CareCredit & Teeth Aligners: Am I Covered?

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Clinical Content Reviewed by Byte Licensed DDS
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Table of Contents

  1. What Is CareCredit?
  2. What Can It Be Used For?
  3. Paying for At-Home Aligners
  4. CareCredit vs. Insurance
  5. How to Enroll

CareCredit can be used to pay for teeth aligners if the provider is within the CareCredit network and the treatment is approved.

CareCredit is a health care credit card that can be used to pay for medical, dental, health, beauty, and wellness services and expenses that are often not covered by insurance. 

Teeth aligners are commonly considered a cosmetic dental treatment, so they are often not fully, or even partially, covered by insurance. If you are approved for a CareCredit card, however, you can use this to pay for your teeth aligners at a promotional price using a provider within the CareCredit network.

What Is CareCredit & How Does It Work?

As a specialized health care credit card, CareCredit is accepted at more than 250,000 enrolled health-focused retail locations and health care providers throughout the United States. 

CareCredit is a specialized type of credit card. Once you are approved, you can use it to pay for health, wellness, and beauty services that may not be covered through your insurance. 

CareCredit is different from a traditional credit card in that it is often accepted for medical expenses where other credit cards may not be. 

CareCredit also entitles you to special and promotional financing offers. Examples include the following:

  • No interest when paid in full within 6, 12, 18, or 24 months: Once you charge a minimum amount of $200, no interest will accrue as long as you make the minimum monthly payments on time and pay off the full amount before the end of your promotional period.

  • Longer-term and extended health care financing for 24, 36, 48, and 60 months with reduced APR and fixed monthly payments: When you charge a minimum of $1,000, you may be eligible for one of the following: a 24-month offer with 14.9% APR, a 36-month offer with 15.9% APR, or a 48-month offer with 16.9% APR. When you charge $2,500 or more, you may be eligible for a 60-month offer with 17.9% APR.

DID YOU KNOW Byte aligners may be covered by your insurance–but cost as little as $89 a month even without coverage.

What Can CareCredit Be Used For?

CareCredit can be used to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses that are not covered by your insurance. CareCredit can also be used to pay for medical, beauty, dental, and wellness services and treatments that are not covered by medical or other insurance. 

You can use CareCredit to pay for health and wellness needs for you, your family members, and even your pets.

You can use CareCredit at any health care provider or health-focused retail location that is within the CareCredit network. You can find in-network providers by searching with the CareCredit location finder

CareCredit can be used to pay for your health care deductibles, out-of-pocket expenses that are not covered by your insurance, and health and wellness services that are not covered by insurance. CareCredit offers health care financing for the following types of services:

  • Dentistry

  • Cosmetic

  • Chiropractic

  • Fitness

  • Dermatology

  • Hearing

  • Health systems and hospitals

  • Primary care offices or clinics

  • Pharmacies and personal care facilities

  • Lab and diagnostics

  • Sleep

  • Specialists

  • Vision services

  • Spa

  • Weight loss

  • Animal or pet care

Paying for At-Home Aligners with CareCredit

You can use CareCredit to pay for your aligners in a dental office through a provider that is in the CareCredit network. 

You can also use CareCredit to help pay for at-home aligner treatment. To do so, you will just input your CareCredit card information in the payment option on the provider’s website, provided that they accept CareCredit as an option. 

Many of the major providers, such as Byte, allow you to use CareCredit to pay for your aligner treatment on their website. You can choose to pay the entire cost up front or pay in affordable monthly installments that can be as low as $82. 

If you do not have enough credit to pay for the entire amount of your aligner treatment, you can use CareCredit to pay for your down payment and set up an additional method for your monthly payments, such as paying from your FSA (flexible spending account), HSA (health savings account), or checking account.

CareCredit vs. Insurance

You can use both CareCredit and your dental insurance to pay for the cost of aligners. 

If your dental insurance plan covers teeth aligners, they often only cover a percentage, commonly 50% of the total cost up to a certain amount. There is often a maximum lifetime amount for orthodontic treatment as well, and the cost of teeth aligners is typically higher than this. 

To help cover any out-of-pocket costs, including deductibles and copays, you can use CareCredit. 

Your provider will file a claim with your insurance company first, billing them for the treatment. The insurance company will then pay their portion and you will be responsible for the rest. You can use your CareCredit card for this amount. 

To use CareCredit to pay for teeth aligner treatment through a provider in an office, you will give them your insurance information, determine if your plan covers teeth aligners, and provide your payment information, which can include your CareCredit if you are approved and have the available credit to use. 

Many insurance plans have a waiting period of up to a year after becoming covered. However, you can start using CareCredit right away as soon as you are approved and receive your CareCredit card.

How to Enroll in CareCredit

If you are approved for CareCredit, you can use them to help pay for teeth aligners. The CareCredit card can be used for both at-home and in-office aligner treatments. 

To enroll in CareCredit, you will need to be a United States resident and over 18 years old. You will start by checking to see if you prequalify on the CareCredit website after selecting your health care category from the drop-down menu. This prequalification process will not impact your credit score. 

You can use the online automated system to apply at any time. You can also apply with a live agent from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday. 

If you are applying over the phone, you need to be at least 21 years old, and you will need to read the Credit Card Account Agreement before calling. If you are a Canadian resident, you can still enroll in CareCredit, but you will need to do so at a provider’s office in person at a location within the United States.

You will need to provide the following information when you apply for CareCredit:

  • Name

  • Address

  • Housing information

  • Date of birth

  • Social Security number or ITIN

  • Net income

Once approved for CareCredit, you can begin using your card as soon as you receive it. You can then manage your account online at any time or download the CareCredit mobile app

Using CareCredit can qualify you for promotional financing that can offer you lower interest rates than traditional credit cards. Long term, extended financing options are often available for health care services. There is also no annual fee for new accounts.

Disclaimer: This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to serve as dental or other professional health advice and is not intended to be used for diagnosis or treatment of any condition or symptom. You should consult a dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.