Dental Clinic Growth

Treatment acceptance doesn't drop because patients don't want care — it drops because patients can't figure out how to pay for it. The patient sitting across from you who needs a $4,200 crown and bridge and says "I need to think about it" usually isn't thinking about whether they want the treatment. They're trying to figure out where the money comes from. Research published in the CDC's oral health health-equity data confirms that dental care presents higher financial barriers than any other type of healthcare — making financing infrastructure not a luxury add-on, but a clinical access tool.

A well-structured financing menu with trained staff presentation can increase case acceptance by 20-30% on treatment plans over $1,000. That number isn't speculative. It's what practices consistently report after implementing financing programs and training their teams to present them confidently. The investment in setting up these programs is minimal. The ROI is immediate.

And yet most practices present financing as an afterthought: a brochure on the counter, a mention at the end of the treatment coordinator conversation, a backup option when patients push back on price. Financing isn't a backup option. It's a patient service, and it belongs in the treatment presentation from the start. The broader presentation framework — including how the doctor and treatment coordinator divide their roles — is covered in the guide to improving your treatment plan acceptance rate.

Key Facts: Dental Financing Impact

Practices with active financing programs report 20-30% higher treatment acceptance on cases over $1,000 (Dental Economics, 2024)

CareCredit processes over $2 billion in dental financing annually; Sunbit reports 85%+ approval rates on applications

Patient financing acceptance rates improve when offered proactively vs reactively: 45% acceptance when offered proactively vs 28% when offered only after price objection

CareCredit: The Market Leader

CareCredit is the most widely recognized patient financing product in healthcare. Most dental patients have either heard of it or have a card already. That brand familiarity is a real advantage. Patients trust what they recognize.

How it works: CareCredit is a health-specific credit card. Patients apply at the point of service (in-office via tablet or online application, or from home). Approval decisions are typically instant. The card can be used for any CareCredit-accepting provider and can be used repeatedly.

Promotional period structures: CareCredit offers deferred interest promotions at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months. "Deferred interest" means the patient pays zero interest if the balance is paid in full before the promotional period ends. But if any balance remains, the full interest accrued since the purchase is charged retroactively. This is important to disclose clearly to patients. It isn't a trap, but it requires understanding.

CareCredit also offers true 0% extended payment plans (no retroactive interest) through their "CareCredit Rewards" program for certain cases. Know which products your practice offers and explain them accurately.

Merchant discount rate: CareCredit charges the practice a merchant discount fee of approximately 1.8-14.9% depending on the promotional period used. Short-term promotions (6 months) cost less than long-term (24 months). These fees add up. On a $3,000 case with a 24-month promotion, the merchant fee runs $180-$450. Build this into your fee structure analysis.

Approval rates: CareCredit approves approximately 65-70% of applicants. Patients with moderate or damaged credit may be declined. This is where having a second financing partner matters. For practices focused on cosmetic dentistry revenue, CareCredit's longer promotional periods are especially effective for full smile cases where total investment exceeds $10,000.

Sunbit: The Second-Chance Option

Sunbit entered the dental financing market as a technology-first alternative with a significantly higher approval rate than traditional credit financing. Sunbit reports approving 85%+ of applicants, including many patients who would be declined by CareCredit.

How Sunbit differs: Sunbit uses a broader set of data points in its approval decision, not just credit score. This allows them to approve patients who have imperfect credit histories but current financial stability. The tradeoff: Sunbit's interest rates for approved patients are generally higher than CareCredit's promotional rates for creditworthy borrowers.

Use case: Position Sunbit as your second financing option, offered immediately when CareCredit declines or presented alongside CareCredit for patients who may not qualify for traditional credit. "We have two financing options: CareCredit, which is a health credit card, and Sunbit, which has a higher approval rate and slightly different terms. Would you like us to check both?"

Merchant fees and terms: Sunbit charges merchant fees similar to CareCredit's range depending on term length. Standard terms run 3-24 months with interest rates from 0% to 29.99% depending on the patient's approval profile. Review current terms with your Sunbit representative, as pricing structures evolve.

Other Third-Party Options

Alphaeon Credit: Focuses on elective procedures and premium market positioning. Approves higher credit scores at competitive rates. A good fit for cosmetic-heavy practices serving a higher-income demographic.

Proceed Finance: Formerly known as LendingClub Patient Solutions. Offers longer-term financing (up to 84 months) for larger cases. Particularly useful for All-on-4, comprehensive orthodontic treatment, or large cosmetic cases where a 24-month payment option still generates high monthly payments.

LendingClub Health Finance: Personal health loans through the LendingClub platform. Competitive rates for patients with good credit, longer terms, and a simple patient application process. Good for cases in the $5,000-$20,000 range.

When to maintain multiple financing partners: Most practices benefit from two or three financing options. One primary option with high brand recognition (CareCredit), one with high approval rates for challenged credit (Sunbit), and one for large-case long-term financing (Proceed Finance or LendingClub). The goal is to have a viable option for every qualifying patient regardless of credit profile. Practices growing their implant volume especially benefit from long-term financing options — see dental implant practice growth for how to structure the financial conversation in a high-cost consultation.

