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Best financing options for elective dental work
Best financing options for elective dental work
Aug 3, 2025
Aug 3, 2025
Aug 3, 2025
Getting dental work done can be expensive, especially if it's something cosmetic like whitening, veneers, or dental implants. These kinds of procedures often aren't covered by insurance, which means you're left figuring out how to pay on your own. The good news is, there are real options out there to help make these costs more manageable.
Some involve financing, like payment plans or loans. Others simply help you save on the total price. Here’s what patients should know, laid out in plain English.
HSAs and FSAs: best for insured patients with pre-tax accounts, but you likely can't use it
If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) through your job or health insurance, try to use it. These accounts let you set aside money before taxes to pay for medical expenses, including many dental procedures.
But the main thing with this is HSAs and FSAs can only be used on procedures considered medically necessary. Many times, smile makeovers are largely considered to be purely cosmetic (even if they may not seem to be), which makes this a challenging option.
If you can get your smile makeover to qualify, this option is great because you don’t need a credit check, and you’re using your own money before taxes.
Source: IRS Publication 969
CareCredit: best for short-term borrowers with good credit
This is a special credit card just for medical and dental care. Many dentists accept it. CareCredit offers short-term plans with 0% interest if you pay off the full amount in 6, 12, 18, or 24 months.
Sounds great, right? It is — as long as you pay it off on time. If you don’t, you’ll owe back interest from the original purchase date, often at rates around 26% APR.
To qualify, you’ll usually need a credit score of 640 or higher and a steady income.
Source: CareCredit FAQs
In-house payment plans: best for convenience-focused patients
Many dental offices offer their own financing options. Some break up your bill into monthly payments with little or no interest. Others work with third-party lenders to help you apply for financing right there in the office.
Whether you qualify depends on the dentist’s policies. Some check credit, others don’t. You may need to put some money down.
These plans are a great option if you trust your dentist and want to avoid outside lenders.
Dental savings plans: best for uninsured patients paying out of pocket:
These are not insurance. Instead, you pay a yearly fee (usually $100–$200) to get access to lower rates on dental work. Discounts can range from 10% to 60%, depending on the procedure.
There’s no credit check or income requirement. You just need to go to a participating dentist.
Source: DentalPlans.com
Personal loans: possibly good for high-cost procedures and strong credit
If you need to finance a larger procedure, like implants or a full-mouth restoration, a personal loan from your bank or an online lender might make sense.
These loans give you a lump sum, which you repay over a set number of months with interest. Your interest rate will depend on your credit. With a good credit score (above 660), you could get a rate between 6% and 10%. Lower scores might get stuck with 20% or more.
You’ll also need to show proof of income and have a reasonable amount of debt compared to your earnings.
Source: NerdWallet Personal Loans Guide
Third-party dental lenders: best for patients with limited credit
Lenders like Sunbit, Proceed Finance, and LendingClub work directly with dental offices and are often more flexible about credit scores. Some will consider scores as low as 580, especially if you have a stable income.
Interest rates vary widely, from 9% to over 30%, depending on your credit and the loan length. These are handy if you can’t qualify for better terms elsewhere.
Source: Sunbit for Dental
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) partners: best for small bills and fast approvals
Some dentists work with BNPL partners like Affirm or Klarna. These services let you split a smaller dental bill into a few payments, usually without interest if paid on time.
They typically don’t do hard credit checks, and approvals are fast. They’re best for smaller procedures (think under $2,000), and only if you’re sure you can make the payments.
Credit cards: great with a promotional offer… otherwise, a last resort
If you already have a card with a 0% promotional APR, this can be a decent option… if you can pay it off before interest kicks in. Otherwise, dental bills can sit on your card and rack up high interest (often 18%–30% APR).
Only use this route if you’ve thought through a repayment plan. Or if your card earns travel points and you really want to turn your root canal into a flight to Cabo. (We won’t judge.)
Summary comparison table
Financing Option | Credit Needed? | Interest | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
HSA / FSA | No | None | Pre-tax savings, if eligible, and if your smile makeover is deemed medically necessary |
CareCredit | Yes (640+) | 0% if paid on time | Medium costs, paid within 6–24 mo. |
In-House Financing | Maybe | Low/None | Flexible plans from your dentist |
Dental Savings Plan | No | N/A | Discounted care, no financing |
Personal Loan | Yes (660+) | 6–36% | Larger procedures, fixed terms |
Sunbit, Proceed, etc. | Yes (580+) | 9–30%+ | Mid-sized costs, credit challenged |
BNPL (Affirm, Klarna) | Minimal | 0–30% | Small costs, fast approval |
Credit Cards | Yes (650+) | 18–30% | Last resort or 0% promo deals |
Final thoughts
The price tag on a smile makeover can be a little high, but there are ways to make it accessible for every credit score. Always ask your dentist what they offer. Compare interest rates. If you're not sure, consider the options that don’t involve interest at all.
SmileReach can help with financing too. Take our quiz to be matched with a smile makeover specialist that's right for you based on what you need.
