Dental Financing

When you do your budget, do you find there's little wiggle room for dental financing? If this sounds like you, you'll be glad to know that you don't have to sacrifice your oral health because financing for dental work seems out of reach. There are many dental treatment financing options available to make paying for dental care easy and manageable! Some dental finance options are offered directly through your dental office and others through dental financing companies like CareCredit®. Keep reading to find out how smart dental finance planning can yield the best of both worlds: healthy teeth and a healthy bank account.

Q: What are some good dental financing options?
A: Many dental offices accept a variety of dental financing options from customized payment plans, credit card payments or payments through a health financing company like CareCredit®. Another way to ensure that you can afford financing for dental work is to enroll in the flexible spending account offered by your employer. If your employer doesn't offer one, try setting aside a certain percentage of your income every month in your own "dental practice financing" account.

Q: How does dental financing work through CareCredit?
A: Think of CareCredit as a credit line used specifically for healthcare - you can use it for dental work, acupuncture, even veterinary care. A variety of plans are available, from no-interest payment plans to extended payment plans. To qualify for CareCredit, you fill out an application, just like you would for a credit card. Many dental offices have applications right in their office, or you can apply online. Approval is based on credit score (co-signors are permitted, if necessary). Once you're approved, you can use the credit line at any healthcare office that accepts CareCredit - this a convenient way to manage your dental finance costs.

Q: Is there a dental finance option for low-income patients?
A: Low-income patients may be eligible to receive state aid to help offset or cover in full certain dental treatment costs. Low-cost or free dental care may also be available from a community dentist. Check with your neighborhood's registrar office to see if a community dentist is near you. If you live near a university, you may want to see if it has a dental school; oftentimes, dental schools offer low-cost dental care, performed by their students.