Student Loans and Postgraduate Educational Debt
The ADA is working with lawmakers, education leaders, dental students, and others to help mitigate the alarming levels of educational debt that new dentists face after graduating dental school. This includes reforming parts of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which provides the statutory authority for most federal student loan programs to operate, including those most widely used by dental students.
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Policies and Positions
View the ADA's official policies on federal student loans and postgraduate educational debt.
Current Policies
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For Dental Students and New Dentists
If you are a dental student or new dentist, please visit the Manage My Debt portal to find money-saving resources and valuable tools to help you achieve financial stability.
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In Congress
- September 28, 2021—Coalition Letter (PDF) supporting H.R. 4631, POST GRAD Act, which would reinstate eligibility for graduate and professional students with financial need to receive Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans.
- August 17, 2021—Letter (PDF) expressing support for H.R. 4631, the Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt Act (POST GRAD Act), which would reinstate eligibility for graduate and professional students with financial need to receive Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans, which are now only available to undergraduate students.
- July 30, 2021—Coalition letter (PDF) urging members of the House Ways and Means Committee to support H.R. 1285, the Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act, would allow full-time faculty members participating in the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program to exclude the loan forgiveness benefit from their federal income taxes.
- July 30, 2021—Coalition letter (PDF) urging members of the the Senate Finance Committee to support S. 449, the Dental Loan Repayment Assistance Act, would allow full-time faculty members participating in the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program to exclude the loan forgiveness benefit from their federal income taxes.
- June 28, 2021—Letter (PDF) expressing support for H.R. 4122, the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (or REDI Act), which would allow dental school graduates to defer payments and forgo interest on their federal student loans until after completing a medical or dental residency.
- April 13, 2021—Letter (PDF) expressing support for H.R. 1918, the Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act, which would provide a chance for federal student loan borrowers to refinance their loans, and for medical and dental residents to defer payments until after completing their residencies.
- April 13, 2021—Letter (PDF) expressing support for H.R. 2160, the Student Loan Refinancing and Act, which would allow federal student loan borrowers to refinance their loans when economic conditions are more favorable.
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Journal of the American Dental Association
Select articles from the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).
Prepared by: Government and Public Affairs
Last Updated: September 7, 2021