Dental work is often pretty pricey, especially if the procedure comes out of the blue. However, considering a personal loan might be a good option to cover these expenses.
Use our table below to see which dental loans you can get, based on your credit score.
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A dental loan is any form of personal loan or finance that is used to cover the cost of dental or orthodontic procedures. This can include an unsecured personal loan or credit card, or a payment plan arranged directly with your dentist.
If you’re having teeth trouble, the cost of expensive dental care often means you have to just grin and bear it. With a dental loan, you’ll be able to cover any procedure, whether it’s necessary or elective.
You can use a dental loan to borrow money and finance the costs of dental surgery or other related costs. Depending on the type of loan you choose, you may be able to borrow as little as £100 or as much as £20,000.
Generally, the higher your loan amount, the longer you may have to pay it back. Loan terms vary from between 16 days to around seven years, depending on the type of loan you get.
Most people know dental work can be expensive, but just how much can a visit to the dentist cost? For preventative work, that is, where you visit the dentist for an oral exam, fluoride, or sealing, the costs can be between about £30 to £80, although plaque removal can cost as much as £120.
For surgery, such as extraction, you’re looking closer to £200. For restorative work, including fillings and cusp capping, you should be expecting to pay closer to £300. When you get into full surgical and restorative work, the bill could be anywhere between £800 and £3,000, sometimes more. Braces can cost anywhere between £1,500 and £5,000.
Dental treatment that is considered clinically necessary by your dentist to maintain good oral health is available on the NHS, but you’ll still need to make a contribution to your treatment. This means the NHS provides any treatment that you need to keep your mouth, teeth, and gums healthy and free of pain. This includes common procedures like dentures, crowns and bridges.
NHS dental treatment does not include cosmetic treatments that are not clinically necessary, such as teeth whitening. Dental implants and orthodontic treatment, such as braces, are covered by the NHS, but only if there’s a medical need for the treatment.
Before applying for a dental loan, it’s important to know what type of loans are available to you. If you’re looking at getting dental loans then you have a few options open to consider:
| Response | % of respondents |
|---|---|
| Short-term loan | 8.33% |
| Personal loan | 2.08% |
| Overdraft | 4.17% |
| Other | 2.08% |
| In advance as part of a plan | 18.75% |
| Debit card | 27.08% |
| Credit card | 14.58% |
| Cash | 14.58% |
| Borrow from friends/family | 8.33% |
Yes, you can still get a loan to finance dental costs if you have poor credit, but you may be limited in how many finance options you have. Lenders are unlikely to approve unsecured loans for things like cosmetic dental procedures if the borrower has a bad credit history, and you may also be ineligible for a number of credit cards.
However, there are some lenders that specialise in providing loans for bad credit, and you may also be able to get a short-term loan with bad credit. Short-term loans can also be offered without a hard credit check, but should only be considered a last resort when it comes to financing dental work.
Here are some questions to ask yourself that will help you come to a decision:
The application process will differ depending on the lender you apply with, as will the eligibility criteria.
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