Hello all. I am a predent and I am starting to wonder how all of these expenses of life are met! Dental School seems to put a financial stop sign on everything else. I am pursuing dentistry I am not married and will not be depending on my parents to pay my rent. How did/do all of you meet living expenses? Do you take out a loan? What about groceries? Can you buy anything leisure during those four years? I don't want to be wrapped up in loans for every cheerio I put in my mouth! I have searched and searched for an answer but cannot find one! Thank you so much!
How do you afford...life!?
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How hard did you search? Loans and a lot of them. Live like a student and get into state school will be better shoes financially
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It is my understanding that students are eligible for enough loans to cover all tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. as well as a certain amount for living expenses. At my school, I think we were all qualified for up to 26k for living expenses. This might vary nationally but Im not sure but where I imagine that is doable in most locations. 26k for a single person should be sufficient (or more than sufficient) for a persons living expenses for a year I would think. I am trying to live on less than that in hopes of returning part of my loan at the end of the year.
I think you can apply for a cost of living adjustment to get more $ if you want to take on the additional debt.
I think you can apply for a cost of living adjustment to get more $ if you want to take on the additional debt.
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LOTS of loans. Banks love students who will be graduating with a job!
Having said that, you have to pay interest on everything you borrow, so everything you spend is costing you much more than the actual ticket price. You still have to live frugally...Don't go out and buy a new car, or top of the line big screen television, or spend $100/week at the bars. But you don't have to live off of hot dogs and KD either. If you aren't extravagant you don't have to worry that you won't make tuition or rent.
But you do have some flexibility to enjoy life a little, and this is the last time in your life you'll ever have summers off. So crunch your numbers and decide for yourself how you want to budget in a way that allows you to balance practicality with leisure. 🙂
Having said that, you have to pay interest on everything you borrow, so everything you spend is costing you much more than the actual ticket price. You still have to live frugally...Don't go out and buy a new car, or top of the line big screen television, or spend $100/week at the bars. But you don't have to live off of hot dogs and KD either. If you aren't extravagant you don't have to worry that you won't make tuition or rent.
But you do have some flexibility to enjoy life a little, and this is the last time in your life you'll ever have summers off. So crunch your numbers and decide for yourself how you want to budget in a way that allows you to balance practicality with leisure. 🙂
I read this article, and came across this, "Other ways to make money include working as a dental hygienist in your 3rd and 4th years. Consult your state dental legislation to see how to qualify. In some Northeastern states, a dental student simply needs to pass the periodontics section of the NERB exam to qualify to register as a dental hygienist. This can be done in 3rd year!"
... Can you do this as a dental student in Texas? If so, how?
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This is not true. You can vacation 10x a year like me if you refuse to be a slave to money. When you start making decent mullah after all your sacrifice, 60% of your income will probably go to taxes and student loans; you deserve and should take lots of vacations.
Thanks! that is a great article. Hygienist? I didn't think there'd be the time?
I think most people in dental school do it like this: take out the max fafsa loan since it's the best loan and then apply for any need based loans like Perkins loan if you qualify and then take out as much as the grad plus loan you need for your living expenses. You could get some help from your parents if you choose to. But most importantly be smart and frugal with your money and you will be able to get by 4 years comfortably. If you are worried about not being able to afford groceries you are wasting your time...just take out more loans! lol that's the reality...it's almost impossible to have a job in dental school although I know a few people who work once or twice a week as a waiter or something...
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I know all situations are different.
But I was just curious, can any of you guys give an average amount, or just general ballpark estimate, of how much debt you would have if you had to pay for EVERYTHING with loans? Considering you did in state undergrad and OOS dental school.
But I was just curious, can any of you guys give an average amount, or just general ballpark estimate, of how much debt you would have if you had to pay for EVERYTHING with loans? Considering you did in state undergrad and OOS dental school.
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Not including undergrad, and going to an OOS dental school, my guess is this could range from 200k-500k depending on the school and it's location.
well, the "expected" total living costs + tuition of most private dental schools is about 90K (give or take a few thousand). If you take out the max 90K a year, that gives you 360K after 4 years just for the dental school. Then if you add your undergrad loans, it may add up to 400K or greater
Truthfully I think you would either have to get really lucky or know somebody with a practice in order to set up some kind of part time job as a hygienist. Or maybe just over breaks.
