who work for private practices or dental services organizations (DSOs).

The Don’ts

1. Don’t ignore interest rates. High interest rates can significantly increase the total cost of your loans and accrue daily. When borrowing privately, avoid borrowing from lenders with unfavorable terms. Shop around if you are borrowing privately or refinancing.

2. Don’t overlook federal benefits. Federal loans come with protections like income-driven repayment and forbearance options. Avoid relying solely on private loans, which have less flexible terms.

3. Don’t skip financial counseling. Many dental schools offer financial aid counseling. They may also invite a student loan counselor to meet with you one-on-one. Having a student loan plan is critical when paying down mortgage-sized dental school loans.

Repaying Dental School Loans

After you graduate dental school, it’s time to start paying your loans down. Below are the primary repayment options for dental school loans.

Standard Repayment Plan

This is the default plan for federal loans, with fixed monthly payments over 10, 15, 20 or 25 years depending on balance amount. Most dentists will have a 25-year term. Here is the term breakdown, which takes effect in 2026:

• 10-year payoff for balances of $1–$24,999.

• 15-year payoff for balances of $25,000–$49,999.

• 20-year payoff for balances of $50,000–$99,999.

• 25-year payoff for balances of $100,000 or greater.

The standard repayment plan is a nice option if you prefer paying down the loans at a slower pace. However, it doesn’t qualify for any loan forgiveness programs. Moreover, federal rates are fixed, and, if interest rates drop, your rates don’t readjust. To lower the interest rates on your loans, you should consider privately refinancing. More on that later.

Income-Driven Repayment Plans

Income-driven repayment (IDR) plans are federal loan repayment options that adjust your monthly payments based on your income and family size, typically capping payments at 10%–20% of your discretionary income. After 20 to 30 years, any remaining balance may be forgiven (though forgiveness may be taxable). IDR payments can also qualify for PSLF after 10 years of full-time employment in public service.

Eligibility for IDR plans depends on when you borrow. For those who finished borrowing prior to July 1, 2026, you are eligible for either a repayment assistance plan (RAP) or income-based repayment (IBR).

Payments in the RAP plan are 10% of adjusted gross income (AGI). During times of negative amortization (monthly payment is less than monthly interest charge), unpaid interest is waived.

RAP has an IDR forgiveness track over 30 years if not working in public service.

The IBR plan has two versions:

• Pre-2014: Loan origination date prior to July 1, 2014 (15% of discretionary income), 25-year IDR forgiveness.

• Post-2014: Loan origination date from July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2026 (10% of discretionary income), 20-year IDR forgiveness.

Generally, the pre-2014 IBR plan is more expensive than a RAP, and the post-2014 IBR plan is cheaper than a RAP. The IBR plan also has a capped payment based on what you would owe under a standard 10-year repayment plan.

If you disburse a loan on July 1, 2026, or later, you’re only eligible for the RAP IDR plan.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has consolidated repayment options down to IBR or RAP. Currently, three additional IDR plans will be phased out by July 1, 2028:

• Pay as You Earn (PAYE)

• Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR)

• Savings on a Valuable Education (SAVE)

Borrowers will need to leave these IDR plans for IBR or RAP no later than July 1, 2028.

IDR plans are a great option if you’re considering a federal loan forgiveness program such as IDR forgiveness (20 to 30 years) or PSLF (10 years). Associates or part-timers will typically benefit more than practice owners pursuing a federal forgiveness track.

Refinancing

Refinancing involves taking out a new private loan to pay off your existing federal or private loans, ideally at a lower interest rate or with better terms. You can choose a new repayment term (e.g., five to 20 years).

Refinancing is a great option if you already have private student loans. There’s a good chance those private loans were obtained when your financial situation wasn’t as strong, and refinancing now would improve your terms.

Refinancing federal loans to private is common to lower the interest rate. However, once federal loans are refinanced to private loans, it eliminates access to federal benefits like IDR and PSLF.

Final Thoughts

Paying off dental school loans is a marathon, not a sprint. Taking time on the front end to borrow wisely and choose the right repayment strategy can make a world of difference paying down your student debt. I am 100% convinced that financially secure doctors are better partners, parents and dentists. By creating a student loan plan to crush your loans, you will have less stress and burnout and will be happier — and you will provide better patient care. Take action today to defeat your student loans!

Andrew Paulson, CSLP, is lead student loan consultant and co-founder of StudentLoanAdvice.com. He has advised more than $1 billion in student debt for 2,900 borrowers, mostly doctors, dentists and other higher earning professionals, across the country on how to best manage their student loan debt. Additionally, he is a Certified Student Loan Professional (CSLP).

Reference

1. American Dental Education Association. “Educational Debt.” ADEA GoDental, adea.org/godental/Apply/ financing-dental-education/educational-debt. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025.

Recommended Reading

“Student Debt.” Academy of General Dentistry, agd.org/advocacy/agd-priorities/keyissues/student-debt. Accessed 11 Sept. 2025.