Financing Platform Comparison

Platform	Approval Rate	Promotional Rate	Merchant Fee	Best For
CareCredit	65-70%	0% deferred (6-24 mo)	1.8-14.9%	Established credit patients
Sunbit	85%+	0-29.99% (3-24 mo)	3-11%	Challenged credit patients
Alphaeon	60-65%	0% true (up to 24 mo)	3-9%	High-income cosmetic cases
Proceed Finance	70-75%	Varies	3-8%	Large cases, long terms

Note: Rates and fees change. Verify current terms directly with each provider's practice representative.

In-House Financing: When It Makes Sense

In-house payment plans (where the practice itself extends credit to patients) can be appropriate in specific situations, but they come with legal requirements and financial risk that most practices underestimate.

When in-house plans make sense: For established patients with a long payment history, for smaller balances ($500-$1,500) that third-party financing is cumbersome for, and in markets where a high portion of your patient base has limited access to third-party financing.

Legal requirements: If you charge interest on in-house payment plans, the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) requires specific disclosures including the APR, total amount financed, and finance charge. The ADA's dental insurance and financial resources provides guidance on how insurance benefits interact with patient payment obligations, which shapes how in-house plans should be structured relative to what insurance covers. Non-compliance exposes the practice to regulatory risk. If you offer 0% in-house plans, disclosure requirements are simpler but still present. Work with your practice's attorney or accountant to ensure your in-house plan structure is compliant.

State lending laws: Some states require a lending license to offer financed payment plans, even within a professional practice. Check with your state dental association or a healthcare attorney before implementing in-house financing.

Bad debt risk: Third-party financing transfers the collection risk to the financing company. In-house financing keeps it with the practice. A patient who makes 3 payments and disappears leaves you with a collection problem. If you extend in-house credit, budget for a bad debt rate of 8-15% and factor that into your financial model. Tracking bad debt alongside collections and production is part of a disciplined approach to key financial metrics for dental practices.

The practical decision: For most practices, third-party financing is the better choice for patient balances over $1,000. In-house arrangements with small down payments and 3-4 payment installments work fine for sub-$1,000 balances with established patients. Draw the line there and push larger balances to CareCredit, Sunbit, or another partner.

Staff Training: The Financing Conversation

The financing program you set up is only as effective as the team member presenting it. A treatment coordinator who feels uncomfortable discussing money, or who defaults to handing the patient a brochure, will convert fewer cases than one who presents financing as a natural part of the treatment discussion.

When to introduce financing: Don't wait for the patient to ask about price. Introduce financing as a standard part of the treatment presentation: "Most patients find it helpful to know about our payment options before we finalize the plan. We work with CareCredit and Sunbit, which both offer monthly payment options. Would you like me to walk you through how those work?" Proactive financing conversations are one of the core skills covered in case acceptance training programs.

The framing that normalizes monthly payments: Monthly payment framing reduces the psychological barrier of large case costs. "This treatment runs about $180 per month on a 24-month plan" is more accessible than "$4,300." Present the monthly option first, then the total for patients who ask.

Handling "I need to think about it": This phrase usually means "I'm not sure how I'm going to pay for this." The response: "Of course — is the timing, the investment, or something about the treatment plan the main thing you'd like to think through? I ask because sometimes I can answer questions right now that make the decision easier." This opens the conversation rather than closing it.

Tracking financing offer vs acceptance rates: Measure how often financing is offered (every eligible case) vs accepted (patient completes application). If you're offering financing on 90% of eligible cases and accepting on 35%, your conversion rate is reasonable. If you're only offering it on 50% of cases, your team is self-selecting who they think can afford it, leaving treatment unscheduled for patients who would have said yes.

Staff Training Checklist: Financing Conversations

All treatment coordinators trained on CareCredit application process (desktop and tablet)
All treatment coordinators trained on Sunbit application process
Financing offered on every case over $500, every time. No assumptions about patient ability
Monthly payment framing scripted and practiced in role-play
Response to "I need to think about it" scripted and practiced
"I was declined" response scripted (immediate second option offered)
Financing offer rate tracked monthly (target: 90%+ of eligible cases)
Financing acceptance rate tracked monthly (benchmark: 30-40% of offered)

Financing as a Patient Service

The practices that present financing most effectively share a mindset: they genuinely believe that making care affordable is a service to patients, not a sales technique. This isn't just a frame. It's true. A patient who can't afford necessary dental treatment and isn't offered financing options leaves with worse health outcomes than one who receives a clear financing presentation and says yes.

Your financing menu is a clinical support tool. Present it that way, train your team to believe it, and watch acceptance rates on large cases improve. The NIDCR's Oral Health in America report found that dental services account for 37% of out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures in the U.S. — a figure that underscores why proactive financing conversations are clinically relevant, not just commercially motivated. Practices aiming to grow through high-value dental procedure mix expansion — implants, veneers, aligners — should treat financing program setup as a prerequisite, not an afterthought.

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Eric Pham

Founder & CEO