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It depends where you live. There is plenty of temp work around here. BUT most dentists don't want to hire a dentist to do hygiene. Dental students can't do hygiene w/o a DH license in Washington and I would be surprised if they were allowed in Texas.
Read the article again. It says that in some states "a dental student simply needs to pass the periodontics section of the NERB exam to qualify to register as a dental hygienist". Like I said, it probably would depend on you having some kind in with a dentist.
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NERB states = Connecticut, D.C., Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Mass, Michigan, New Hampshire, N.J., N.Y., Ohio, Penn, Rhode Is., Vermont, W. Virginia
So it does depend where you live. WREB states have more restrictions on hygienists than NERB states.
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NAVY DDS 2010
Not everyone can get help from their parents! My wife worked 4 days per week while in pharmacy school (sacrificng her grades) in order to help pay for some of her expenses and support her mother. I made up the rest with my income. I know other people who come from families who cannot afford to assist with expenses
impossible to work while in dental school - actually, it is not impossible. Our generations (I am considering your generation and mine - I am probably 15 or so years older than most here) are just use to being pampered as compared to the way they were generations before. I know older dentists who held full time jobs while in dental school to pay for school because the fnding for it was not there like it is now. They had no choice. They made it through just fine. Too many people nowdays would whine if this was the case nowdays. Could we work during d-school? Yes. Is it necessary for most people to work? No. Is it advised nowdays to work? No. But it is no where near impossible.
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+1
I worked 4 nights a week while in DH school. It was hard but worth it to not ask my dad for money.
I worked 4 nights a week while in DH school. It was hard but worth it to not ask my dad for money.
I am starting dental school this fall 2010 and my parents could not help me financially. it was also out of a question to take too many loans... so the question is: how can you attend dental school and work without affecting your grades. if this seems impossible for you, listen to how I managed till now.
I work one night a week ~ 3 hours as a lab instructor in a local college near my house. I have a T.A who does all the quizes and correct them -> $8000/year
then there are jobs that let you study while you study at night such as lifeguard or security gard or doorman in a nice building two nights a weekor over the weekend. those job require almost no activity from your part so you can pull out your laptop and study + you get paid while doing it ;-) ~ 10 hours a week @ 12$ an hour this is almost 500 dollars a month or 6000 dollars a year without affecting your studies....
then, keep in mind that while you need to put a lot of time to sit and study... you also have to work out in order to avoid becoming a zombie... so you can also coach someone for like 10 bucks an hour twice a week; this let you workout, help someone and make 80 bucks a month. (every penny is important!!!!)
another way stated earlier would be to apply to as many scholarshipe as possible.
then for those who have some sense of a business mind you can start to buy/ sell stuff online. it takes very little time and you can make a lot of money!!!
hope this help
if anyone has other ideas please let us know
I work one night a week ~ 3 hours as a lab instructor in a local college near my house. I have a T.A who does all the quizes and correct them -> $8000/year
then there are jobs that let you study while you study at night such as lifeguard or security gard or doorman in a nice building two nights a weekor over the weekend. those job require almost no activity from your part so you can pull out your laptop and study + you get paid while doing it ;-) ~ 10 hours a week @ 12$ an hour this is almost 500 dollars a month or 6000 dollars a year without affecting your studies....
then, keep in mind that while you need to put a lot of time to sit and study... you also have to work out in order to avoid becoming a zombie... so you can also coach someone for like 10 bucks an hour twice a week; this let you workout, help someone and make 80 bucks a month. (every penny is important!!!!)
another way stated earlier would be to apply to as many scholarshipe as possible.
then for those who have some sense of a business mind you can start to buy/ sell stuff online. it takes very little time and you can make a lot of money!!!
hope this help
if anyone has other ideas please let us know
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No one works during dental school. Nut up and borrow the money or join the military.
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This is the worst mindset one can have and you'll drive yourself crazy thinking this. Yes, you want to live frugal, BUT you cannot go to the grocery store thinking what this costs, what it'll cost in ten years, etc. Pennies do matter to some extent, but do not go nutzo. You need to live like a student and every now and then enjoy yourself.
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