The Council on Advocacy reviewed the F-4 policy and agreed on modifications that would make the policy more succinct while allowing for evolving debt reduction measures; therefore, be it
Resolved, that the ASDA’s Current Statements of Position or Policy ‘F-4 Student Debt (2014)’ be amended to read:
The American Student Dental Association encourages Congress and state legislatures to introduce and pass measures supports initiatives to reduce the burden of debt for dental students. The association urges Congress, state legislatures and state dental associations to pass measures that include, but are not limited to:
- Reducing student loan interest rates;
- Providing refinancing opportunities to borrowers;
- Providing opportunities for loan forgiveness, scholarships, grants and tax deductibility.
- Expansion of the tax deductibility of interest on educational debt, student scholarships and loan repayments;
- The reduction of student loan interest rates;
- Improved access to public service loan forgiveness programs;
- Loan forgiveness of tuition for dental students and residents practicing in underserved areas after graduation;
- Scholarship opportunities for dental students and residents practicing in underserved areas after graduation;
- Tax deductibility and rebates for dentists practicing in underserved areas;
- Prohibiting the compounding of interest during loan repayment and the capping of interest rates upon graduation;
- Strengthening regulations for the protection of private student loan borrowers
ASDA supports legislation providing tax exemptions for scholarships awarded to dental students under federal programs.
ASDA encourages state dental societies to make increasing state funding to dental schools a legislative priority.
ASDA encourages state dental societies to dedicate funding to scholarships for dental students.