RAP (30-year forgiveness)
$1,392/month
Estimated starting monthly payment
Total cost: $869,857
Payment is a percentage of income
What will dental school cost, and what will you pay back?
Compare school budgets, estimate your funding gap, and see your monthly payment under each federal repayment plan.
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Monthly payment by plan
Example, not your result
RAP payment, share of income
9.3%
Year-1 RAP payment of $1,392 a month on $180,000
Balance over time
30 years- RAP
- Tiered
- 10-year
Starts at $350,000. Under RAP, any balance left after 30 years may be forgiven.
The 2026 numbers dentists ask about most
Know before you borrow
Dental school should never leave you guessing what you will owe. See every cost, every plan and every payment before you borrow.
Meet your guide
From dentist in India to DMD at UIC.
Shahana Putta Jegadeshan is an internationally trained dentist and UIC DMD student. She writes the guides on Path to Dentist.
- Internationally trained dentist
- UIC DMD student
- Writes every guide on the site
Free tool
Build a dental resume that shows your whole career.
Seven free templates for dental students, new graduates, hygienists and internationally trained dentists. Fill in the boxes and save a PDF. Everything stays in your browser, and nothing is uploaded.
Build my resumeIllustration, not your result
What could your monthly payment look like?
This fixed example is not personalized. Open the planner to use your own balance, income and household.
Tiered Standard (25-year)
$2,748/month
Estimated starting monthly payment
Total cost: $824,367
Default plan for loans made on or after July 1, 2026
10-year fixed payment
$4,284/month
Estimated starting monthly payment
Total cost: $514,025
A faster fixed schedule, shown for reference
Faster payoff (7-year)
$5,490/month
Estimated starting monthly payment
Total cost: $461,170
Fixed payment sized to finish early
A lower monthly payment does not necessarily mean a lower total repayment cost. Compare the total cost as well as the payment.
Assumptions behind this example
- Federal loan balance $350,000 at 8.2% interest, no private loans, no autopay discount.
- Borrower: first federal loans made on or after July 1, 2026 (so IBR is not available).
- Income: $180,000 starting salary, 3% yearly raise; RAP uses prior-year adjusted gross income of $167,000.
- Household: single filer, no dependents.
- Total cost is in future (nominal) dollars and includes estimated tax on any forgiven balance.
Clarity you can examine
Your decisions. A more informed starting point.
Independent planning
No lender referral fees. No advertisements in the planning tools.
Learn more about independent planningFinancial inputs stay in your browser
The numbers you enter in the tools are processed in your browser and are not sent to our application servers. The optional AI explainer is the exception, and it asks first. The newsletter signup and contact forms send the information you choose to submit.
Learn more about financial inputs stay in your browserMethodology and assumptions
Every result states the rules, dates and assumptions it uses, and shows the lowest modeled cost under those assumptions, not a recommendation.
Learn more about methodology and assumptionsCheck the source
Verify federal student loan eligibility and repayment information with StudentAid.gov.
Learn more about check the sourcePlanning estimates, not financial, tax or legal advice. Confirm decisions with your servicer and qualified advisers.
For dental schools
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We offer pilot and annual licensing options and can provide documentation to support your institution’s purchasing process, including a methodology summary and a data flow summary.
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Dental loan planner
Project payments, total cost and payoff under each repayment plan.
OpenRAP vs IBR for dentists
See which income-driven plan fits your balance and income.
OpenCost by dental school
Compare tuition and the full cost of attendance school by school.
OpenFAFSA checklist
Know what to file, and when, for dental school loans.
OpenDental student videos
Short explainers on borrowing, repayment and budgeting.
OpenInternational dentist path
Advanced standing, licensure and funding for foreign-trained dentists.
OpenPaying for dental school
Starting with FAFSA?
Understand federal borrowing limits, estimate what federal loans may cover, and calculate the amount you may still need to fund toward your dental school cost.
- 01FAFSA
- 02Federal loan eligibility
- 03Federal borrowing limit
- 04Remaining dental school funding gap
- 05Other funding options
Eight steps, at your pace
Free Dental Loan Guide
From paying for dental school to choosing a repayment strategy after graduation.
A little guidance goes a long way
Resources for your next decision
School comparison
Find your dental school
Save your shortlist, compare school budgets and calculate the cost of your dental education.
Read the guideSchool costs
How much is dental school?
Compare the published four-year cost of attendance at dental schools, with the year and source for each.
Read the guideRepayment plans
RAP vs IBR for dentists
See how the two income-driven plans differ for a dentist's income, with a worked example.
Read the guideDental students
2026 dental school funding changes
Understand the borrowing changes and questions to take to your financial aid office.
Read the guideInternational dentists
The international dentist pathway
Explore advanced standing programs, eligibility and financing a US dental education.
Read the guideResidents & new dentists
Your first years as a dentist
Work through income, repayment timing and public service considerations.
Read the guideFinancial planning
Compare repayment and refinancing
See the tradeoffs between federal repayment, forgiveness and private refinancing.
Read the guideFree event · March 13, 2027 · Chicago, IL
Thinking about dental school? Go to GoDental
Video by ADEA GoDental, published November 3, 2026. The preview image is a frame from the video. The video itself loads when you press play. The event is free for aspiring dental students, advisors and families. Confirm hours and registration on ADEA’s site.