Dean Feldman Speaks Out on Reducing Student Debt

Dean Cecile A. Feldman, an outspoken advocate of student debt reduction, tackles the issue in this month's  Journal of Dental Education. According to Feldman, easing the burden of student debt can potentially result in more dentists who treat the undeserved. Here's an excerpt. The full story, along with Feldman's suggestions for reducing debt, is posted here.

"...Dental school graduates have among the highest amounts of student debt in the nation. Over the last decade, student indebtedness has increased much more quickly than inflation, a rise that is directly related to higher tuition and fees. In 2013, dental students overall incurred an average debt of $241,000, according to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). For students graduating from private dental schools, the figure was $283,000.... Without the ability to make debt manageable, many graduates simply could not afford to practice in a place where patients cannot fully pay for their services, so they opt for more affluent communities."