The top 5 dental loans of 2024.

A personal loan can help alleviate anxiety about paying for a dental appointment by covering the cost without breaking the bank.

CNBC Select has compiled a list of the top dental loans based on various factors, including funding amount and credit score requirements. Our methodology is detailed below.

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Best for larger loan amounts

If your procedure is expensive, a lender with higher borrowing amounts like SoFi may be a better option.

As soon as the same business day that they sign for the loan, applicants may be able to receive their funding.

Best for smaller loan amounts

For whom is this? Sometimes, you may not require thousands of dollars to cover your dental treatment. That's where PenFed comes in — applicants can borrow as little as $600, the lowest minimum funding amount on this list.

PenFed offers benefits such as no origination fee and no prepayment penalty.

Best for a lower credit score

Upstart is ideal for individuals with poor credit as it considers credit scores as low as 300. Additionally, Upstart is flexible in its credit requirements as it also considers those with an insufficient credit history.

If borrowers accept their loan before 5 p.m. ET on a weekday, they can receive funding as early as the next business day.

Best for low interest rates

To qualify for LightStream's low APRs, you must have good or excellent credit.

LightStream provides a higher discount rate of 0.50% for autopay sign-up compared to many other lenders who offer only a 0.25% discount.

Best for covering a variety of dental costs

This lender offers dental loans that cover a range of procedures, including emergency and cosmetic treatments, as well as pre-operative and recovery expenses.

Applying for a loan with a co-borrower through Prosper can be advantageous if you're concerned about qualifying for the lowest interest rates on your own.

More on our picks for best dental loans

SoFi

Since its launch in 2011 by Stanford business school students, SoFi has expanded to provide a range of personal finance products, including bank accounts and loans. To date, the company has provided over $73 billion in loan funding.

Loan amount

$5,000 to $100,000

Loan terms

24 to 84 months

PenFed

PenFed, a credit union founded in 1935, currently boasts over 2.9 million members. The union offers a range of services, including banking, credit cards, mortgages, and loans. To access PenFed's products, you must first become a member, which can typically be done when applying for any of its offerings.

Loan amount

$600 to $50,000

Loan terms

1 to 5 years

Upstart

Upstart is a fintech platform that offers credit access, with 99% of applicants receiving their funding in one business day, according to its website.

Loan amount

$1,000 to $50,000

Loan terms

36 and 60 months

LightStream

LightStream, a branch of Truist Bank, provides personal loans for various purposes such as weddings, cars, home renovations, debt consolidation, swimming pools, and boats, among others. The lender primarily works with borrowers who have good to excellent credit.

Loan amount

$5,000 to $100,000

Loan terms

24 to 240 months* dependent on loan purpose

Prosper

Since its inception in 2005, Prosper has funded over 2 million individuals and offers a range of loan products, including personal loans, home equity loans, and lines of credit.

Loan amount

$2,000 to $50,000

Loan terms

24, 36, 48, and 60 months

How to compare dental loans

Be cautious when searching for a dental or personal loan to cover medical expenses.

• If you sign up for autopay, some lenders may offer a lower APR, meaning you'll pay back less money over the loan's term.
• Some lenders provide personal loans without fees such as application, origination, prepayment penalty, and late payment fees.
• The length of a loan determines the duration for which you need to repay it. Longer loan terms result in smaller monthly payments, which may be more manageable for your budget. Nevertheless, you will end up paying more interest over the entire loan period.

Pros and cons of getting a dental loan

Consider the pros and cons of taking out a loan to improve your smile.

Why trust CNBC Select?

Our mission at CNBC Select is to deliver top-notch service journalism and in-depth consumer advice to our readers, enabling them to make well-informed decisions with their money. Each article is crafted by our team of expert writers and editors, who possess extensive knowledge of personal loan products. At CNBC Select, we maintain the highest journalistic standards and ethics, and we earn a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links. However, our content is created independently, without any input from our commercial team or external third parties. To learn more about our methodology and how we select the best personal loans, please refer to our methodology page.

Our methodology

CNBC Select evaluated numerous U.S. personal loans from various banks, including credit unions, to determine the top options.

We considered the following features when ranking the best personal loans.

• An alternative version of the sentence could be: A fixed rate APR guarantees a consistent interest rate for the entire loan term, allowing for easier budget planning as monthly payments remain the same. Meanwhile, variable rates may fluctuate over the life of the loan, making it more challenging to plan ahead.
• You can choose from a range of financing options offered by each lender.
• We evaluated lenders based on their quick approval decisions and fast online application process.
• Our customer support team offers customer service via telephone, email, or secure online messaging for every loan on our list. Additionally, we have chosen lenders with an online resource hub or advice center to help you educate yourself about the personal loan process and your finances.
• Fund disbursement: Our loans provide prompt funds through either electronic wire transfer or paper check.
• Loan sizes and creditor payment limits: The lenders offer loans ranging from $600 to $100,000.

The interest rate and monthly payment for a loan will remain consistent throughout the entire term of the loan once you accept your loan agreement. However, the rates and fee structures advertised may fluctuate based on the Fed rate. Your APR, monthly payment, and loan amount will depend on your credit history and creditworthiness. To obtain a loan, lenders will conduct a hard credit inquiry and request a full application, which may require proof of income, identity verification, proof of address, and more.

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