Sources
Read more about this in the links below.
Getting dental work done can be expensive, especially if it's something cosmetic like whitening, veneers, or dental implants. These kinds of procedures often aren't covered by insurance, which means you're left figuring out how to pay on your own. The good news is, there are real options out there to help make these costs more manageable.
Some involve financing, like payment plans or loans. Others simply help you save on the total price. Here’s what patients should know, laid out in plain English.
HSAs and FSAs: best for insured patients with pre-tax accounts, but you likely can't use it
If you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA) through your job or health insurance, try to use it. These accounts let you set aside money before taxes to pay for medical expenses, including many dental procedures.
But the main thing with this is HSAs and FSAs can only be used on procedures considered medically necessary. Many times, smile makeovers are largely considered to be purely cosmetic (even if they may not seem to be), which makes this a challenging option.
If you can get your smile makeover to qualify, this option is great because you don’t need a credit check, and you’re using your own money before taxes.
Source: IRS Publication 969
CareCredit: best for short-term borrowers with good credit
This is a special credit card just for medical and dental care. Many dentists accept it. CareCredit offers short-term plans with 0% interest if you pay off the full amount in 6, 12, 18, or 24 months.
Sounds great, right? It is — as long as you pay it off on time. If you don’t, you’ll owe back interest from the original purchase date, often at rates around 26% APR.
To qualify, you’ll usually need a credit score of 640 or higher and a steady income.
Source: CareCredit FAQs
In-house payment plans: best for convenience-focused patients
Many dental offices offer their own financing options. Some break up your bill into monthly payments with little or no interest. Others work with third-party lenders to help you apply for financing right there in the office.
Whether you qualify depends on the dentist’s policies. Some check credit, others don’t. You may need to put some money down.
These plans are a great option if you trust your dentist and want to avoid outside lenders.
Dental savings plans: best for uninsured patients paying out of pocket:
These are not insurance. Instead, you pay a yearly fee (usually $100–$200) to get access to lower rates on dental work. Discounts can range from 10% to 60%, depending on the procedure.
There’s no credit check or income requirement. You just need to go to a participating dentist.
Source: DentalPlans.com
Personal loans: possibly good for high-cost procedures and strong credit
If you need to finance a larger procedure, like implants or a full-mouth restoration, a personal loan from your bank or an online lender might make sense.
These loans give you a lump sum, which you repay over a set number of months with interest. Your interest rate will depend on your credit. With a good credit score (above 660), you could get a rate between 6% and 10%. Lower scores might get stuck with 20% or more.
You’ll also need to show proof of income and have a reasonable amount of debt compared to your earnings.
Source: NerdWallet Personal Loans Guide
Third-party dental lenders: best for patients with limited credit
Lenders like Sunbit, Proceed Finance, and LendingClub work directly with dental offices and are often more flexible about credit scores. Some will consider scores as low as 580, especially if you have a stable income.
Interest rates vary widely, from 9% to over 30%, depending on your credit and the loan length. These are handy if you can’t qualify for better terms elsewhere.
Source: Sunbit for Dental
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) partners: best for small bills and fast approvals
Some dentists work with BNPL partners like Affirm or Klarna. These services let you split a smaller dental bill into a few payments, usually without interest if paid on time.
They typically don’t do hard credit checks, and approvals are fast. They’re best for smaller procedures (think under $2,000), and only if you’re sure you can make the payments.
Credit cards: great with a promotional offer… otherwise, a last resort
If you already have a card with a 0% promotional APR, this can be a decent option… if you can pay it off before interest kicks in. Otherwise, dental bills can sit on your card and rack up high interest (often 18%–30% APR).
Only use this route if you’ve thought through a repayment plan. Or if your card earns travel points and you really want to turn your root canal into a flight to Cabo. (We won’t judge.)
Summary comparison table
Financing Option | Credit Needed? | Interest | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
HSA / FSA | No | None | Pre-tax savings, if eligible, and if your smile makeover is deemed medically necessary |
CareCredit | Yes (640+) | 0% if paid on time | Medium costs, paid within 6–24 mo. |
In-House Financing | Maybe | Low/None | Flexible plans from your dentist |
Dental Savings Plan | No | N/A | Discounted care, no financing |
Personal Loan | Yes (660+) | 6–36% | Larger procedures, fixed terms |
Sunbit, Proceed, etc. | Yes (580+) | 9–30%+ | Mid-sized costs, credit challenged |
BNPL (Affirm, Klarna) | Minimal | 0–30% | Small costs, fast approval |
Credit Cards | Yes (650+) | 18–30% | Last resort or 0% promo deals |
Final thoughts
The price tag on a smile makeover can be a little high, but there are ways to make it accessible for every credit score. Always ask your dentist what they offer. Compare interest rates. If you're not sure, consider the options that don’t involve interest at all.
SmileReach can help with financing too. Take our quiz to be matched with a smile makeover specialist that's right for you based on what you need.
Sources
Read more about this in the links below.
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