Root Canal? What is The Best Dental Credit Card for Bad Credit?

CANDY! SUGAR! SWEETS! ROTTING TEETH!

Wait. Hang on.

Ugh. There's not much worse than needing dental work. It's awkward, painful, swells your mouth, and may cost you an arm and a leg. Or a piece of your jaw if you really screw up. But, seriously, not everyone has dental insurance, but most people will need tooth care at some point in their life.

Unfortunately, dental work can be extremely expensive, and for people without the means to afford it, that's a huge problem. Fortunately, there are dental credit cards that are designed specifically to make sure you can afford the dental work that you desperately need. 

What is The Best Dental Credit Card for Bad Credit Table of Contents

What Are Dental Credit Cards?

What Popular Treatments do People Use Dental Credit Cards For?

Root Canals

Dental Implants

Cosmetic Dentistry

Necessary Dental Treatment

What is Bad Credit?

What Are The Best 5 Dental Credit Cards for Bad Credit?

What Is The Difference Between Dental Credit Cards & Medical Credit Cards

What Are Other Dental Financing Options?

Should I Just Get a Dental Payment Plan?

Should I Have Got Dental Insurance?

What Are Dental Credit Cards?

Ever had that gnawing pain in your tooth, and you just know it's going to need more than just a filling? Or maybe you've got a beaming smile, but it could be that bit brighter with a professional whitening session? Dental care, whether routine, emergency, or cosmetic, can pack a punch to your wallet. Enter Dental Credit Cards - your financial painkillers for when those tooth troubles crop up.

These cards aren't a magic potion; they work much like any other credit card. You get a line of credit to cover your dental treatments, with interest charges and payment deadlines thrown into the mix. Yes, it's borrowed money that needs paying back, but it's there when you need it the most. Think of it as a specialized medical visa, custom-built for your chompers.

Like other credit cards, dental cards and your payment behavior with them get reported to credit bureaus. So, while you're fixing your dental issues, you could be building a shining credit score. But remember, late or missed payments may result in cavities in your credit history!

It's an unfortunate reality that dental care can be a financial strain for many, whether it's an unexpected root canal or that dream smile makeover. That's where these dental credit cards come in. They're like a financial parachute, softening the fall of hefty dental bills.

With a dental credit card, you don't have to grit your teeth and bear the cost of your dental needs. So, the next time you find yourself in the dentist's chair, bracing for the bill, remember - there's a solution tailored just for these moments. Dental Credit Cards: making smiles possible, one swipe at a time.

What Popular Treatments do People Use Dental Credit Cards For?

Root Canals

Root canals are procedures necessary in order to treat infected or damaged teeth. Patients are usually given a local anesthetic and then have the dental work done. They are time-consuming procedures, but relatively routine, and they are needed to treat infected or painful teeth.

Dental Implants

Dental implants may be needed to fix or replace your tooth or tooth roots in the event of an injury or infection. They can be painful, but again, necessary.

Cosmetic Dentistry

This can be anything from tooth cleaning to the installation of veneers. This can get expensive, and that's why credit cards are sometimes used in order to deal with necessary dental work.

Necessary Dental Treatment

Most people have had that moment of stupidity: You're chewing on something you shouldn't, or trip and fall, and WAM: Chipped tooth. Or you've eaten too many sweets, and now need a cavity addressed. Dental credit cards can handle this type of treatment. 

What is Bad Credit?

Ahh, bad credit. Like that boyfriend or girlfriend you can't get rid of, it haunts you.

 Bad credit happens when you screw with your credit or loan repayments. From a credit perspective, everything you do is tracked, including your total debt load, how often you have missed repayments, and how many times you apply for a new credit card. If you have too much debt, miss payments, or apply for too many cards, you can have a low credit score and bad credit. This means that you will have a harder time getting approved for loans or credit cards. It also means that you may have high-interest rates when you do apply for cards. 

Credit Score

A variety of factors — including credit history, payment history, and total debt — will impact your credit score. Your credit score is a three-digit number maintained by three credit bureaus. A high score means you're more likely to get a loan. A low score? You're less likely to get a loan and will pay high-interest rates if you do get one. 

