Dental hygiene students to face financial barriers in the US

Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Fri. 5. December 2025

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CHICAGO, US: The US Department of Education’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education Committee has recently reached consensus on the full package of federal student loan changes proposed under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Beginning in July 2026, professional students in fields such as dentistry will be eligible to borrow up to US$50,000 (€42,876^*) per year. However, dental hygiene students have not been included in this category and will remain subject to the lower graduate borrowing limit of US$20,500 per year. This policy distinction marks a notable shift in federal education financing, potentially widening the funding gap between dental and dental hygiene programmes. For aspiring dental hygienists, the restriction may heighten financial barriers, influence enrolment trends and challenge workforce growth in underserved regions.

According to Nicholas Kent, undersecretary of education, the proposed changes aim to simplify the complex student loan repayment system in the US and better align higher education with the evolving needs of the workforce. “The consensus language agreed upon by the negotiators today will help drive a sea change in higher education by holding universities accountable for outcomes and putting significant downward pressure on the cost of tuition. This will benefit borrowers who will no longer be pushed into insurmountable debt to finance degrees that do not pay off,” he explained on the department’s website.

In response, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA) has noted that limiting federal loan access for advanced dental hygiene programmes will create significant financial barriers, push students towards higher-interest private loans and potentially reduce access to healthcare professions. ADHA is urging the department to reconsider its definition of professional degrees to support access to education in the field.

“This decision creates significant financial barriers for students pursuing master’s degree programmes in dental hygiene at a time when our nation faces critical healthcare workforce shortages,” ADHA President Lancette VanGuilder said in a press release. “Limiting access to federal student loans will force students to seek private loans with higher interest rates, making advanced education less accessible when we need it most.”

Besides capping student loans, the department’s rule-making will eliminate the grad PLUS loan programme, which previously allowed students to cover educational costs beyond standard federal loan limits. In addition, it will cap parent PLUS loans, eliminate student loan repayment plans created under the Obama and Biden administrations, and create a new and simplified repayment assistance plan.

The department is now preparing to publish a notice of proposed rule-making inviting public comments. Stakeholders, including the dental hygiene community, are encouraged to participate.

Editorial note:

Calculated on the OANDA platform for 5 December 2025.