Some of the main reasons many chose dentistry are the autonomy, entrepreneurial opportunity, and a high earning potential. However, it is up to the student/dentist to gain the competitive edge. A DDS/DMD alone is not an indicator to guaranteed wealth. No one will do it for you.
After graduating, it is up to the dentist to maximize on those opportunities. Unfortunately, most have been shielded by academia their whole lives, so they know absolutely nothing about the autonomy and entrepreneurship they so desired. They have also done nothing to learn about it when they had many opportunities, because they did not take the initiative.
And, in classic millennial fashion, the blame begins and responsibility is never acknowledged. "It's the schools fault." "It's the governments fault." But it's never "my fault."
So there are 2 things to consider:
-These schools that are oh so terrible and unethical, maybe you can learn from them. The demand is there, and supply of seats still exist - so they can charge what they want. If they were so bad, people wouldn't apply.
-It's not the governments fault. In fact, I see no reason to cap dental school loan limits. Doing so would be a detriment to the field. Why? Because the availability of these funds maintain the ability for the admissions process to remain purely merit-based. Do not underestimate the number of dental students who do not need to take loans. The paradigm will shift to applicants from the most qualified, to restricting admission to only those who can afford it.
"But surely there can't be THAT many students who can meet bare minimum admission requirements AND afford dental school at these prices!" Maybe, maybe not. If not, schools will have NO CHOICE but to lower tuition, right? Wrong again. Do you have ANY idea how competitive it is for international students to get a seat in dental school? Don't forget, these applicants do not qualify for Federal loans, so they are paying cash-money.
So by this point, admissions standards have dropped, international enrollment has jumped, and tuition prices have not dropped; but the thousands of academically qualified U.S. Applicants HAVE dropped. So in considering this scenario, is it still the governments fault? It's business. You can either fight it, or you can adapt.
Now with all of this mind, it is up to YOU to make smart professional moves. Obviously a lower cost school is an amazing start, but if that's not an option it does not mean you are doomed. You learn, read, prepare, and understand how to become financially successful. ABANDON THIS DEFEATIST ATTITUDE IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEED. Come up with a strategy, have a plan, and get ready to play the long game.