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.
A dental loan can be a fast and flexible way to pay for expensive dental expenses not covered by insurance. Procedures a dental loan might cover include implants, braces or oral surgery.
Most dental loans are unsecured 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 7% 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.
Best for overall dental loans
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.53 - 35.99%
$1K - $60K
600
2 to 7 years
Best for good to excellent credit
2026 NerdWallet award winner
7.74 - 35.49%
$5K - $100K
None
2 to 7 years
Best for fair to bad credit
2026 NerdWallet award winner
7.74 - 35.99%
$1K - $50K
600
2 to 7 years
Best for low rates and no fees
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.49 - 24.89%
$5K - $100K
660
2 to 7 years
Best for instant approval and next-day funding
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.70 - 35.99%
$1K - $75K
None
3 to 5 years
Best for no minimum income requirement
11.69 - 35.99%
$1K - $50K
560
3 to 5 years
Best for small loan amounts
2026 NerdWallet award winner
6.99 - 35.99%
$2K - $50K
600
3 to 5 years
Our 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.
Our list includes lenders with different credit score requirements as well as consumer-friendly features like low rates and fast funding. Here’s more on what makes these lenders stand out.
LendingClub offers an all-around solid personal loan. We like its relatively low minimum credit score requirement and broad range of loan amounts that can cover small to large dental expenses. It also approves applications fast and can fund your loan within 24 hours.
One thing we don’t like is LendingClub may charge an origination fee up to 8%.
SoFi’s rates start a bit higher than competitors, but it offers a couple discounts that can lower your rate. We also like that SoFi offers joint loans, which give you the option to add a co-borrower to your loan and potentially receive an even lower rate.
Note that SoFi’s minimum loan amount is $5,000, so it’s not a good option for smaller dental bills.
Year after year we choose Upgrade for our best-of lists. That’s because it accepts a range of credit scores, offers multiple rate discounts and can quickly approve and fund your loan. It also lets you apply with a co-signer or collateral —, options that can boost your chances of qualifying.
One drawback is Upgrade charges an origination fee that subtracts from the amount you receive and adds to your loan cost.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
You’ll see that many lenders charge origination fees, which can be up to 10% of the loan amount and are typically taken from the loan proceeds. Say you get a $20,000 loan with a 5% origination fee. That 5% — or $1,000 — would be deducted from your loan and leave you with $19,000. And while you receive the lesser amount, you must still repay the higher amount.
LightStream is among the few online lenders that charge zero fees. Pair that with its relatively low rates, and it might be the least expensive loan on our list. But only borrowers with strong credit — at least 660 — have a chance of qualifying and getting those low rates.
Not only does Upstart fund loans fast, it also doesn’t require you to have good credit or a long credit history. We also like Upstart’s wide range of loan amounts, starting at $1,000.
You’ll likely pay an origination fee, up to 12%, which is higher than any other lender we review.
Universal Credit is among a handful of lenders that don’t have a minimum income requirement. It also has low minimum credit score requirements. But you’ll have to rely on only your credentials; Universal Credit doesn’t accept co-applicants or collateral.
If you need the benefit of a secured loan, Best Egg lets you pledge a vehicle or permanent fixtures in your home to back your loan. You may get a lower rate with a secured loan, but you also risk losing your property if you can’t repay the loan.
» MORE: Best medical 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.
Use our calculator to see what your monthly payment might be, based on the loan amount, APR and term.
Estimated monthly payment
$309.92
Total interest over 3 years
$1,156.95
Total loan payment
$11,156.95
Loan amount
$10,000
Interest rate
7.25%
Loan term (years)
3
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.
