Elsevier

Dental Abstracts

Volume 59, Issue 4, July–August 2014, Pages 176-177
Dental Abstracts

Commentary
Student debt

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Background

In 1977 the educational debt for dental students averaged less than a fifth of most dentists' net income, but today it equals their net income or more. Some students have considerably more total debt. Expressed in constant dollars, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) finds that student debt on graduation has increased nearly $20,000 over the past 5 years and almost $100,000 over the past 20 years. The American Dental Association (ADA) House of Delegates has called for a

Student Debt Situation

Although student debt is recognized as a national higher education problem, few data on student debt are available. The student loan situation for dentistry is similar to that for most other high-income professions. Debt levels have increased because of higher costs for attending dental school, but students have been willing to incur such debt as long as the return on investment allows them to repay the debt over a reasonable period of time. Currently, the level of debt has not discouraged a

Dental School Situation

Dental school models do not currently show evidence of innovations that would significantly reduce their operating costs, which is why those costs continue to rise and student debt increases. With the availability of many high-quality applicants over the past 15 years, dental schools and the universities that sponsor them have continued to increase tuition without a negative effect on enrollment. Increased enrollment has been accomplished without incurring substantial increases in operating

Effect of Debt on Dental Career Choices

The effect of debt on the career choices of dentists is minimal compared to the effect of other factors such as gender and race. Students who graduate with relatively large debt burdens tend to plan on entering private practice, are less likely to plan to complete advanced education, and are less likely to chart a course for a government position or an academic career. The likelihood of owning a practice does not appear to be affected by graduation debt levels.

Clinical Significance

The taskforce

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Norman CH: The ADA examines student debt. J Esthet Restor Dent 25:365-366, 2013

Reprints available from CH Norman III, American Dental Association, 2511 Oakcrest Ave, Greensboro, NC 27408; fax: 336-282-0657; e-mail: [email protected]

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