Are you in need of orthodontic treatment but don't have the funds to pay for it all at once? A payment plan may be the perfect solution. Many orthodontists offer flexible payment plans for orthodontic appliances as part of their services, allowing you to spread the cost of treatment into monthly payments over a period of time. Some even offer 0% financing plans to their patients. Choosing a payment plan for orthodontic appliances depends on your orthodontist and your financial situation.
Be sure to check how much interest your orthodontist's payment plan will end up costing you to see if it's a worthwhile option. However, paying monthly for an orthodontic appliance is a great way to manage your cash flow while still getting the orthodontic treatment and care you need to get a perfect smile. If you recently found out that orthodontic treatment is in your future or your child's future, don't worry - your orthodontist and treatment coordinator from the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) will talk to you about a payment plan. The AAO is open exclusively to orthodontists; only orthodontists can be members.
This means that Medicaid fully covers the costs of orthopedic appliances for children under 21 with medically necessary orthodontic cases. If your CareCredit credit card doesn't have enough credit to pay the full cost of your orthodontic appliances up front, you can still use it to make the down payment on the orthodontic appliances. Orthodontists are used to working with families and individuals to make care affordable and accessible. If you have the money to cover all the costs of treatment up front, your orthodontist can offer you an early payment discount, which will help you save money on the cost of orthodontic appliances. Your orthodontist and treatment coordinator may even be able to help you develop strategies to maximize these benefits so that you can minimize your out-of-pocket costs. Your orthodontist can then offer you a monthly payment plan to spread the balance out in manageable installments.
The American Association of Orthodontists states that most orthodontists offer free consultations, so it may not cost you anything to get quotes from a couple of different offices. You can use your HSA or FSA to pay for the remaining part of your orthodontic treatment not paid by your dental insurance plan, which will help you save money. The only doctors who can call themselves “orthodontists” graduated from dental school and then successfully completed the additional two or three years of education in an accredited orthodontic residency program.