The American Dental Hygienists’ Association is urging the Department of Education to reconsider proposed student loan caps for healthcare fields.
Seven notes:
1. The Education Department’s Reimagining and Improving Student Education Committee has proposed establishing a $20,500 annual borrowing limit for graduate students and a $50,000 annual limit for professional students.
2. Under the proposal, professional degrees would be limited to pharmacy, dentistry, veterinary medicine, chiropractic, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, podiatry and theology.
3. Several healthcare organizations have taken issue with the proposed definition of professional programs due to the effect it can have on students seeking healthcare degrees outside of those listed.
4. In a Feb. 10 letter to policymakers, the ADHA noted that the average tuition for a Master of Dental Hygiene program typically exceeds $30,000 per year.
5. The ADHA added that the borrowing caps would create additional financial barriers for students, which could exacerbate existing workforce shortages.
6. The ADHA recommended that the department include Master of Dental Hygiene degrees within its definition of a professional degree and reconsider proposed graduate loan caps for healthcare fields.
7. The Education Department is accepting public comments on the proposal until March 2.
