Major changes to federal student loans from the One Big Beautiful Bill went into effect on July 1. To help current dental students and incoming residents navigate the new borrowing caps, ASDA has launched Paying for Dental School resources. Even if you qualify as a legacy borrower, these resources provide essential information about planning ahead for a residency and can connect you to private lenders and scholarship opportunities.

Last month, ASDA and 17 other members of the Organized Dentistry Coalition signed a coalition letter thanking Sen. Durbin (IL) for introducing S. 4008, the Promoting Dental Health Act in Congress. If passed, the bill would fund the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Division of Oral Health for the next five years. The CDC’s Division of Oral Health plays a critical role in public oral health programs, education and research. 

During ASDA’s Legislative Action Week in April, the University of Utah’s ASDA Chapter hosted a two-part event combining pickleball and policy. Chapter members competed in the Play for Policy Pickleball Tournament, and the winners chose the topic for the week’s Legislative Lunch and Learn event. Around 40 chapter members attended the lecture, where the president of the Utah Dental Association spoke on the importance of advocacy within organized dentistry.

This event was supported by ASDA’s 2025-26 Legislative Grassroots Network (LGN) Event Grant. 2026-27 grant applications open August 1. Learn more here. 

On June 30, the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts temporarily paused a rule from the Department of Education (ED) on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). The ED’s rule would have given the Secretary of Education sole discretion in determining if an organization’s activities have a “substantial illegal purpose,” making the entity an ineligible employer for PSLF. A broad coalition of labor unions, nonprofit organizations and local governments challenged the rule, arguing it gave unwarranted authority to the ED for a program created by Congress. For now, this ruling ensures that all dentists currently benefitting from PSLF can continue to do so.

The ED is likely to appeal the federal court’s decision. ASDA will continue to monitor the rule and keep you informed on any pending litigation. Read more. 

ASDA and the PSLF Coalition are collecting stories to humanize the impact of PSLF and to highlight its importance. If you are considering practice in public dentistry, such as at an FQHC or other nonprofit dental clinic, ASDA encourages you to share how PSLF will help you achieve your career goals. These stories and quotes will be shared in media, advocacy and policymaking by the coalition.

As of July 1, payments made under the ED’s new Tiered Standard Plan will not qualify as on-time payments eligible for PSLF. If you’re a recent graduate pursuing PSLF, you must enroll in an income-driven repayment plan, such as the Income-Based Repayment Plan or Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) to ensure what you pay each month counts towards your 120 qualifying payments. Learn more.

In late June, a federal judge ruled that the ED’s new definition of “professional degree” was too narrowly defined by leaving out key programs. In response, the department expanded the number of professional degree programs from 11 to 29. Newly added programs include some advanced nursing and psychology degrees, among others.  

Dentistry degrees, i.e., DMD and DDS programs, remain in the category of professional degrees with a higher borrowing threshold. While this change may not directly impact dentistry, it's important to be aware of these changes to the RISE provisions. Read more.

While new borrowing caps may limit access to higher education at the federal level, states like Connecticut and Minnesota are stepping up with new government loan programs of their own. Last month, Connecticut launched the MyCHESLA Grad Loans, which will allow graduate (including dental) students to borrow up to $250,000. Qualifying dental students are also eligible to borrow up to $300,000 Minnesota’s SELF Grad Loan. Both loan programs have annual percentage rates (APRs) starting below 6%. Eligibility for the programs is limited based on state residency or dental school enrollment.

A new study from the University of Pennsylvania found that adults in the U.S. are nearly three times more likely to trust the American Dental Association (ADA) than the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) when it comes to fluoridation. 65% of survey respondents indicated that they are not confident HHS Secretary Kennedy provides trustworthy information on water fluoridation.

The survey’s findings demonstrate that organized dentistry continues to serve as a reputable source for the dental profession and patients.

More than half the states and the District of Columbia sued the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Medicaid work requirement rule, announced June 1. The new rules would require Medicaid recipients in states with Medicaid expansion to report working 80 hours per month to continue receiving benefits. Some exceptions apply for individuals who are pregnant, have a disability or receive Social Security benefits.  

The states’ challenge argues that the new rules too narrowly define exempt individuals and creates an undue administrative burden. Read more. ASDA will continue to monitor this ongoing legal situation and keep you updated.