Student debt of UK dental students and recent graduates.

Abstract

Introduction Studies conducted in 2013 estimated the total average debt of UK dental students in their final year. Student tuition fees in the UK have increased over time and maintenance grants abolished. With the current landscape changing, it's important to understand the effect on dental students and the current total debt upon graduation.Aims Quantify the level of debt among dental students graduating in 2021/2022 and the two years prior, understand the impact of debt, and investigate socioeconomic differences.Materials and methods An online survey with final year UK dental students and recent graduates was conducted, resulting in 103 valid responses. The survey design was adapted from a validated British Dental Association (BDA) survey conducted in 2013.Results The mean total debt among respondents was £52,922.12, a substantial increase compared to the BDA data reported in 2013, with commercial and informal loans doubling from 2013 to 2022. Three-in-five (60.2%) experienced financial difficulties during their studies. Significant differences were found among socioeconomic groups.Conclusion 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. Interventions should focus on addressing these issues.