A dental degree can open the door to a rewarding career, but getting there can be expensive.
In the US, the average first-year cost reached US$46,845 for residents and US$79,168 for non-residents in 2025–26, while private dental schools averaged US$90,090 for the first year alone.
So, where can you study dentistry without taking on such a huge financial burden?
TL;DR? Here’s the summary:
- Countries such as Japan, Georgia, Romania, and Bulgaria are worth considering for affordable dentistry degrees abroad.
- Tuition fees vary by university, programme, and whether you’re an international or domestic student.
- Before applying, check whether the dental qualification is recognised in the country where you plan to practise.
Here are the 13 cheapest countries to study dentistry:
Brazil — Dentistry at the University of São Paulo is free for most undergraduate students.
Japan — Institute of Science Tokyo charges from US$4,320 per undergraduate year.
The Netherlands — Radboud University tuition starts from US$24,885 for EEA students.
Germany — Many public universities charge no tuition for non-EU students, only a semester contribution.
France — Non-EU students pay around US$3,297 a year for bachelor’s programmes.
Lithuania — English-taught dentistry costs around US$14,802 a year.
Malaysia — IMU charges international students about US$3,451 per semester.
Puerto Rico — Its four-year Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) costs roughly US$213,069.
Hong Kong — The University of Hong Kong charges around US$28,813 to US$32,029 a year.
Bulgaria — Medical University of Sofia starts at around US$11,706 in the first year, US$10,536 in the second and third year, and US$9,365 in the fourth to sixth years.
Romania — Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy charges US$11,390 a year.
Serbia — University of Novi Sad charges around US$7,973 annually.
Georgia — New Vision University’s five-year DMD costs US$7,000 a year.
Interested to know more? Check out the full article here for more information about the cheapest countries to study dentistry.
Disclaimer: This article was last updated on October 8, 2026.
