For some patients, deciding whether to move forward with dental care is about financial clarity —understanding when and what they will pay, and whether the care they’re considering fits their budget. When patients face large out-of-pocket costs for planned or elective care, such as clear aligners or cosmetic dentistry, payment uncertainty can cause hesitation and treatment delays. In fact, CareCredit research shows 46% of patients said they would postpone if they had to pay the full price up-front.¹

That’s why it’s so important to offer patients more options and flexibility in how they pay for care costs — because when they have a clear picture of their payment options, patients are empowered to make informed decisions about the care they want. 

CareCredit is expanding consumer payment options with CareCredit Pay Later. As Beto Casellas, executive vice president and chief executive officer of health & wellness at Synchrony, notes: “When it comes to health and wellness, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ payment option doesn’t work for everyone. By expanding these choices, we’re empowering people to plan and pay for the care they want.”

With a single application that allows patients to see if they prequalify with no impact to their credit score, participating practices can now offer two distinct CareCredit payment options:

Having the right payment solutions is only part of the equation. To truly impact case acceptance, these tools must be presented early and integrated seamlessly into the patient experience.

Our latest consumer research underscores just how deeply financial predictability shapes care decisions. An overwhelming 80% of patients surveyed reported that the availability of payment options influences their choice of provider. Furthermore, a seamless backend experience is just as vital: Half of patients would consider switching to a new practice if the billing process became too cumbersome.²

For financing to be a true growth driver, it cannot create bottlenecks at the front desk. That is where CareCredit stands apart as the only health and wellness financing platform and network that offers revolving credit, installment loans, promotional financing solutions, and broad provider acceptance across more than 290,000 healthcare locations nationwide.

CareCredit is directly integrated into 90% of the dental practice management and patient relationship management software platforms that your practice may already rely on every day. When CareCredit is already embedded into existing technology, practice teams can send custom payment links, instantly see which patients are prequalified, and process transactions with just a few clicks — all without ever leaving current workflows or adopting manual workarounds.

Best of all, by letting CareCredit manage the billing and collections, your practice receives fast funding — within two business days — with zero recourse if a patient defaults.* We take on the financial risk so you can alleviate administrative burdens for your front desk and protect the provider-patient relationship.

 

When the financial path to care is just as clear as the clinical one, you can help more patients say yes to care while growing your practice.

Learn more.

* Subject to the representations and warranties in your agreement with Synchrony.

1. “2026 CareCredit Path to Purchase.” CareCredit, March 2026. 

2. “Well Informed.” CareCredit, May 2026.

Sonia Williams is currently the senior vice president and general manager of the dental division at Synchrony. Before stepping into this role, she led strategic initiatives for major clients in the apparel, furniture, and consumer electronics industries and held multiple positions in sales and marketing. Williams has over 28 years of business leadership experience, including managing the TJX portfolio at Synchrony. She holds an MBA in marketing from Hofstra University and an undergraduate degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. 

This content is subject to change without notice and offered for informational use only. You are urged to consult with your individual advisors with respect to any information presented. Synchrony and any of its affiliates, including CareCredit, (collectively, “Synchrony”) makes no representations or warranties regarding this content and accepts no liability for any loss or harm arising from the use of the information provided. Your receipt of this material constitutes your acceptance of these terms and conditions.