Insights and takeaways from CareCredit’s Path to Purchase study

We know care costs can be challenging, but just how much of a role do they play in whether patients delay care or put it off all together?

What exactly are dental patients looking for when it comes to discussing payment options? And how can you and your team prepare and meet your current and future patients’ needs and help them move care forward?

The recent CareCredit Dental Path to Purchase study¹ reveals some important actions and milestones for patients researching cost and payment options, which can help your team meet them where they are and effectively communicate your cost and payment options.

Ability to use credit often prevents dental care delays.

• 43% of respondents with insurance said they would be very likely/extremely likely to postpone care if they had to pay full price out of pocket
• 45% would postpone if they could not pay with credit (among those who did pay with credit)

Dental care decisions are driven by research—cost and insurance first, followed closely by financing.

• 47% of respondents research insurance coverage
• 44% research costs and fees
• Almost 30% research if financing options/other ways to pay are available

Transparency and financing discussions are inconsistent, which demonstrates a clear opportunity.

• 34% of dental patients reported receiving no cost or payment information before treatment
• 26% received information about what payment methods were accepted before treatment
• 26% received an out-of-pocket estimate before treatment

Many respondents were asked to pay at booking/arrival or after the first appointment, so cost conversations need to happen earlier.

• 49% of patients are asked to pay after first appointment
• 27% are asked at booking/arrival

So how can you and your team better address these discrepancies and help move more care forward?

Start the cost conversation earlier.

Instead of waiting until after the appointment, mention financing throughout the patient journey. Consider sharing available financing options when a new patient calls to schedule or when returning patients schedule their next appointment.

Also, be clear about options you have available—in-house financing, third-party financing with promotional financing—because you never know which patients will benefit from hearing about it. Even if they have strong insurance and can pay with funds on hand, financing information could provide the peace of mind and flexibility that help them accept treatment right away.

Train staff to present financing consistently.

It’s easy to think offering financing will annoy patients, but in reality, the data shows most patients would benefit from, and want to hear about, their payment options. Help keep financing top of mind by:

• Training staff to discuss financing in every patient conversation
• Stocking brochures, stickers, counter mats and other collateral as friendly reminders for staff and patients

Help bridge the gap between cost and care.

If insurance doesn’t cover the full treatment cost, mentioning financing can help give your patients confidence moving forward with the treatment they want or need for themselves or for their families. If they have some flexibility with their budget, it might make it easier to say yes. Financing is often
another way to add cushion and needed flexibility to budgets.

Looking for a third-party solution that can help boost case acceptance and provide peace of mind?

The CareCredit credit card has over 12 million cardholders—some who may already be your patients—and can help you move more care forward and help your practice succeed!

Learn more about CareCredit here.

¹2026 CareCredit Path to Purchase: Dental Report