ADA Office of Student Affairs. “Dental Student Loan Repayment Programs & Resources.” American Dental Association, 2022, ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ ada-org/files/resources/students/dental-student-loan-repayment-resource.pdf.

Yale, Aly J. “How to Pay for Dental School in 2025: 6 Strategies to Use.” Credible, 30 July 2025, credible.com/student-loans/how-to-pay-for-dental-school.

Two years into practice, I still remember the gut-punch feeling of logging into my student loan portal for the first time after graduation: Six figures stared back at me, numbers that didn’t feel real until I saw them on that screen. As a first-generation dentist, I had no financial roadmap to follow, but I knew one thing — ignoring the debt wouldn’t make it disappear. If I wanted to build a meaningful, balanced career, I had to take control early. That became my starting point.

A Strategy that Matched My Career Vision

I graduated with approximately $260,000 in federal student loans. I wasn’t looking for quick fixes or forgiveness programs that didn’t align with my long-term goals. I also wasn’t in a position to make giant lump-sum payments. So, instead of trying to be debt-free as fast as possible, I focused on building a plan that was efficient and realistic.

I chose the standard 10-year repayment plan (the default option before the One Big Beautiful Bill changed the repayment timetables) and added a rule of my own: Every quarter, I’d make an extra principal-only payment equal to at least half a monthly installment. My living expenses stayed modest, and I made sure my loan payment never felt overwhelming, even as my income grew.

Leveraging Knowledge as a First-Year Associate

Early on, I committed to building my financial literacy. I listened to podcasts tailored to dentists, followed vetted financial professionals and read about behavioral finance. That helped me avoid common traps, like overfinancing a car or rushing into ownership without savings.

One of the most empowering decisions I made was negotiating my associate contract with an eye toward financial flexibility. I chose a practice that offered a reasonable base salary with a clear production-based incentive. That extra income didn’t go toward lifestyle upgrades — it went straight to loans.

Conscious Trade-Offs, Not Sacrifices

People often associate student debt with painful sacrifices. I tried to reframe it as a temporary reordering of priorities. Did I delay things? Yes. I skipped new furniture, stuck with an older car and avoided unnecessary subscriptions. But I didn’t feel deprived; I felt focused.

One helpful move: I created a “freedom fund” in parallel with loan payments. I allocated 5% of every paycheck into a separate savings account for life goals. That fund allowed me to enjoy small moments like weekend getaways or continuing education without derailing my repayment progress.

From Burden to Leverage

Around my second year, my mindset started to shift. I stopped seeing my loans as a mistake or burden. Instead, I began to treat them as an investment, an entry ticket to a career I love.

Not only was I making payments, but I was also learning how to build a financially resilient life. And that confidence made my experience whole; I became more comfortable talking about money, began exploring ownership and took control of my long-term goals.

Advice I Wish I'd Heard Sooner

To new grads feeling the pressure of their debt: Don’t wait for the perfect plan — just start with a clear one. Be honest with yourself. Know your numbers. Set up systems to reduce emotional spending, and, most importantly, stay consistent.

You don’t have to give up your life to pay off your loans, but you do have to be intentional. If you’re working hard, your money should work just as hard for you.

Final Thoughts

For me, debt repayment hasn’t just been a summit to conquer — it’s been a mindset shift. Two years ago, I saw my loans as a looming mountain. Now, I see them as a challenge I’m steadily conquering, one payment at a time.

There’s freedom in being proactive. There’s strength in knowing you’re not avoiding the problem, you’re tackling it. And the habits I’ve built during this journey? They’ll serve me for the rest of my career, far beyond the day I make my final payment.

Akanksha Baheti, BDS, DDS, is an internationally trained dentist specializing in esthetic and restorative dentistry, recognized for advancing excellence in both clinical care and academic scholarship. She practices in Chicago.

Student loan debt was something I thought about long before I ever graduated high school. I never wanted to have any of it because I had heard so many horror stories and because I watched my mom pay off hers for years. With that in mind, I chose a smaller, more affordable college in Arkansas, where scholarships covered tuition and more. Unfortunately, professional school is different. Scholarships are scarce, and costs are high. To attend dental school, I had to face my fears and take out loans.

At the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry, the four-year cost was around $180,000. I had done my research and knew I wanted to avoid the high-interest Direct PLUS loans (often considered a “last resort” because they’re always available but carry a higher interest rate) for graduate or professional students if possible. Before dental school, I had worked for three years as a registered nurse, which not only provided me with a stable income but also gave me a flexible skill set I could rely on during breaks and weekends. For anyone considering dentistry, I encourage you to think strategically about your undergraduate degree — a field like nursing can provide both real-world experience and a well-paying fallback job, which can make a huge difference when managing expenses in professional school. My plan was to borrow just enough in federal unsubsidized loans to cover tuition while living off savings and income from nursing side jobs and even semiprofessionally walking dogs. With careful planning (and some stress), I was able to do exactly that — graduating with $180,000 in loans and no Direct PLUS debt.

