Need honest advice.

[nbpoise]

I have been studying since the last 3 years and have finally secured a seat in a IDS program in the USA. I am really excited about the program and have been researching about the financial/ loan repayment process. I am from india and would eventually in some years(5 or so) return to my homeland and practice there due to personal reasons.

From my research , seems that the loan repayment takes 10/15 years to a minimum, with some people opting for even a 30 year repayment plan.
my question is - how true is this? please people who have already graduated, can you please throw some light? if i were to put more money back on my loan from my salary , how much is the minimum time to fully repay the loan( federal loan)?

i just want to clearly understand the numbers and if this is going to be worth the time, effort and money, if someone doesn't want to live in the usa forever.
i would try to do a PG here but i know that the chances are really slim to get into one of the clinical programs.

please friends i need real answers and experiences here.
thanks a ton.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[sam99]

I have been studying since the last 3 years and have finally secured a seat in a IDS program in the USA. I am really excited about the program and have been researching about the financial/ loan repayment process. I am from india and would eventually in some years(5 or so) return to my homeland and practice there due to personal reasons.

From my research , seems that the loan repayment takes 10/15 years to a minimum, with some people opting for even a 30 year repayment plan.
my question is - how true is this? please people who have already graduated, can you please throw some light? if i were to put more money back on my loan from my salary , how much is the minimum time to fully repay the loan( federal loan)?

i just want to clearly understand the numbers and if this is going to be worth the time, effort and money, if someone doesn't want to live in the usa forever.
i would try to do a PG here but i know that the chances are really slim to get into one of the clinical programs.

please friends i need real answers and experiences here.
thanks a ton.

it really depends on what your goals are. i know dentists that repay their loan in 3 years. i know some, like you wrote, that are on a 10 year repayment plan. if it is important for you to repay the money, i would focus on that. i would not buy a house or car or get a mortgage. the people who are on the longer repayment plan are allocating their income to other endevours, such as the ones i have listed. if your goal is to repay as soon as possible, then live as frugally as possible, save your money and pay off your debt. take the bus, find an economical place to rent and you should be fine to pay off your loan quicker.

 

[dr37]

I am not quite sure if doing the DDS/DMD will be helpful a lot in the long run if you want to return back. DDS comes with a big proce tag and if you for sure are retunring back, it will make much more sense to do AEGD/GPR or any other speciality program.(Even if you pay - you are getting a speciality certificate rather than DDS)

My two cents. Loans are big numbers and even with crunching and saving it takes a while before you can pay them off. Every one is in different financial situations but if i were you - i would carefully consider my decision before i focus my time money and energy.

Good luck

 

[igores07]

I have been studying since the last 3 years and have finally secured a seat in a IDS program in the USA. I am really excited about the program and have been researching about the financial/ loan repayment process. I am from india and would eventually in some years(5 or so) return to my homeland and practice there due to personal reasons.

From my research , seems that the loan repayment takes 10/15 years to a minimum, with some people opting for even a 30 year repayment plan.
my question is - how true is this? please people who have already graduated, can you please throw some light? if i were to put more money back on my loan from my salary , how much is the minimum time to fully repay the loan( federal loan)?

i just want to clearly understand the numbers and if this is going to be worth the time, effort and money, if someone doesn't want to live in the usa forever.
i would try to do a PG here but i know that the chances are really slim to get into one of the clinical programs.

please friends i need real answers and experiences here.
thanks a ton.

Did I understand you correctly? You have spent 3 years to get into an IDP program and your plan is to go back to your country in 5 years?

Then why did you wasted your time in the first place? You could have applied to NYU advanced programs for International Dentists, instead. This is the website: http://www.nyu.edu/dental/academicprograms/international/index.html

Quote from the website: "The Advanced Programs for International Dentists at NYU College of Dentistry attracts oral health professionals from over 55 countries. These full time, post-graduate level programs are designed for international dentists who plan to practice dentistry outside the United States. Completion of any of these programs does not qualify participants for licensure in the U.S.."

There are similar programs offered at UCLA, School of Dentistry for Foreign-trained dentists who just want to get a certificate from a US dental school to boost their resume or learning more. Think about it thoroughly before throwing yourself in such a commitment. Simply, if your plan is to go back to your country, the IDP program is not the right choice for you.

 

[nbpoise]

thanks for the feedback...when i applied i didnt know my personal situation would change by the time i got in..life is unpredictable that way...the reason for my post is to understand the time in terms of financial commitment. I just want to be prepared no matter what decision i take.
now that i have it in hand , makes it harder to let go of all the effort put in.

i think its definitely wiser to take up some courses like aegd, post doctoral programs as you guys mentioned if one does not plan to live here.