How we rank lenders

Rankings never follow payouts. Some lenders pay us when you refinance through our link and some don’t; a lender can’t pay to move up, and we list lenders we earn nothing from when they belong on the list.

Rate tables

• Sorted by the lowest advertised fixed APR, then by name. That’s the simplest order we can apply the same way every time.
• Every number comes from the lender’s own website, on the date shown on the table. We don’t use third-party rate listings.
• We recheck every row at least monthly. A row older than 30 days is flagged “needs recheck” until we update it.
• Advertised ranges are the lender’s best and worst cases. Most include an autopay discount, and only the strongest applicants get the lowest rate. Your rate depends on your credit, income and term.

What we compare for dentists

When we write about which lender fits whom, we look at what matters on a dental balance:

1. Cost: advertised fixed and variable APR ranges, fees, and autopay discounts.
2. Large balances: maximum loan amounts and whether $300,000+ balances are welcome.
3. Residency: reduced payments during residency or fellowship, and for how long.
4. Protections: death and disability discharge, forbearance if you lose income, and cosigner release.
5. Process: soft-pull prequalification, and whether terms are published before you apply.

“Best for” labels describe fit for a situation, not an overall score. A lender we don’t earn from can be the best fit, and we’ll say so.

What no lender can offer

Refinancing turns federal loans into a private loan and ends RAP, PSLF and federal forgiveness for those loans. That’s why every lender page on this site starts with whether you should refinance at all. When refinancing is a mistake.