Student Loans and Postgraduate Educational Debt

View the ADA's official policies on federal student loans and postgraduate educational debt.

Current Policies

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.

• April 13, 2021—Letter (PDF) expressing support for H.R. 1918, the Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act, which would allow for federal student loan refinancing and 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 provide for refinancing of federal student loans.


• October 16, 2019—Coalition letter (PDF) urging members of the House Committee on Education and Labor to favorably report H.R. 3418, the Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt Act (or POST GRAD Act).


• September 29, 2019—Letter (PDF) urging members of the House Committee on Education and Labor to favorably report H.R. 3418, the Protecting Our Students by Terminating Graduate Rates that Add to Debt Act (or POST GRAD Act).


• June 11, 2019—Statement (PDF) to the House Small Business Committee on the Impact of Student Debt on the Small Dental Practice.


• March 19, 2019—Coalition letter (PDF) expressing support for H.R. 1554, the Resident Education Deferred Interest Act (or REDI Act).


• February 26, 2019—Coalition letter (PDF) expressing support for S. 359, which would allow full-time faculty members participating in the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program to exclude benefits received from their federal income taxes.


• February 26, 2019—Coalition letter (PDF) expressing support for H.R. 996, which would allow full-time faculty members participating in the Dental Faculty Loan Repayment Program to exclude benefits received from their federal income taxes.

Select articles from the Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA).

• The relationship between education debt and career choices in professional programs: The case of dentistry (November 2017)
• The effect of education debt on dentists’ career decisions (November 2015)
• Educational debt and intended employment choice among dental school seniors (May 2014)

Related stories from the dental profession's most widely read news source, ADA News.

• HHS awards $319M to support National Health Service Corps providers (ADA News 10/25/19)
• Organized dentistry urges Congress to let graduate students take out subsidized loans (ADA News 10/22/19)
• ADA president gets to know Washington (ADA News 10/18/19)
• Dentists share student debt stories, urge lawmakers to reauthorize Higher Education Act (ADA News 6/13/19)
• ADA, AAPD: ask your legislators to support faculty loan repayment bills (ADA News 5/23/19)
• Dentists and students advocate for key oral health issues in Washington (ADA News 4/16/19)
• Dentists, dental students advocate together (4/15/19)
• Coalition thanks legislators for supporting deferred interest for dental, medical residents (3/20/19)
• Dental organizations support bill to buoy loan repayment program (ADA News 2/27/19)
• Bill would extend funding for dental public health programs (ADA News 2/6/19)
• Dental groups thank Congress for supporting faculty loan repayment program (ADA News 12/11/18)
• Taking advantage of the student loan interest deduction (ADA News 12/4/18)
• Dental groups thank Congress for supporting loan repayment program (ADA News 8/21/18)
• Dental organizations, institutions thank Rep. Babin for student loan reform bill (ADA News 5/23/18)
• Dentists flood Capitol Hill (ADA News 4/18/18)
• ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day: Dentists take on Capitol Hill (ADA News 4/10/18)
• Issues take center stage at ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day (ADA News 4/9/18)
• Dentists, dental students advocate together in Washington (ADA News 3/28/17)
• Organized dentistry supports Student Loan Refinancing and Recalculation Act (ADA News 9/6/17)
• From dental school to practicing dentist, ADA creates new graduate resource (ADA News 5/8/17)
• Organized dentistry asks Congress to support student loan reform (ADA News 4/26/17)
• Dental students, dentists: Debt affects job prospects, families, communities (ADA News 4/10/17)
• Dentists, dental students advocate together in Washington (ADA News 3/28/17)
• ADA Dentist and Student Lobby Day kicks off in D.C. (ADA News 3/27/17)
• ADA, others urge Congress to support student loan reform (ADA News 3/24/17)

Government and Public Affairs

Washington Office
202.898.2400
Email: govtpol@ada.org

State Government Affairs
312.440.2525
Email: govtpol@ada.org

American Dental Political Action Committee (ADPAC)
202.898.2424
Email: adpac@ada.org

Media Relations

Journalists may contact the media relations department at:

Media Relations
312.440.2806
Email: mediarelations@ada.org

Center for Professional Success (CPS)

Questions about government rules and regulations? Explore the ADA Center for Professional Success. (Members Only)

Other Questions?

For all other questions or inquiries, please contact us.