Dr. André Ritter
Professor & Dean, University of Washington School of Dentistry

Many Washington dentists remember making sacrifices to earn their degree. For some, that meant working part-time, living frugally or carrying a student loan balance into the early years of practice. While dental education has never been inexpensive, the economics of becoming a dentist have changed dramatically.

Today, dental education is among the most expensive professional degrees in the United States. The average cost of earning the degree exceeds $200,000 at a public university for in-state students and it is more than $335,000 at many private institutions. When living expenses, clinical and instrument fees are included, the total cost can be substantially higher. At UW, we project the total cost to an in-state DDS student is around $450,000. As a result, students here and around the country often graduate with debt approaching $300,000.

Most students relied on federal loan programs to finance their education, but this year, a new challenge has emerged. Effective July 1, 2026, new federal legislation eliminated the Grad PLUS loan for new borrowers and imposed strict borrowing limits on professional students for federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans. How important are these loan programs? At UW, historically, 95% of our D.D.S. students used these two programs to finance their dental education. Without them, many students cannot fully finance their training.

The implications extend beyond challenges facing individual students. Dental graduates facing overwhelming debt may feel compelled to make career decisions based primarily on financial considerations. They may be less likely to pursue careers in areas of national need such as academia, research, public health or practice in rural and underserved communities. Still others may forgo dental education entirely.

As a profession, we should be concerned about these trends. The future oral health workforce depends on ensuring talented students can pursue dental education regardless of their financial circumstances. Our patients, communities and profession all benefit when graduates are able to choose career paths based on their interests, talents and commitment to service, rather than the size of their loan payments.

While no single solution will resolve the growing financial challenges facing students, scholarships remain one of the most effective tools available. Unlike loans, scholarships reduce financial burden before debt accumulates. Through advocacy for sensible student aid programs and robust scholarships, we can help ensure qualified students are not priced out of a dental education.

As the UW School of Dentistry celebrates 80 years of education, research and service, we remain committed to ensuring talented students can pursue dentistry regardless of financial circumstances. Therefore, this year we are focusing our fundraising efforts on creating transformative scholarships for students.

Through advocacy, scholarship support and continued partnership with the dental profession, we can help preserve access to dental education and strengthen the future oral health workforce.

The next generation of dentists will care for our communities, teach future practitioners, advance research and expand access to care. Supporting their success is an investment in the future of our profession and the health of the people we serve.

If you have an interest in supporting UW student scholarships, please contact Randy Newquist at randyn@uw.edu.