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Healthcare in the U.S. remains notoriously expensive, even for care that most assume is essential. In 2023 alone, Americans spent a staggering , accounting for 3.6% of total healthcare expenditures in the United States. Yet, despite this massive investment, cost barriers in dentistry continue to drive many to seek workarounds.
For older adults, the burden is hefty. A Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found that Medicare beneficiaries who received dental care out of pocket, and nearly 20% spent more than $1,000. As costs continue to rise and insurance coverage falls short, more patients are putting off dental visits because they simply can’t afford them.
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Cleanings, fillings, and other routine care often get postponed until the pain becomes too much to ignore. In response, both patients and providers have started turning to alternative solutions. One of the most common is patient financing — once limited to cosmetic work, it's now a go-to option for even basic preventive care. These financing programs help close the gap between what insurance covers and the actual cost of treatment, making dental care more accessible for those who are caught in the middle.
Why Dental Costs Are So High
For many Americans, going to the dentist is unaffordable. What was once considered routine care now feels like a financial decision that must be weighed carefully, especially for those without robust insurance coverage.
Unlike most medical visits, dental appointments are often paid for out-of-pocket. Even patients with insurance quickly discover that their plans cover only a small fraction of necessary treatments. Cleanings may be covered, but any additional procedures (such as fillings, crowns, or extractions) often come with steep copays or caps that can run out before the year is up.
This financial gap hits hard. A found that adults can expect to spend between $51,000 and $95,000 on dental care throughout their lifetimes. Nearly 60% of those surveyed said they consider dental care unaffordable, including people with insurance.
Meanwhile, dental practices are navigating their rising costs. The American Dental Association (ADA) reports that national dental spending increased by 2.5% last year, driven by inflation, staffing shortages, and the adoption of more advanced treatment technologies. With slim insurance reimbursements and overhead to manage, many providers pass a greater portion of the cost onto patients just to stay afloat.
All of this adds up to a growing dilemma: Americans aren’t avoiding dental care because they don’t value it; they’re avoiding it because they can’t afford it.
Financing as the New Normal
Enter the financing boom: medical and dental credit programs are gaining traction. The biggest reason for success is the benefits offer to individuals. These typically deferred-interest care plans help with cash flow and allow consumers to break up what would be an unpayable bill into smaller, incremental payments.
However, providers have also embraced these solutions. Many now offer at-chair financing through these vendors, effectively turning unpaid balances into installment plans. This can help reduce missed appointments, improve office cash flow, and increase the likelihood of collecting payments.
Stories Beneath the Statistics
Data is fascinating, but often not something that can be easily latched onto. In the case of dental costs, however, there are real-world implications behind the figures:
- According to KFF, 41% of U.S. adults have medical or dental debt, disproportionately affecting low-income families and minorities.
- A 2023 KFF survey showed 37% of Marketplace enrollees and 39% of Medicaid recipients postponed dental care due to cost.
These delays can escalate minor issues, like cavities, into emergencies requiring extractions or ICU stays, ultimately costing more in both dollars and health outcomes.
Care Providers in the Middle
Providers are navigating a tightrope between access and sustainability. Dental service organizations (DSOs) are consolidating practices and adopting fintech solutions to improve affordability and efficiency. While this can lower consumer costs, it also increases pressure to push financing options.
Some dentists now initiate financing conversations as part of routine care. This shift saves practices from billing delays but can confuse patients who perceive it as part of the treatment rather than a credit option. Surveys indicate that 58% of adults believe dental care is unaffordable, reinforcing why clinics feel compelled to offer financial options.
Working Toward a Systemic Solution
Financing solutions for dental work are a clear next step in increasing accessibility to needed care. However, it isn’t a complete solution within itself. Most experts advocate for one or more of the following systemic reforms:
Expand Medicare’s dental benefits: Given beneficiaries already face ~$874 in annual out-of-pocket costs, coverage could dramatically reduce financial strain.
Incentivize richer private dental plans: Mandate more favorable cost-sharing for restorative care in both group and individual marketplace policies.
Regulate medical financing as credit: Enforce standard underwriting, interest disclosures, and comparison tools at both the federal and state levels.
Increase transparency: Require dental providers to offer plain-language cost estimates and financing alternatives at the time of appointment booking.
Successfully combining coverage expansion, responsible financing, and consumer education could reduce unpredictability and overdue debts in dental care.
Final Thoughts
The rise of dental financing highlights a more profound social crisis: Americans are paying hundreds to thousands of dollars out of pocket for care that is essential to protecting their health and livelihoods.
Dental patient financing companies fill a significant gap, but their solutions are stopgaps. Accurate equity demands a broader redesign of how healthcare access is financed and regulated. Whether through policy or responsible business practices, the goal must be clear: no one should be one bill away from rationing dental care.
