Best Dental Loans in 2025
Get a lump sum of cash as soon as today to painlessly finance your next dental procedure
| Lender | User rating | Best for | APR | Term | Amount | Min. credit score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Boosting your approval odds with collateral | 7.99% – 35.99% | 36 to 84 months | Starting at $2k | Not specified | ||
|
Small dental loans | 8.01% – 29.99% | 36 to 60 months |
$2k – $45k |
620 | ||
|
Bad or no credit | 7.50% – 35.99% (Test) | 12 to 84 months |
$100 – $1M |
Not specified |
| Lender |
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|
| User rating | |||
| Best for | Boosting your approval odds with collateral | Small dental loans | Bad or no credit |
| APR | |||
| Term | 36 to 84 months | 36 to 60 months | 12 to 84 months |
| Amount | Starting at $2k | $2k – $45k | $100 – $1M |
| Min. credit score | Not specified | 620 | Not specified |
Dental loans at a glance
Best For: boosting your approval odds with collateral
- Can save up to 20% off of your APR by using your home’s fixtures as collateral
- Doesn’t require you to put your entire house on the line like you would with a home equity loan or HELOC
- Can set up your automatic payments to be withdrawn biweekly instead of monthly
- Loans that require collateral are riskier than ones that don’t
- Will be complicated to sell your house before you’ve paid off your dental loan
- An origination fee comes out of every loan
Best Egg’s Secured Loan + Homeowner’s Discount is a unique dental loan that uses your home’s permanent fixtures as collateral. Examples of collateral include built-in cabinets, lighting and vanities.
But keep in mind that secured loans (or collateral loans) are risky. If you don’t pay, your lender will repossess your collateral. Also, you must earn at least $100,000 a year and have a credit score of at least 700 to qualify for Best Egg’s minimum APR.
Best Egg uses your home’s permanent fixtures as collateral, but it doesn’t need to appraise the value of those fixtures. Instead, Best Egg will review your credit history and home equity to see if you qualify.
You must also meet the requirements below to qualify for a Best Egg loan:
- Citizenship: Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident living in the U.S.
- Administrative: Have a personal checking account, email address and physical address
- Residency: Not live in the District of Columbia, Iowa, Vermont, West Virginia or U.S. territories
- Credit score: 580+
Best For: small dental loans
- Loan amounts start at $500
- By law, federal credit unions can’t charge rates higher than 18.00% on personal loans
- Works with bad credit
- Have to join the credit union to borrow
- Must become a member of the Computer History Museum or Financial Fitness Association if you don’t qualify by other means
- Can check rates without hurting your credit, but only for loans with two-year repayment terms
It can be hard to find a dental loan if you only need a filling or two. Most personal loans start at $1,000. With First Tech Credit Union, you can borrow as little as $500. And since it’s a credit union loan, you’ll still get lower-than-average rates, even if you qualify with rocky credit.
You can check rates before becoming a member, but you have to join to accept your loan. First Tech makes it easy by paying your first years’ dues if you need to join a partner organization. Still, it’s an extra step in the process.
To join First Tech (a requirement to get a loan), you must:
- Work for a partnering employer
- Be related to a current First Tech member
- Live in Lane County, Ore.
- Become a member of the Computer History Museum or Financial Fitness Association (First Tech will pay for your first year of membership, and you don’t have to maintain membership to keep your First Tech account)
Best For: bad or no credit
- Has one of the lowest credit score requirements around
- Eligible college students and grads don’t need credit to qualify
- Loans starting at $1,000 can be helpful for midrange dental bills
- Can’t apply with another person
- If you have bad credit, prepare for a high origination fee
- No mobile app for Android users
You usually need at least fair credit to qualify for dental financing. Online lending platform Upstart accepts credit scores as low as 300. You might even be eligible with no credit, but you must be enrolled in or have graduated from an associate’s degree program or higher.
It’s a good thing that Upstart has easier requirements. You can’t add a second person to your loan to boost your approval odds. Bad credit loans don’t come cheap, either. You could have a rate of up to 35.99% and pay an origination fee from 0.00% – 12.00%.
Upstart has transparent eligibility requirements, including:
- Age: Be 18 or older
- Administrative: Have a U.S. address, personal banking account, email address and Social Security number
- Income: Have a valid source of income, including a job, job offer or another regular income source
- Credit-related factors: No bankruptcies within the last three years, reasonable number of recent inquiries on your credit report and no current delinquencies
- Credit score: 300+ (unless you’re an eligible college student or graduate, in which case Upstart could approve you with no credit)
What are dental loans?
A dental loan is a personal loan that you use to pay for dental work. Personal loans come as a lump sum of money, which you will pay back in equal monthly payments. Because personal loans have fixed rates, your interest rate will stay the same for the life of your loan.
There are two main types of personal loans: secured and unsecured.
An unsecured loan doesn’t require collateral; a secured loan does. Unsecured loans are the most common, but secured loans usually have lower rates. That’s because they are less risky for the lender. If you stop paying, your lender can repossess your collateral.
What can you use a dental loan to pay for?
Most lenders let you use your personal loan for just about anything. So whether your dental work is necessary or elective, you can probably use a personal loan to pay for it.
Get a quote from your dentist before applying for your loan. Unlike a credit card, you can only borrow from a personal loan once. If you need more money, you’ll have to take out another loan or find another form of dental financing.