While in dental school, I made it a point to pay the accruing interest each month as long as my basic expenses were covered. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic. Nine months into my D1 year, interest was paused, and, for the first time, I wasn’t fighting against a growing balance. It felt like I had caught a huge break. My wife, Emily, and I planned to stockpile cash in a high-yield savings account for when interest resumed, but discipline slipped, and we didn’t save as much as we’d intended.

Still, when I graduated in May 2023, we committed to an aggressive plan. We set up an automatic draft from our checking account into a high-yield savings earmarked for student loans. Starting at $2,500 a month, we later increased it to $4,600. And then we did something that felt crazy: We pushed it to $7,100. Emily and I had lived on just $30,000 a year while I was in dental school, and we decided we could keep living lean for a few more years if it meant freedom from debt.

By the time interest began again in August 2025, we had saved $90,000. On the very first day after interest resumed, I paid off the loans with the highest rates — 6.3% and 5.8%. Seeing $90,000 leave our account was painful, but I reminded myself it was buying us freedom. Since then, we’ve already made another $30,000 in payments. Today, I’m down to just two loans: one at $45,000 with a 4.3% rate and the other at $15,000 with a 5.1% rate. Our new goal is to finish paying everything off by the end of this year — just two and a half years after graduation, and a year and a half ahead of schedule.

Another factor that shaped my repayment journey was going into private practice right away. As an owner, I had more control over my income and financial decisions than I would have as an associate or working for a DSO. At the same time, ownership brought its own risks and responsibilities. Balancing payroll, overhead and loan repayment wasn’t easy, but the trade-off was worth it — that flexibility gave Emily and me the chance to be aggressive in paying down my loans.

Some of my friends took a different approach. Thanks to the SAVE (Saving on a Valuable Education) plan, an IDR plan that caps federal student loan payments at a portion of income that will be phased out in 2028, many friends have $0 monthly payments, and they are choosing to let their balances ride while investing the money in the stock market. Financially, they may come out ahead.

But, for me, the “aha” moment was realizing that peace of mind was worth more than the possibility of a slightly higher return. I had spent too much mental energy thinking about my loans — I wanted them gone.

My advice for anyone starting their repayment journey is simple: Have an honest conversation with your spouse or partner, decide when you want the debt gone, and work backward from there. If the monthly number feels overwhelming, extend the timeline. But automate your plan, stick to it, and increase contributions whenever possible.

For us, the automatic draft was the single most important tool. It forced discipline and made progress feel inevitable. I’ll admit I was fortunate to catch some breaks along the way — the pause on interest during the COVID-19 pandemic, the SAVE plan delaying required payments and a supportive spouse who was equally determined to be debt-free. But discipline was what turned those breaks into progress. By saving aggressively — already making more than $120,000 in payments — and choosing peace of mind over chasing higher returns, we’ve put ourselves in a position to eliminate this debt faster than we ever imagined. And while our story isn’t finished yet, I can promise that by the end of this year, our student debt will be gone. The weight lifted from both Emily’s and my shoulders will be worth every sacrifice.

Clayton Sorrells, DDS, is a new dentist and previous AGD chapter president at Louisiana State University School of Dentistry. His is the AGD Impact New Dentists columnist.

I was able to pay my University of Michigan Dental School student debt off in one year after graduation. During that year, I was a hospital resident in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/ Hospital Dentistry with a very good salary as a first-year dentist.

I decided to channel all my salary and bonuses into paying off the student debt. I was lucky in that my husband’s salary could cover our household expenses. And then I saved money everywhere I could. While others went to Starbucks for morning coffee, I drank the drip coffee that the assistants made in the break room of our department. I always brought my own sandwich from home and never bought food from the cafeteria. I was very disciplined and focused because I had a dream of starting my own practice and solving big problems for my patients, so paying off the debt was an easy decision for me. All I did was create an autopay and channel my salary to pay off the debt each month.

In the meantime, I was able to score a dental chair and some lab equipment that the department was replacing to start my own practice from scratch with very low startup costs. My dream was to perform transformative dentistry and full-mouth reconstructions.

My residency also allowed me to zoom in and learn all I could about maxillofacial prosthodontics and oral surgery without paying the high tuition of a postgraduate program. I really took advantage of my time there, spending long days and nights learning all I could.

With this knowledge, I was able to create and patent a full-arch restoration called the TruBridge that helps millions of Americans without teeth. Because I know how to control cash flow and how to create things from scratch, I have been able to start a charitable foundation, the TruBridge Foundation, which helps those in need. It all starts with a decision and then daily discipline to carry it out. You start small, but, if followed precisely, your plan will have a snowball effect!

Helena Soomer Lincoln, DDS, PhD, is the founder of TruBridge Dental and the TruBridge Dental Foundation. She maintains a private practice in Bainbridge Island, Washington. To comment on this article, email impact@agd.org.