If you're thinking about dental school or already knee-deep in applications, you might want to sit down for this one. Fifty-eight dental schools across the country just announced tuition increases for resident students between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years, according to new data from the American Dental Association.

And we're not talking about small bumps here.

Some Eye-Popping Numbers

Let's start with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, which increased its four-year tuition from $152,631 to $228,811. That's a jump of over $76,000 in a single year—nearly a 50% increase. For context, that's about the price of a nice house in some parts of the country.

California Northstate University in Sacramento went from $259,118 to $371,984, while the University of Oklahoma jumped from $119,472 to $181,542. These aren't minor adjustments to cover inflation—these are major financial decisions that will impact students for decades.

The Most Expensive Programs Keep Getting Pricier

If you thought dental school was already expensive, the 2024-25 numbers might make your head spin. The University of Southern California now tops out at $437,481 for four years of dental education—up from $417,043. That's nearly half a million dollars before you even think about living expenses, instruments, or that used car you'll need to get to clinic rotations.

Private schools in the Northeast aren't far behind. Harvard increased from $270,440 to $277,200, Tufts went from $364,224 to $378,792, and Boston University climbed from $366,000 to $384,304.

There Are Still Some (Relatively) Affordable Options

The good news? If there is any good news here, it's that some public universities are still keeping costs manageable. UT Health San Antonio increased from $96,600 to $110,430—still the most affordable four-year program on the list. Other public institutions like East Carolina University and Southern Illinois University remain well under $150,000 for the full program.

But even "affordable" dental school means graduating with six figures of debt for most students.

Why This Matters for the Profession

Here's the thing that keeps a lot of people up at night: these rising costs don't just affect individual students. They shape the entire profession. When new dentists graduate with $300,000, $400,000, or even $500,000 in student loans, it changes everything.

It influences whether they can afford to buy a practice. It determines where they choose to work. It affects their willingness to serve underserved communities or pursue lower-paying specialties like public health. And it creates a financial barrier that might prevent talented students from less wealthy backgrounds from even considering dentistry as a career.

What's Driving the Increases?

To be fair to the schools, dental education isn't cheap to provide. Modern dental schools are investing in new simulation labs, digital dentistry equipment, and expanded clinical facilities. Faculty salaries are rising, and accreditation standards continue to evolve. But at some point, we have to ask whether the profession is pricing out the next generation of dentists.

What Can You Do?

If you're a prospective dental student, do your homework. Look beyond just the sticker price and investigate financial aid packages, scholarship opportunities, and loan repayment programs. Consider public service loan forgiveness if you're willing to work in underserved areas. And most importantly, run the numbers on what your monthly loan payments will actually look like after graduation.

The reality is that dental school remains a significant investment—one that's only getting bigger. These 58 schools raising tuition are part of a larger trend that shows no signs of slowing down.

For the complete list of schools and their specific tuition changes, you can contact individual institutions directly or check out the full data from the American Dental Association.

Source: American Dental Association data as reported by Becker's Dental Review