Rising Student Debt and Dentistry's Social Contract.

The article explores the issue of rising student debt in dentistry and its impact on the social contract between dentists and society. It discusses the financial burden faced by dental students due to increasing tuition fees and the challenges dentists face in balancing their roles as healthcare professionals and businesspersons. The article also examines the potential consequences of student debt on access to dental care and the dental profession as a whole. It suggests potential solutions, such as promoting financial literacy among students and providing high-quality financial education and aid services. The text concludes by emphasizing the importance of informing stakeholders about the rising levels of student debt and proposing alternative models of dental education to reduce costs and make student debt more manageable. It highlights the potential negative consequences of not addressing student debt and breaking the social contract. [Extracted from the article]