Debt among dental students has more than doubled in the past ten years to £50,000, new research shows.
According to new research, the mean total debt among final year dental students was £52,922.12.
This marks a ‘substantial increase’ compared with the data reported in 2013, says the BDA. Published in the British Dental Journal, the findings suggest that commercial and informal loans doubled from 2013 to 2022.
Almost two thirds (60.2%) experienced financial difficulties during their studies, and significant differences were found among socioeconomic groups.
More than a quarter (28.2%) nearly did not come to university due to concerns about debts.
In addition, around one third (37.9%) of respondents have thought about dropping out of university. Students from more disadvantaged socioeconomic groups are more likely to face this.
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‘Eye-watering levels of debt’
‘As millions of patients struggle to access care, debt is leaving many students thinking twice about their future in the dental profession,’ said BDA student committee chair Paul Blaylock.
‘We need the brightest and the best on the frontline, and eye-watering levels of debt should not be a barrier. The next generation of dentists and patients deserves better.’
The study’s authors called for intervention to address the issues disproportionately impacting those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
‘Findings from this study show that dental student debt continues to grow, having detrimental impacts on students and their studies, specifically those from lower income households,’ they wrote.
‘Interventions should focus on addressing these issues.’
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