Paying for dental school · new federal limits from July 1, 2026

The private loan gap

Name: Private student loan gap at every U.S. dental school
Creator: Dr. Charley Levy

Grad PLUS is closed to new students. Federal loans now stop at $200,000, and dental school often costs far more. Here's what's left at every school.

$50,000federal loans per year (Direct Unsubsidized)

$200,000federal loans for all of dental school

$257,500lifetime federal limit, undergraduate loans included

No Grad PLUSfor students starting on or after July 1, 2026

Already in dental school? If you borrowed a federal loan for your program before July 1, 2026, you can keep borrowing under the old rules, Grad PLUS included, until July 1, 2029 (up to three more years) as long as you stay in the same program. This page is for students starting fall 2026 or later.

Your numbers

How much would you need to borrow privately?

Dental school

In-state resident Out-of-state

Living costs per year rent, food, transportation, books; schools' own estimates vary by cityScholarships, savings and family help total for all of dental schoolFederal loans from college you still owe counts toward the $257,500 lifetime limit

Private loan rate Repay over

The rate is only an example: private rates depend on your credit and a cosigner's.

Every school, 2025-26 costs

The gap at every dental school

With $30K a year for living costs and no scholarships, 76 of 76 schools leave in-state students a private gap (median $216K), and 76 leave out-of-state students one (median $315K). The largest: Ohio State University, $465K for an out-of-state student. Living costs follow the box above. Click a heading to sort.

*Total school costs for the whole program plus living costs. ~ means estimated from first-year costs. Gap = cost minus federal loans (up to $50,000 a year and $200,000 in all) and any help entered above.

Before you borrow privately

What to know

Use federal loans first. Federal loans come with the Repayment Assistance Plan (payments based on income), Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and options during residency. Private loans generally don't.
Private rates depend on credit, often a parent's. Most students need a cosigner, who is equally responsible for the debt. Ask about cosigner release.
Ask how the loan handles residency. Some private lenders defer payments during a residency, some offer small payments, and some don't.
Compare the whole cost, not just the rate: fixed vs. variable rates, fees, interest while in school, and the repayment term.
Lower the gap first: in-state public schools, scholarships (including service scholarships like the military's HPSP and the National Health Service Corps), and living costs all change the number above.

These are estimates for planning, not financial advice. Check current costs with the school and loan terms with the lender before you borrow.

Sources: ADA; federal law (P.L. 119-21). The Department of Education is still finalizing some rules. Analysis: Dr. Charley Levy, Path32. See also What $300K in loans looks like and the take-home pay calculator.