Skip to main contentSkip to login

Variable rates:

2.12% APR

to 11.48% APR

Fixed rates:

4.75% APR

to 11.98% APR

Lowest rates shown include the auto debit discount. Only the most credit-worthy applicants who choose the interest repayment option may receive the lowest rate.

Designed for your dental school needs with 0% origination fee

100%

coverage

of all your school-certified expenses like tuition, fees, books, housing, meals, travel, and even a laptop. No max for all years of dental school.

94%

approval rate

for graduate students who return for their next loan with a cosigner through our Multi-Year Advantage.

48

months of deferment

during your residency and fellowship.

12

interest-only payments

for eligible borrowers after the grace period for repayment flexibility.

12

month grace period

to support you during the start of your dental career.

Choose the loan option that works for you

Select a variable or fixed interest rate


Variable rates: 2.12% - 11.48% APR

Your interest rate can rise or fall as the market index changes, so your Dental School Loan payments may vary over time.

More about variable rates VLess about variable rates ^

Get a rate that may be less than a fixed interest rate, which could result in a lower total loan cost.


Fixed rates: 4.75% - 11.98% APR

Get predictable monthly payments with a rate that doesn’t change over time.

More about fixed rates VLess about fixed rates ^

You may pay more for your total loan cost because a fixed interest rate is usually higher than a starting variable interest rate.

Pay it back now or later

Pay later

Deferred repayment option: Make no payments while you’re in school and in grace (12 months after leaving school)

In school & in grace After school No payments  Principal & interest  More about the deferred repayment option VLess about the deferred repayment option ^

With this Dental School Loan repayment option, you'll likely pay more for your total student loan cost, since the interest rate may be higher and unpaid interest will be added to your principal amount at the end of your grace period.

Pay a little and save

Fixed repayment option: Pay $25 every month you’re in school and in grace, and you can save on your total loan cost when compared to our deferred repayment option.

In school & in grace After school $25 a month  Principal & interest  More about the fixed repayment option VLess about the fixed repayment option ^

While your total loan cost will typically be less than with our deferred repayment option, unpaid interest will be added to your principal amount at the end of your grace period.

Pay interest and save even more

Interest repayment option: Pay your Dental School Loan interest every month you're in school and in grace. Your interest rate will be 0.50 percentage points lower than with the deferred repayment option and 0.25 percentage points lower than with the fixed repayment option.

In school & in grace After school Pay interest monthly  Principal & interest  More about the interest repayment option VLess about the interest repayment option ^

Your total loan cost will likely be lower than with the other repayment options, but your Dental School Loan payments will likely be larger while you’re in school and in grace.

Benefit from these features

Save time with a streamlined application and get the money you need year after year with our Multi-Year Advantage.

Lower your total loan cost—get a 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction when you enroll in and make monthly payments by auto debit.

Pay no origination fee or penalty for paying off your Dental School Loan before its due date.

You can apply to release your cosigner after you graduate, make 12 on-time, principal and interest payments and meet certain credit requirements.

Pay for all your residency expenses with a single lender. With the Sallie Mae Dental Residency and Relocation Loan you can borrow up to $30,000 to cover your travel and relocation costs.

The Dental School Loan vs the Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan

The Sallie Mae Dental School Loan can be a good alternative to the Federal Direct Grad PLUS Loan, and if you're highly qualified, you may receive a lower interest rate.

  Sallie Mae Dental School Loan Direct Grad PLUS Loan

No origination fee

  

Available for less than half-time enrollment

  

Offers variable interest rates

  

Offers fixed interest rates

No origination fee

  

12-month grace period

  

Deferred repayment option

Interest and fixed repayment options

  

Rate reduction for auto-debit enrollment

Get the help you need during your dental residency or fellowship

Find flexibility with a residency deferment

A deferment may help you postpone or reduce your Dental School Loan payments during your residency. It’s available in increments of 12 months, up to a total of 48 months.

Find out about a residency and fellowship deferment

Pay for your residency expenses

Our Dental Residency and Relocation Loan can help you pay for expenses associated with board examinations, interview travel, and moving costs.

Learn about the Dental Residency and Relocation Loan

Applying is easy

1

Provide some basic info

Give some details about yourself and your school.

2

Choose your options

After you’re approved, pick the repayment option and interest rate type that suits your budget and timeframe.

3

Accept your loan

Review, sign and accept your loan documentation. We'll take care of the rest with your school.

Apply for this loan

Questions? Need help applying?

Call us at

877-279-7172

Didn’t find what you were looking for?
See all graduate student loans.

Borrow responsibly
We encourage students and families to start with savings, grants, scholarships, and federal student loans to pay for college. Students and families should evaluate all anticipated monthly loan payments, and how much the student expects to earn in the future, before considering a private student loan.

