The Best Dental School Loans and How to Pay for Dental School
If you're starting dental school this year or applying for the 2027 cycle, the ways to finance your dental school tuition are under a new set of rules.
On July 1, 2026, the federal government eliminated Grad PLUS loans for new borrowers. That was the program most dental students used to cover everything for dental schools, including tuition, rent, dental equiptment, and everything else.
So what's the best way to pay for dental school now? The best approach comes down to a simple strategy: Use federal loans up to the $50,000 per year limit, and then fill the gap with private loans using a company that gets negotiated and lower student loan rates for you, like Juno.
Quick note: I'm not a financial advisor. This post is educational. Loan rules can change, so consider talking to a student loan professional. Predenting is an affiliate of Juno, and Juno has student loan professionals who can provide you with a free consultation regarding student loan options. You can use this affiliate link to access Juno's resources, including the free student loan consultation. Disclosure: Predenting may earn a commission if you sign a loan through Juno after using my link. It costs you nothing, and I only recommend tools I believe are useful for dental students.
The Quick Answer for Paying for Dental School
Reduce what you need to borrow through your school list and scholarships.
Take your federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan first (up to $50,000 per year).
Fill the remaining gap with private loans you've compared on interest rate and terms.
What Changed About Dental School Loans on July 1, 2026
Before July 1, 2026 | New borrowers starting July 1, 2026 | |
Grad PLUS | Could borrow up to full cost of attendance. | Eliminated |
Direct Unsubsidized (dental) | Lower annual limits, with Grad PLUS covering the rest. | $50,000 per year |
Federal cap for your professional degree | Effectively your total cost of attendance. | $200,000 |
Lifetime federal cap (undergrad + grad) | Higher, with Grad PLUS on top. | $257,500 |
Repayment plans for new loans | Standard, IBR, PAYE, ICR, SAVE | New Standard Plan or the Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) |
2026–27 federal grad rate | — | ~8.07% fixed, plus a 1.057% origination fee |
Dentistry (DDS/DMD degrees) qualifies as a "professional" degree for the higher $50,000 limit.
The unfortunate reality: Many dental schools cost well over $100,000 per year once you add tuition, fees, equipment, and living expenses. At $50,000 per year in federal loans, you'll likely have a gap to fill each year.
Step 1: Shrink the Number Before You Take Dental School Loans
The cheapest loan is the one you never take out. This step matters more in 2026 than ever, because every dollar above the federal cap now requires private credit approval.
Build your school list with cost in mind
The average indebted dental school graduate in 2025 owed nearly $300,000, and graduates of high-cost private schools often owe far more.
That doesn't mean you should only apply to cheap schools. It means cost of attendance is more important than ever. Your in-state dental school, and public schools, are usually a lot more cost-friendly than private schools.
Step 2: Take Your Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan First
For 2026–27, the federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan for graduate and professional students carries an 8.07% fixed rate with a 1.057% origination fee. You can borrow up to $50,000 per year.
Step 3: Use The Best Private Dental School Loans
For most dental students, private loans are now a core part of the plan to pay for dental school. Here's an illustration of how the math can look (these numbers are hypothetical, so plug in your actual schools' costs):
In-state public school | Private school | |
Cost of attendance per year | $85,000 | $125,000 |
Federal Direct Unsubsidized | $50,000 | $50,000 |
Annual gap | $35,000 | $75,000 |
Private loans over 4 years | ~$140,000 | ~$300,000 |
What to compare (beyond the interest rate):
APR, not just interest rate. APR captures fees, so it's the more honest comparison.
Fixed vs. variable. A variable rate may start lower, but you could be repaying for 10+ years. Know how much rate risk you're taking on.
In-school terms. Does interest accrue and capitalize while you're in school? Can you make small interest payments during school to keep the balance down?
Residency and fellowship deferment. This is critical if you're even considering ortho, OMFS, pediatrics, endo, perio, or a GPR/AEGD year. Some lenders offer much longer deferment periods for residency than others.
Death and disability discharge. Don't assume this is included!
Cosigner requirements and cosigner release. Many graduate students with solid credit qualify on their own. If a parent cosigns, their credit is on the line for years.
Hardship options. Find out what happens if you can't make payments for a period of time.
Borrow one year at a time. Only take what you need for the current year, and re-shop each year. Your credit, the rate environment, and your needs can all change between D1 and D4.
Use negotiated group rates for your dental school loans!
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I recommend my students to join Juno, and I recommend that you look into them too. Juno is a free service that groups dental students and medical students together and negotiates with lenders on the group's behalf, so lenders compete for a large pool of borrowers. Think of it like Costco, but for dental school loans. You can check your rates without affecting your credit score, and there's no obligation to take a loan.
The Bottom Line
The best way to pay for dental school with the new loan changes is most likely:
Use your $50,000 per year in federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans first.
Fill the gap with private loans, one year at a time. Use a company like Juno that provides access to lower interest rates.
Choose your repayment strategy early, whether that's RAP, PSLF, a loan repayment program, or aggressive payoff.
I believe dental school is still a great investment. What's changed is the margin for error. The students who plan ahead will keep far more control over their finances and their future.
About the Author: Andrew Ghadimi, DDS
Dr. Andrew graduated from UCLA's School of Dentistry and served on the ADEA AADSAS Advisory Board, helping run the dental school application, AADSAS. He also served as the National Pre-Dental Liaison for the American Dental Education Association (ADEA), the same organization that runs the dental school application. While at UCLA's School of Dentistry, he also served on the Council of Students, Residents, and Fellows Board, as the Pre-Dental Chair for California. He has advised 500+ pre-dentals on their journey to dental school and helped pre-dentals receive over $3,000,000 in scholarships, in addition to acceptances to some of the most competitive dental schools in the country, including Harvard, UPenn, Columbia, UF, UCLA, and many others.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this article belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to UCLA School of Dentistry, the American Dental Education Association, or any other organization.
Comments