How to Offer Patient Financing in Your Practice
Quick answer
Why offer patient financing
The most common reason a patient declines a treatment plan is not that they do not want the treatment — it is that the full amount, due at once, does not fit the household budget. Patient financing breaks that single number into monthly payments the patient can say yes to. For a practice, the math is simple: a plan that closes at a monthly payment beats a plan that is declined at a lump sum.
It matters most for high-ticket treatment — implants, full-arch cases, comprehensive restorative — where the out-of-pocket number is large enough to stall a decision. A financing option does not make the case free; it makes the payment rhythm match the patient's cash flow.
What to compare
Not every patient financing program is the same. Before you pick one, compare these:
- Merchant fees. What the practice pays per transaction. Some charge a percentage; some charge a flat fee. [CONFIRM the current fee structure with PatientFi.]
- Soft vs. hard credit pull. A soft pull does not affect the patient's credit score; a hard pull does. Patients are more willing to apply when the check is soft.
- Maximum approval amount. The ceiling on what a patient can finance. Higher ceilings matter for full-arch and multi-implant cases.
- Term length. How many months the patient has to repay. Longer terms mean lower monthly payments — and more plans that close.
- Deferred vs. true 0%. Deferred-interest plans charge retroactive interest if not paid in full during the promotional period. True 0% charges no interest at all. Read the terms before you present them to patients.
| Feature | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Credit pull | Soft (no score impact) or hard (impacts score)? |
| Max approval | What is the ceiling — enough for full-arch? |
| Terms | How many months? Short and long options? |
| Interest | True 0% or deferred interest? |
| Practice funding | Same-day, next-day or net terms? |
| Merchant fee | What does the practice pay per case? |
Where PatientFi fits
Diversident's patient financing partner is PatientFi. Per partner-published terms, PatientFi offers:
- Approvals up to $60K — sized for full-arch and multi-implant plans.
- Soft credit pull only — never a hard check, even at acceptance, so applying does not affect the patient's credit score.
- 0% and low-monthly options — with terms out to 120 months. [VERIFY current promotional terms with PatientFi.]
- Next-day practice funding — the practice is funded the next business day after the patient transacts.
- Instant decisions — patients apply in seconds and transact in two clicks.
Partner disclosure
Offer two options
A single plan does not fit every patient. Offer a short-term 0% plan for the patient who can pay it off quickly, and a longer-term low-interest plan for the patient who needs a smaller monthly payment. The choice lets the patient pick the rhythm they can sustain — and a plan they can sustain is a plan that closes.
Enroll with PatientFi.
Book a patient financing setup call, or enroll directly through the Diversident partner link.
Front-desk scripting
Financing only helps if the front desk offers it. A simple script keeps it consistent:
- Present the monthly number alongside the total. "The treatment is $X. With financing, that's about $Y a month for Z months."
- Frame the soft pull. "Checking your options is a soft pull — it does not affect your credit score."
- Offer the choice. "You can pay in full, or we can look at a monthly plan. Would you like to see your options?"
- Make it routine. Offer financing at treatment presentation, not only when a patient hesitates at the desk.
Compliance basics
Patient financing is a regulated product. Confirm the basics with counsel: disclose the terms clearly in writing, comply with state and federal lending and consumer-credit rules, and never make a credit decision yourself — the lender does. PatientFi handles the application and credit decision; the practice presents the option and the monthly number. [CONFIRM compliance requirements with counsel for your jurisdiction.]
Key takeaways
- →Patient financing turns a plan a patient can't pay in one check into one they can say yes to.
- →Compare merchant fees, soft vs. hard credit pull, max amount, terms and deferred vs. true 0%.
- →PatientFi uses a soft pull only, offers approvals up to $60K, and funds the practice next-day.
- →Offer two options (short-term 0% and longer-term low-interest) and script the front desk.
- →Disclose clearly and comply with state and federal lending rules — confirm with counsel.
Frequently asked questions
The Diversident Team
Diversident
The Diversident Team helps practices scan, equip and fund their growth.
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Read articleOffer patient financing in your practice.
Book a patient financing setup call with our Patient Financing Team, or enroll directly with PatientFi.
PatientFi, Inc. is not a bank. Loans through PatientFi are made by several partners, including partner banks, for the purchase of goods and/or services from participating healthcare providers. Loans require an application and are subject to credit approval. See patientfi.com/lending-partners for more information.