The average amount of education debt for dental students was $297,800 in 2025, according to data from the Education Data Initiative.
The Education Data Initiative provides information on dental school costs and debt in the U.S.
Seven statistics on dental education debt in 2026:
1. Dental students who graduated in 2025 owed an average of $297,800 in education debt. Debt from dental school alone was $280,300.
2. Among dentists with education debt last year, 54% owed between $10,000 and $49,999.
3. The average education debt balance among dental school graduates has declined 1.4% over the last five years.
4. The average amount of dental school debt has increased by 587% since 1996.
5. Seventy-nine percent of dental school graduates take out loans to pay for dental school.
6. More than 80% of 2025 graduates who took out loans to fund dental school used federal student loans.
7. Seventy-six percent of 2025 dental school graduates with debt took out federal direct Grad PLUS loans, while 13% used Health Professions Student Loans.
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