Patients search for “no credit check dental financing” because they expect to be turned down. For a practice, offering it can rescue case acceptance — but the terms behind the phrase vary widely. We compared 14 financing providers on the data that matters.
What “no credit check” actually means
- No check — approval is based on income, bank data or a down payment; the practice or a recourse fund often absorbs more default risk.
- Soft pull — the lender looks at the credit file without affecting the score. Most modern BNPL-style providers work this way at pre-qualification.
- Hard pull — a traditional credit inquiry, typical of healthcare credit cards.
Who checks what
No credit check: Denefits. Soft pull: Nadapayments, Sunbit, CareCredit, LendingClub Patient Solutions, Proceed Finance, Cherry, PatientFi, Alphaeon Credit, OrthoFi. Hard pull: none verified. Not documented: Tabeo, Chrysalis Finance, Opus Health, Affirm.
Terms compared
| Provider | Credit check | Approval (claimed) | 0% promo | Max amount | Practice fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nadapayments | soft | 100% | — | — | 0–1.5% |
| Sunbit | soft | 87% | 24 mo | $20,000 | 1.9+% |
| Denefits | none | 98% | — | — | 3+% |
| CareCredit | soft | — | 24 mo | — | — |
| LendingClub Patient Solutions | soft | — | — | $65,000 | — |
| Proceed Finance | soft | 90% | — | $75,000 | 3.9+% |
| Tabeo | not documented | — | 12 mo | — | — |
| Cherry | soft | 90% | none | $50,000 | — |
| PatientFi | soft | 80% | 12 mo | $60,000 | — |
| Alphaeon Credit | soft | — | — | — | — |
| Chrysalis Finance | not documented | — | none | — | — |
| OrthoFi | soft | — | 24 mo | $50,000 | — |
| Opus Health | not documented | — | — | — | — |
| Affirm | not documented | — | — | — | — |
Highest claimed approval rate: Nadapayments (100%). Approval rates are vendor claims and are not independently audited — treat them as marketing numbers until you see your own approval data.
Where the risk really sits
The easier the approval, the more someone has to absorb defaults. With a no-check or in-house plan that someone is often the practice, through recourse clauses, holdbacks or higher merchant fees. Before you sign, ask each provider:
- Is the plan with or without recourse to the practice if the patient stops paying?
- What is the merchant fee at each promo length (0% for 6, 12, 24 months)?
- How fast are funds paid out, and are any held back?
- Does the application show the patient their options before a hard inquiry?
How to choose
Most practices run two providers: a prime lender with the lowest fees for good credit, and a second-look option for everyone else. Use the patient financing ranking to shortlist, then the comparison builder to put two side by side — for example compare Cherry with any provider.
FAQ
Which dental financing companies do not check credit?
In our data, Denefits advertises no credit check. 9 more (Nadapayments, Sunbit, CareCredit, LendingClub Patient Solutions, Proceed Finance, Cherry, PatientFi, Alphaeon Credit, and OrthoFi) use a soft credit pull that does not affect the patient's score.
What is patient financing?
Patient financing lets a practice offer treatment payment plans funded by a third-party lender or a managed in-house plan. The practice is usually paid upfront (minus a fee) while the patient repays the lender over time.
How does Cherry financing work?
Cherry uses a soft credit check at application, claims an approval rate around 90% and finances up to $50,000. The practice receives funds after the patient signs, less a merchant fee. See Cherry's full profile.