Credit History

The age of your oldest card and your total credit history is a big deal. The older your card, the better your credit will be. This is why you should try not to close cards, even ones that you don't really use anymore. 

High-Interest Rates

This may shock you, but banks and credit card companies don't give you loans out of the sheer goodness of their heart. They are trying to make money off of you.

 If you have a high credit score, you are considered low risk. You'll have to pay interest on any loans or credit card purchases, but since you are low-risk, the financial company isn't really taking a chance on you. That being said, if you have a low credit score, you're a high risk. To offset that risk, the bank will charge you higher interest rates. 

 In other words: It is in your own financial interest to keep a good credit score. 

What Are The Best 5 Dental Credit Cards for Bad Credit?

Indigo Mastercard for Less than Perfect Credit

This card is perfect for people who have credit that even the company describes as "less than perfect," and it works well for dental work. There is no intro APR, and you'll be paying 24.9% right off the bat. Fees depend on your credit rating but will be no more than $99 a year. You can see if you qualify without a hard inquiry, and the card comes with a variety of mobile options, too. 

Premier Bankcard from Mastercard

This card is great for any poor credit rating. Interest rates are not fun: 36%. However, if you make six months of on-time payments, you may qualify for a better card with low-interest rates. Fees shift based on how high your credit limit is: For example, a $700 limit will result in a fee of $79 for the first year, and $49 annually after that. 

CareCredit Credit Card

This card applies only for medical or dental work, so it's meant for situations like yours. Good news: The interest can be deferred for as long as 24 months, so make sure you make all your payments. Otherwise, you're looking at 26.99% interest, but at least there are no fees. Of course, there's a catch: Your credit has to at least be fair. 

One Main Financial

This card and financing offer will work if you have bad credit. The interest rate varies depending on how bad your score really is, but it can be as high as 36%. The good news? You can get a loan of up to $20,000, so if you are really in trouble, this may be your way out.

Net Credit

Net Credit is also a card/financing company that looks to help those with bad credit pay their dental loans. Fees and interest rates vary, but what makes this option stand out is that you have the ability to set a timeframe for your repayment plan. This gives you a shot at real flexibility. 

What Is The Difference Between Dental Credit Cards & Medical Credit Cards

The primary difference is where the work is done. Dental credit cards can only be used in a dentist's office and often one that has been pre-cleared to do the work. Medical credit cards can often be used in any doctor or hospital setting. In fact, your medical credit card may be able to be used in a dentists office, so consider that option as well. 

What Are Other Dental Financing Options?

A dental credit card for bad credit isn't the only option that you have. Other options include:

 Seeking public assistance to cover dental work. Many hospitals and government agencies have these options available.

• Speaking with your dentist about a specific payment plan.
• Taking out a personal loan from a bank.
• Putting the dental work on a credit card you already have open. 

Should I Just Get a Dental Payment Plan?

It depends.

 First, many dentist offices don't offer such a plan. Dentists are in such high demand that they know they don't necessarily have to offer these types of payment options. Second, a plan like this may have interest payments that are even higher than a credit card.

Is this an option? Absolutely. But you actually have to sit down and calculate what is best for your finances. We know, that getting your teeth pulled can be more fun than doing math. But if you want to see the difference between getting a dental card for bad credit and a payment plan, you have to do the work. 

Should I Have Got Dental Insurance?

Honestly, yeah.

 Look, dental insurance is expensive. But needing dental insurance and not having it is much worse. Dental work can cost you thousands of dollars, or more. Dental insurance often caps these losses and can help cover you in the event of a catastrophic illness or injury. It is always good to have this protection in place. More importantly, dental insurance can potentially stop you from going into debt, even if you suddenly need a massive amount of dental work. 

Share this article if you know someone trying to get their teeth fixed but they have poor credit…

Yes, a dental credit card sucks. No one wants to go into debt because of their teeth. Of course, the alternative — pain or illness — sucks more. As such, there may be times when you need to go into debt to pay for dental work, and if you do, a dental credit card may be the best option. Thankfully, as you can see above, there are a ton of options.

 Is there a buddy of yours who can benefit from this information? Don't be a jerk: Send this to them so they know what to do if they need a dental credit card — even if it's a dental credit card for bad credit.