In the meantime, here are some rough numbers to help you get an idea of what to expect (without insurance).
| Procedure | Estimated cost |
|---|---|
| Teeth cleaning (routine) | $125 |
| Teeth cleaning (deep) | $960-$1,260 (whole mouth) |
| Cavity filling | $160 (amalgam) $191 (composite resin) |
| Crown | $800-$2,500 |
| Tooth extraction | $146-$300 |
| Single veneer | $1,765 |
| Dental implant | $3,000-$7,000 |
| Metal braces | $3,000-$7,000 |
| Teeth whitening | $300-$1,000 |
How to find a dental loan with LendingTree
Researching loans one by one can be stressful, especially if you’re dealing with a sore tooth. Let LendingTree do the shopping for you in three easy steps.
1. Check your credit score
Get your credit score for free with LendingTree Spring. It’s helpful to know where you stand before you shop so you have an idea of what rates you might qualify for.
2. Tell us what you need
In just a few minutes, you could have offers from up to five lenders by using LendingTree’s loan marketplace. Our service is free, we have the nation’s largest network of lenders and checking rates won’t affect your credit score.
3. Compare and save
After you’ve filled out our simple online form, we’ll show you loan options you could qualify for. You can also customize your loan to fit your budget. When you’re ready, we’ll help you take the next steps in finalizing your loan.
Dental loans for bad credit
Qualifying for dental loans with bad credit can be hard, but it’s possible. Your best bet is to focus your energy on bad-credit loans. Rates can be high, but if your credit improves down the road, you could refinance your personal loan. Ideally, this will get you a lower interest rate.
If you have bad credit, beware of predatory lending and scams that promise quick cash with no credit checks. Look for lenders that offer APRs below 36% — anything above that could be considered predatory.
Like doctors, dentists and dental professionals have to take an oath to do no harm. The vast majority are there to help you feel and look your best, but there is no guarantee that you won’t run into a dishonest dentist. Protect your wallet and your health by avoiding dental scams.
Get a second opinion: Trust your gut. If a dentist recommends a pricey procedure that doesn’t seem right, have another dentist take another look.
Stick to an independent practice: Some big dentistry chains have been accused of improper billing and conducting unnecessary procedures to maximize profits.
Check for official actions: Use your state’s dental board to see if any official actions have been taken against your dentist due to a patient complaint.
Saving money on dental expenses
Ask about in-house financing options
Some dentists set their own interest rates and are willing to negotiate financing plans. Ask if you can set up monthly payments directly to your dentist. This may be a more affordable option than a personal loan.
Consider if dental work out of country is for you
About 1.2 million Americans travel to Mexico for low-cost dental work each year. This might seem extreme, but medical tourism is a booming business and could save you a lot of money. Just be sure to do your research and include the cost of travel in your budget.
Use your FSA benefits
A flexible spending account (FSA) is an employer-sponsored savings account that lets you use pretax dollars to pay for medical expenses or dental care. They’re typically funded with automatic payroll deductions. If you have an FSA, consider tapping it to pay for dental work.
Dental loan alternatives
CareCredit®
CareCredit® is a credit card specifically designed to pay for medical, dental and vet bills. If your dentist accepts it, you could get interest-free short-term financing between six and 24 months.
However, it’s very important that you pay your balance in full during this interest-free period. Otherwise, you’ll be on the hook for all of the interest that would have accrued during your financing period. This is called deferred interest.
0% APR credit card
A 0% APR credit card works similarly to CareCredit® except you can use it anywhere that accepts major credit cards. Also, most (but not all) 0% APR cards do not have deferred interest. You’ll still have an interest-free intro period. But if you don’t pay your balance in full, interest will only accrue on what you owe rather than be backdated.
Pay cash at a dental school
If you’re on a tight budget, consider making an appointment at a local dental school. Because those procedures are done by practicing dental students, you may be able to get it done at a lower cost.
For more information, check out this list of dental schools by state.
Frequently asked questions
You could find free or low-cost dentists through United Way. Dial 211 and ask if there are any dental charities in your area.
On average, a single dental implant costs between $3,000 and $7,000. Depending on how many implants you need, you could be looking at a huge expense. You’ll likely need very good credit to qualify for a big dental loan, so a credit score of 740 or higher.
If you qualify for a 0% APR credit card and can pay off your balance before your introductory period ends, a credit card is a better choice (you won’t pay any interest). Introductory periods typically last between six and 21 months. That timeframe could be tough, depending on how big your dental bill is.
If you need more time to pay, you could get approved for a dental loan with a lower rate than most credit cards. However, you usually need excellent credit for this to be the case.
Our methodology
We reviewed more than 33 lenders to determine the seven overall best dental loans. To make our list, lenders must offer dental loans with competitive APRs. From there, we prioritize lenders based on the following factors:
Accessibility. Lenders are ranked higher if their personal loans are available to more people and require fewer conditions. This may include lower credit requirements, wider geographic availability, faster funding and easier and more transparent prequalification and application processes.
Rates and terms. We prioritize lenders with more competitive fixed rates, fewer fees and greater options for repayment terms, loan amounts and APR discounts.
Repayment experience. For starters, we consider each lender’s reputation and business practices. We also favor lenders that report to all major credit bureaus, offer reliable customer service and provide any unique perks to customers, like free wealth coaching.
According to our standardized rating system, the best dental loans come from Achieve, Best Egg, First Tech Federal Credit Union, Prosper, Rocket Loans, SoFi and Upstart.