Ronita Choudhuri-Wade
Robin Hartill, CFP®
Kim Lowe
Dental loans are unsecured personal loans used to pay for dental procedures, from emergency repairs to cosmetic work.
Checking rates is free and won't impact your credit score.
Best for overall dental loans
2025 NerdWallet award winner
7.90 - 35.99%
$1K - $60K
600
2 to 7 years
A LendingClub personal loan is a standout option for qualified borrowers who want to pay off debt with flexible terms.
Read our review of LendingClubA LendingClub personal loan is a standout option for qualified borrowers who want to pay off debt with flexible terms.
Read our review of LendingClubBest for good to excellent credit
2025 NerdWallet award winner
8.99 - 35.49%
$5K - $100K
None
2 to 7 years
SoFi offers large online personal loans with consumer-friendly features for good- and excellent-credit borrowers.
Read our review of SoFi Personal LoanSoFi offers large online personal loans with consumer-friendly features for good- and excellent-credit borrowers.
Read our review of SoFi Personal LoanBest for fair to bad credit
2025 NerdWallet award winner
7.74 - 35.99%
$1K - $50K
600
2 to 7 years
Upgrade accepts lower credit scores than similar lenders, and it offers multiple rate discounts for its personal loans.
Read our review of UpgradeUpgrade accepts lower credit scores than similar lenders, and it offers multiple rate discounts for its personal loans.
Read our review of UpgradeBest for low rates and no fees
2025 NerdWallet award winner
6.49 - 24.89%
$5K - $100K
660
2 to 7 years
LightStream is a solid option for good- and excellent-credit borrowers, with no fees and a promise to beat competitors’ rates.
Read our review of LightStreamLightStream is a solid option for good- and excellent-credit borrowers, with no fees and a promise to beat competitors’ rates.
Read our review of LightStreamBest for instant approval and next-day funding
6.70 - 35.99%
$1K - $75K
None
3 to 5 years
Upstart personal loans offer fast funding and may be an option for borrowers with low credit scores or thin credit histories. Upstart is a solid financing choice for large purchases.
Read our review of UpstartUpstart personal loans offer fast funding and may be an option for borrowers with low credit scores or thin credit histories. Upstart is a solid financing choice for large purchases.
Read our review of UpstartBest for no minimum income requirement
11.69 - 35.99%
$1K - $50K
560
3 to 5 years
A Universal Credit personal loan may be a smart choice for borrowers with lower credit scores who want to consolidate debt.
Read our review of Universal CreditA Universal Credit personal loan may be a smart choice for borrowers with lower credit scores who want to consolidate debt.
Read our review of Universal CreditBest for small loan amounts
6.99 - 35.99%
$2K - $50K
600
3 to 5 years
Best Egg is worth considering for borrowers looking for a secured loan or to consolidate debt.
Read our review of Best EggBest Egg is worth considering for borrowers looking for a secured loan or to consolidate debt.
Read our review of Best EggOur team of consumer lending experts follows an objective and robust methodology to rate lenders and pick the best.
30+
Lenders reviewed
We review over 35 lenders, including major banks, top credit unions, leading digital platforms, and high interest installment lenders operating across multiple states.
25+
Categories assessed
Each lender is evaluated across five weighted categories and 27 subcategories, covering affordability, eligibility, consumer experience, flexibility, and application process.
60+
Data points analyzed
Our team tracks and reassesses hundreds of data points annually, including APR ranges, fees, credit requirements, and borrower tools, ensuring up to date, accurate comparisons.
We evaluate more categories than competitors and carefully weigh how each factor impacts your experience.
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 30 financial technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 60 data points and cross-check company websites, earnings reports and other public documents to confirm product details. We may also go through a lender’s pre-qualification flow and follow up with company representatives. NerdWallet writers and editors conduct a full fact check and update annually, but also make updates throughout the year as necessary.
Our star ratings award points to lenders that offer consumer-friendly features, including: soft credit checks to pre-qualify, competitive interest rates and no fees, transparency of rates and terms, flexible payment options, fast funding times, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. Our ratings award fewer points to lenders with practices that may make a loan difficult to repay on time, such as charging high annual percentage rates (above 36%), underwriting that does not adequately assess consumers’ ability to repay and lack of credit-building help. We also consider regulatory actions filed by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to consumers and how meaningfully they impact consumers’ experiences.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for personal loans and our editorial guidelines.
A dental loan can be a fast and flexible way to pay for expensive dental expenses not covered by insurance. Among the procedures a dental loan might cover are:
Most dental loans are regular personal loans offered by an online lender, bank or credit union that can be used for any purpose, including dental care. Personal loan rates generally range from 6% to 36%, and terms are from two to seven years.