This loan is for graduate students in a D.D.S. or D.M.D. program at participating degree-granting schools. Graduate Certificate/Continuing Education coursework is not eligible. Students who are not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents must reside in the U.S., attend a participating school in the U.S., apply with a creditworthy cosigner (who must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident) and provide an unexpired government-issued photo ID to verify identity. Applications are subject to a requested minimum loan amount of $1,000. Current credit and other eligibility criteria apply.

Interest is charged starting when funds are sent to the school. With the Fixed and Deferred Repayment Options, the interest rate is higher than with the Interest Repayment Option and Unpaid Interest is added to the loan’s Current Principal at the end of the grace/separation period. Payments may be required during the grace/separation period depending on the repayment option selected. Variable rates may increase over the life of the loan. Advertised variable rates reflect the starting range of rates and may vary outside of that range over the life of the loan. Advertised APRs assume a $10,000 Dental School Loan with a 4-year in-school period.

Loan amount cannot exceed the cost of attendance less financial aid received, as certified by the school. Sallie Mae reserves the right to approve a lower loan amount than the school-certified amount. Miscellaneous personal expenses (such as a laptop) may be included in the cost of attendance for students enrolled at least half-time.

You must apply for a new loan each school year. This approval percentage is based on students with a Sallie Mae graduate school loan in the 2019/20 school year who were approved when they returned in 2020/21. It does not include the denied applications of students who were ultimately approved in 2020/21.

To apply for this deferment, customers and an official from the internship, clerkship, fellowship, or residency program must complete and submit a deferment form to us for consideration. If approved, the loan will revert back to the same repayment option that applied during the in-school period for up to 12 months. Customers can apply for and receive a maximum of four 12-month deferment periods. Interest is charged during the deferment period and Unpaid Interest may be added to the Current Principal at the end of each deferment period, which will increase the Total Loan Cost.

Available for loans used to pay qualified higher education expenses at a degree-granting institution. The Graduated Repayment Period (GRP) allows interest-only payments for 12 billing periods after principal and interest repayment begins. At the time of the GRP request, the loan cannot be past due. Customers can request the GRP during the six billing periods before and the 12 billing periods immediately after the loan first enters principal and interest repayment. The GRP does not extend the loan term but does increase the Total Loan Cost. Monthly payments after the GRP will be higher than they would have been without it.

Example of a typical transaction for a $10,000 Dental School Loan with the most common variable rate, Fixed Repayment Option, and two disbursements. For borrowers with a 57-month in-school and separation period, it works out to 10.98% variable APR, 57 payments of $25.00, 238 payments of $151.78 and one payment of $90.01, for a total loan cost of $37,638.65. Loans that are subject to a $50 minimum principal and interest payment amount may receive a loan term that is less than 20 years. Variable rates may increase over the life of the loan.

The borrower or cosigner must enroll in auto debit through Sallie Mae to receive a 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction benefit. This benefit applies only during active repayment for as long as the Current Amount Due or Designated Amount is successfully withdrawn from the authorized bank account each month. It may be suspended during forbearance or deferment, if available for the loan.

Although we do not charge a penalty or fee if you prepay your loan, any prepayment will be applied as outlined in your promissory note—first to Unpaid Fees and costs, then to Unpaid Interest, and then to Current Principal.

Only the borrower may apply for cosigner release. Borrowers who meet the age of majority in their state may apply for cosigner release by providing proof of graduation (or completion of certification program), income, and U.S. citizenship or permanent residency (if your status has changed since you applied). In the last 12 months, the borrower must be current on all Sallie Mae-serviced loans (including no hardship forbearances or modified repayment programs) and have paid ahead or made 12 on-time principal and interest payments on each loan requested for release. When the cosigner release application is processed, the borrower must demonstrate the ability to assume full responsibility of the loan(s) individually and pass a credit review that demonstrates a satisfactory credit history including but not limited to no: bankruptcy, foreclosure, student loan(s) in default, or 90-day delinquencies in the last 24 months. Requirements are subject to change.

Explore federal loans and compare to make sure you understand the terms and features. Private student loans that have variable rates can go up over the life of the loan. Federal student loans are required by law to provide a range of flexible repayment options, including, but not limited to, income-based repayment and income-contingent repayment plans, and loan forgiveness and deferment benefits, which other student loans are not required to provide. Federal loans generally have origination fees, but are available to students regardless of income.

Federal loan rate and fee information is provided by Federal Student Aid, an Office of the U.S. Department of Education.

Sallie Mae loans are made by Sallie Mae Bank.

Information advertised valid as of 8/25/2021.

SALLIE MAE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO MODIFY OR DISCONTINUE PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND BENEFITS AT ANY TIME WITHOUT NOTICE. CHECK SALLIEMAE.COM FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE PRODUCT INFORMATION.