As patient expectations evolve and practices face rising overhead and leaner staffing, digital payment tools are helping orthodontists simplify collections, improve cash flow, and make treatment financing more accessible.
By Greg Thompson
Orthodontic practices are shifting away from manual, disconnected payment processes that no longer meet the expectations of modern patients or the operational needs of resilient practices. For decades, the industry relied on in-office payments and traditional billing, but those models are becoming difficult to sustain as overhead costs rise, staffing stays lean, and patient expectations for digital convenience grow.
Options such as text-to-pay, digital wallets, and automated, AI-assisted billing are meeting patient demands for convenience, and Gen Z/Millennials are appreciating the familiar technology.
According to Franshaun Thomas, senior vice president, general manager – Dental Independent Market & Expansion at Synchrony, which operates the CareCredit patient financing program, this shift represents a strategic evolution. With nearly half of dental practice owners lacking confidence in their practice’s economic health, embracing digital payment solutions has become essential for long-term stability and growth. Orthodontic Products sat down with Thomas to learn more about the emerging digital payment options, as well as the reasons for their expanded use.
Orthodontic Products: What’s the matter with the “old way” of paying orthodontists?
Thomas: The traditional methods often have high down payment requirements and shorter terms tied to the treatment timeframe, increasing the monthly payment amount, which in turn renders these options less affordable for their patients. Many orthodontic practices successfully operated for years using these payment models, and for some practices that approach continues to work well. However, patient expectations have evolved. Consumers increasingly expect digital statements, online payment options, automated reminders, and flexible monthly arrangements—similar to what they experience in other areas of their lives.
OP: How are digital payment platforms improving cash flow, reducing collection stress, and creating smoother financial interactions for orthodontists?
Thomas: Solutions like CareCredit allow orthodontists to modernize their financial operations, improve efficiency, and deliver the flexible, transparent experience that today’s patients demand. Digital payment platforms streamline how payments are processed and posted, which can make a real difference for cash flow. By embedding financing directly into practice management systems, teams can manage the entire financial workflow—from treatment planning to applications to payments—in one place, reducing delays and manual work.
OP: What is multi-source financing (MSF)?
Thomas: Multi-source financing (MSF) plays an important role here. With solutions like the CareCredit Financing Center, if a patient doesn’t qualify for one financing option, they can still be connected seamlessly to another lender, helping more patients move forward with the treatment they want. For staff, this translates into fewer collection calls, less administrative stress, and more predictable revenue—critical for lean teams balancing day-to-day care with practice operations.
OP: How should orthodontists market this payment shift to potential patients?
Thomas: The key is to help patients understand that this shift is a direct benefit to the patient experience. Transparency and flexibility are paramount, and patients want to feel in control of their finances and their care—especially when 58% of adults say oral care is not affordable, and 92% would consider delaying general dental care because of the cost.
Marketing should clearly communicate that the practice values both their oral health and their financial well-being. When patients see that, it builds trust and makes it easier for them to move forward with treatment.
OP: How is the digital payment shift improving the experience for patients?
Thomas: From the patient’s perspective, the biggest difference in making the shift to digital payments is the peace of mind it allows. More than 1 in 5 (21%) adults have avoided dental and/or orthodontic care due to anxiety, and financial uncertainty can add to that stress.
This shift allows patients to more clearly understand financial expectations, explore payment options easily, prequalify without impacting their credit score, and get faster financing decisions—which can remove the stress associated with starting treatment and allow more patients to say “yes” to care. When financial processes are streamlined, patients experience smoother interactions and fewer delays in starting treatment.
OP: There is a trend toward shifting credit card fees to the patient. How long has that been going on within the orthodontic world? How risky is it in terms of angering patients?
Thomas: Orthodontic practices regularly evaluate their overall cost structures, including how payments are accepted and processed, as part of running a sustainable business. Approaches can vary widely based on location, patient population, card network requirements, and applicable regulations. What we believe is essential—regardless of the payment approach a practice uses—is transparency. Patients want to clearly understand their financial responsibilities and available options before moving forward with care.
That’s why initiatives like the Fair Financing Principles are so important. They help set expectations for clear, patient-friendly communication and empower patients to make informed decisions about how they pay for care.
OP: Does this technology take away the human element?
Thomas: Modern payment tools are not intended to replace personal relationships or trust. Instead, they can support those relationships by improving clarity around financial expectations, reducing administrative strain on staff, and offering patients convenient, transparent ways to manage payments. Each practice ultimately chooses the approach that best aligns with its values, patient base, and regulatory environment with the shared goal of delivering a positive and informed patient experience.
OP: What other types of digital payment methods may be coming to the world of orthodontics?
Thomas: The future of digital payments in orthodontics is all about smarter, seamless integration. Practices are increasingly able to embed financing and payment capabilities directly into the systems they already use for scheduling, billing, and patient communications. The result is a smoother, more connected experience—staff spend less time on manual tasks, and patients enjoy clearer, more predictable financial interactions without any disruption to their care.
OP: What specific technology should orthodontists know about?
Thomas: Technology is playing an increasingly important role in how practices manage their financial operations. Tools like PRISM and AI-enabled integrations help teams access real-time insights, recognize patterns in payment behavior, and manage approvals and internal communications more efficiently, without leaving the practice management system.
When financial data, patient communications, and reporting tools are unified within a single ecosystem, staff spend less time navigating multiple platforms and more time focused on patient care. This kind of integration not only eases administrative strain, but also provides clearer visibility into cash flow and supports more informed, strategic decision-making at the practice level.
Ultimately, these integrated digital ecosystems give practices back valuable time, so providers and staff can focus on what matters most: caring for patients and growing the practice in a way that’s sustainable and patient-friendly. OP
Photo: ID 184171482 © Syda Productions | Dreamstime.com
Greg Thompson is a contributing writer for Orthodontic Products.
