Most people decide whether to go ahead with dental treatment based on the monthly number rather than the total. That is reasonable. It also means the financing conversation deserves the same care as the clinical one, and it usually gets less of it. Here is how payment plans work at Modern Smiles, what our estimator can honestly tell you, and the specific things worth checking before you agree to anything.

What Cherry is, and what it is not

Our payment plans run through Cherry Technologies, Inc. Cherry is a third-party lender, not us. We do not set your rate, we do not approve or decline anyone, and we never see your credit report. You apply with Cherry, Cherry makes the decision, and we are told whether the treatment is funded.

That separation cuts both ways, and it is worth being plain about. It means we cannot pull strings to get you a better rate if the answer comes back higher than you hoped. It also means nobody in this office has a financial reason to push you toward a longer term than you actually need.

The credit check is soft, which changes when you should apply

Applying with Cherry is a soft credit check. It does not affect your credit score. That one detail changes the order in which this should happen: you can find out what you qualify for before you commit to treatment, without paying for that information with a mark on your credit.

We would rather you knew your real terms before you sat in the chair deciding. A treatment plan you can actually pay for is worth more than one you agreed to under pressure and start resenting four months in.

What the estimator on our site actually does

The homepage has a payment estimator with sliders for the treatment amount, the down payment, and the term. Move them and the estimated monthly payment updates as you go.

It is an illustration, not an offer. Your actual rate, term, and payment are determined by Cherry at approval. What the estimator is genuinely useful for is seeing the shape of the decision before you talk to anyone — how much a larger down payment moves the monthly figure, and how much a longer term does.

The treatment amounts it starts from are our real ones. A single-tooth implant is $2,050, an inclusive package covering the implant, the abutment, and the crown; extractions, CT scans, and bone grafting cost extra if they are needed. Invisalign is $4,500. A full arch of porcelain veneers, ten units, is $10,000.

The terms worth reading before you sign

Cherry offers terms from 1 to 60 months, with APRs ranging from 0% to 35.99% depending on your credit profile. Those two ends are a long way apart, and where you land between them is the single biggest factor in what the treatment ends up costing you. Qualifying patients do get 0% APR, but that is an outcome of the application, not a promise we can make in advance.

Deferred interest, and why its absence matters

Cherry does not use deferred interest. That is worth understanding rather than skimming, because deferred interest is the mechanism behind most financing stories that end badly. Under a deferred-interest plan, missing the payoff window means interest is charged retroactively from day one, on the original balance. A plan without it cannot do that to you.

Two numbers to look at on whatever offer you receive: the APR, and the total of all payments over the full term. The second one is the honest price of the treatment. If the monthly payment looks comfortable but that total makes you wince, a shorter term or a larger down payment is usually the better trade.

Getting a real number

If you are weighing treatment and the cost is the part holding you up, the useful next step is a consult with an itemized plan, so the number you take to Cherry reflects your mouth rather than an average. You can read more about what implant treatment involves on our dental implants page, or book directly through Zocdoc. Bring your questions about the financing terms to that appointment too. We would rather spend ten minutes on them up front than have you find out later.