To qualify you, lenders consider your credit score, income and existing debts. If approved for a dental loan, you’ll receive the money in a lump sum in your bank account, typically within a few days. You then use the loan proceeds to pay for dental or orthodontic care. Going forward, you’ll make fixed monthly payments to your lender until the end of the loan term.
Each type of lender has different borrower requirements, rates and loan terms. It’s best to pre-qualify with multiple lenders to compare potential loan offers and find a monthly payment that fits your budget.
» MORE: Best unsecured personal loans
APR and fees. A personal loan's annual percentage rate can be higher than its interest rate because it reflects the entire cost of a loan, including any fees. Some lenders charge origination fees ranging from 1% to 10% of the loan amount. Other possible fees include late payment and returned payment fees.
Borrower requirements. Some lenders have minimum income or credit score requirements. Or they may allow a maximum amount of debt compared to your income, expressed as a debt-to-income ratio.
» MORE: What are the requirements for a personal loan?
Time to fund. While some lenders offer same-day funding, others can take up to a week. You can speed up the application process by gathering all the required documents before applying and promptly responding to lender questions.
Repayment term. A longer loan term can mean smaller monthly payments, but it can also result in more interest over the life of the loan.
For example, a $2,500 loan with a five-year term and 8% APR will require a $51 monthly payment and cost $541 in total interest. The same loan with a seven-year term would put the monthly payment at $39 but cost $773 in interest.
» MORE: Best medical loans
Once approved, depending on the lender, it could take anywhere from a day to a week to receive your loan funds.
Borrowers with fair or bad credit (a score in the low 600s or lower) can apply for a dental loan, but you’ll likely get a rate on the high end of a lender’s APR range.
Some bad-credit lenders may look beyond credit score and consider other factors like cash flow, employment and education history, which can boost your chances of approval.
Avoid loans with APRs above 36%, which is the maximum rate deemed affordable by financial experts and consumer advocates. A three-year, $3,000 loan with a 36% APR costs almost $2,000 in interest.If you have bad credit, consider a co-signed, joint or secured loan to receive a lower rate.
» MORE: How to get a personal loan with bad credit
Personal loans can be an expensive way to finance dental work, so weigh other options before applying for a loan.
Here are alternative ways to fund dental work:
Financing through your dentist. Some dentists offer in-house payment plans for patients facing hefty bills. However, a growing number of providers are now partnering with third-party companies to offer financing instead of working out payment plans directly with patients. Before you sign an agreement, make sure you understand whether you’ll owe your dentist or a financing company.
Payment plans can be a good option if you don’t have insurance or would rather make monthly payments toward the procedure. You may be charged interest or a fee for setting up a payment plan.
You may also be able to negotiate a lower cost with your provider. Check the prices in your area using a site like fairhealthconsumer.org, and see how your dentist's costs compare.
Nerdy Tip
Standard interest rates for dental payment plans can be higher than rates for regular personal loans. Be sure to compare APRs before signing up for a payment plan.
Dental school. Dental schools offer procedures at reduced prices so students can get experience under the supervision of skilled dentists. You can check the American Dental Association’s list of dental programs to see whether there’s a school near you.
Credit card for medical expenses. Some offices offer financing through a credit card for medical expenses like CareCredit. The standard APR for CareCredit financing is 32.99%, but you can get 0% interest if you charge $200 or more and pay it off within a six, 12, 18 or 24-month term. If you aren’t able to pay off your balance, you’ll be charged interest retroactively from the start of the term.
0% credit card. If you have good or excellent credit (a score in the mid-600s or higher), you might qualify for a 0% APR credit card. These cards have an introductory period — usually 15 to 21 months — when you won’t accrue interest on purchases. If you can pay off your balance within that period, you’ll pay for the procedure interest-free.
Dental discount plan. A dental discount plan could be an affordable option to cover dental costs, as they allow you to pay a monthly or annual fee to receive discounts from dentists in the plan’s network. This can be a viable option for patients without dental insurance coverage.
HSA or FSA. A health savings account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged account you can use to save for medical expenses if you have a high-deductible health plan (HDHP). You can use your HSA for dental care as long as the treatment is medically necessary. If you have a flexible spending account (FSA) through your employer, you can also use account funds to pay for many dental expenses.
» LEARN: How to pay off your medical bills
Each lender has its own minimum credit score requirement. Typically, good- or excellent-credit borrowers receive the best rates on personal loans. If you have fair or bad credit, look for lenders that cater to borrowers with low credit scores.
Both options can be expensive ways to finance dental work, but it helps to consider which one offers the lowest APR and has monthly payments that fit in your budget.
Getting a loan for dental work could be a good idea if you don’t have enough savings to cover the cost of treatment, particularly since delaying care could lead to even bigger bills down the line. But it’s important to explore potentially cheaper options, like a 0% APR credit card or financing through your dentist.
