Repayment Programs for Dentists: Managing Dental School Loans

Dental school can be incredibly expensive, often costing even more than medical or law school. And while many dentists earn upwards of $200,000, repaying the student loans that helped them get there can be a challenge.

Dentists have several options when managing their student debt, including income-driven repayment plans and loan forgiveness programs for federal student loans, as well as refinancing for all loan types. If you’ve graduated from dental school and are wondering how to tackle your student loan debt, this guide can help you determine the best path forward.

Current student loan refinance rates

How much debt do dentists graduate with?

Dental students graduated with an average student loan debt of $312,700 in 2024, according to the American Dental Education Association. Given the high cost of dental school, many students must take out student loans to help fund their education.

The cost of dental school and the amount of debt incurred vary dramatically across different schools and school types. For example, students at private institutions may pay nearly twice as much as in-state students at public institutions.

Federal repayment options for dentists

Like other federal student loan borrowers, dentists are eligible to choose from several different repayment plans. There are three fixed repayment plans that spread payments over 10 to 25 years. 

The Standard Repayment Plan has fixed monthly payments for 10 years, while the Extended Repayment Plan, available to borrowers with more than $30,000 in Direct Loans, has fixed monthly payments for 25 years. Finally, the Graduated Repayment Plan starts with lower payments that increase every two years (generally based on the assumption that someone’s income will also increase over that period).

While fixed payment plans often help borrowers pay off their loans the fastest, they aren’t feasible for many borrowers with high debt balances, including dentists. However, borrowers can also choose from several income-driven repayment plans.

Here’s how these plans work:

• Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan: Pay 10% or 15% of your discretionary income (depending on when you borrowed), but never more than you would on the Standard Repayment Plan.
• Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan: Pay the lesser of 20% of your discretionary income or the amount you’d pay on a 12-year fixed repayment schedule.
• Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Plan: Pay 10% of your discretionary income, but never more than you would on the Standard Repayment Plan.
• Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan: Pay 5% of your discretionary income for only undergraduate loans, or 10% of your discretionary income for both undergraduate and graduate loans. Any unpaid interest each month is forgiven.

Changes coming to federal student loan repayment

Major changes to student loan repayment are coming that dentists and other borrowers should know about. 

If you have loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2026, you’ll only have two repayment plans to choose from: a tiered Standard Repayment Plan and the new income-based Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP). 

Read More: Compare Federal Student Loan Repayment Plan Options

The right payment plan depends heavily on your earning potential, career path, and long-term financial goals.

“Borrowers have a choice to make when they graduate — pursue loan forgiveness options, or pursue repayment,” says Robert Farrington, student loan expert and the founder of The College Investor. 

“For some borrowers, especially those working in public service, loan forgiveness can be very beneficial. With this strategy, selecting an income-driven repayment plan is the best bet since it qualifies for PSLF and time-based loan forgiveness. For borrowers in private practice or whose incomes won’t qualify for any type of forgiveness, deciding on a repayment strategy is key,” he explains.

Loan forgiveness programs for dentists

Dentists have several options to have some or all of their student loans repaid, primarily by working in public service or in underserved areas.

First, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program allows borrowers to have their federal student loans forgiven once they’ve made 120 on-time loan payments while working for a government or not-for-profit organization.

Employers that could help borrowers qualify for PSLF as dentists include the Department of Veterans Affairs and dental schools. It could be an excellent opportunity for borrowers who either have the goal of working in public service or who are willing to take a 10-year detour in their career to have their loans forgiven.

Another program worth considering is the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program through the Health Resources and Services Administration. The program offers up to $75,000 of loan forgiveness for dentists and other health care providers who work in designated underserved areas for two years.

Refinancing dental school loans

Refinancing your student loans allows you to replace your existing loan (or loans) with a new one, often with a lower interest rate or more favorable terms.

It’s worth considering refinancing your loans if you have a high, stable income (which is often the case with dentists) and a strong credit history that helps you qualify for the best rates available.

“Borrowers with high incomes and high balances, especially dentists, often benefit from a refinance strategy tailored to their career trajectory,” says Joseph Price-Gault, head of student loan refinancing at Juno, a platform that helps negotiate better rates for student loans. “I would recommend prioritizing financial flexibility first, and then accelerating on paying the loan second.”

Price-Gault notes that the early loan repayment years often coincide with other expensive life changes, such as establishing a dental practice, securing a mortgage, or starting a family. Keeping payments low in the early years with a long repayment term may be critical.

However, refinancing is often only the best choice for private student loans. When you refinance your federal student loans, you lose key benefits like income-driven repayment plans, which are often essential for borrowers like dentists who have high debt. Not to mention, it makes you ineligible for any federal loan forgiveness programs.

If you want to take advantage of the benefits of refinancing but are worried about losing your federal borrower benefits, consider only refinancing your private loans, and instead consolidating your federal loans with a Direct Consolidation Loan through the government to simplify repayment.

Tips for managing dental school debt

When you graduate with a high debt balance, as is the case for many dentists, it’s essential to approach your personal finances and loan repayment carefully.

“Automating payments, building an emergency fund, and directing even small income increases toward their loans can help reduce the total cost of borrowing,” says Kaydee Ambas, certified financial education instructor (CFEI) at Earnest. 

“Many borrowers find it helpful to map out different payoff timelines to understand how larger payments or a shorter term could accelerate their progress. It’s also important to keep overall expenses in check during the first few years of high earnings, since avoiding lifestyle creep can free up more room in the budget for repayment,” adds Ambas.

Ultimately, your income and expenses in the years after dental school may change drastically. Whatever budget and repayment plan you settle on, it’s important to reassess occasionally, whether that means staying on your current repayment plan, refinancing, or switching repayment plans.