Sunbit has established itself as a popular buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) solution for dental practices, offering 87% approval rates. However, many dental practices and DSOs are seeking alternatives that address different patient affordability challenges, from lower transaction fees to fundamentally different revenue models. Whether you need a direct financing competitor or a strategic shift toward membership-based recurring revenue, these seven alternatives offer distinct advantages worth evaluating.
- Membership plans create predictable recurring revenue: Clerri practices experience 76% more visits, 146% more procedures, and 172% cash increase compared to when patients were cash-pay or uninsured.
- Transaction fees vary: Sunbit charges for as low as 1.9% per transaction, while Cherry starts at 1.7% and membership platforms use flat platform fees instead of per-transaction costs.
- Deep PMS integration reduces administrative burden: Clerri integrates with 90% of PMS, automating enrollment and payment posting within existing workflows.
- Best practices combine approaches: Membership plans work alongside financing to maximize both patient retention and case acceptance for large procedures.
Clerri represents a fundamentally different approach to patient affordability. Rather than financing individual procedures, membership plans create subscription-based recurring revenue where patients pay annual or monthly fees for preventive care and discounts on additional treatment. Formed through the merger of Kleer and Membersy, Clerri serves 20,000+ dentists across all 50 states and powers 7 of the top 10 DSOs.
Key Features:
- Clerri Bridge: PMS schedule overlay that surfaces enrollment opportunities and enables one-click enrollment directly from the schedule view
- Automated payment posting: Bidirectional sync with Dentrix, Eaglesoft, Open Dental, and other major PMS platforms
- Real-time benefit tracking: Shows which services patients have used and what remains available
- Custom plan design: Data-driven pricing recommendations based on practice demographics
- Compliance infrastructure: Built-in HIPAA, PCI, DMPO, and state-specific regulatory compliance
- Growth Services: Dedicated account management, performance audits, and proactive coaching
Pricing Structure:
- Custom pricing based on practice size
- White-glove onboarding included
- No per-transaction fees on membership revenue
Why It Stands Out:
Clerri's "Membership Effect" research quantifies patient behavior changes that financing alone cannot achieve. Practices report 76% more visits, 146% more procedures, and 172% cash increase from membership patients compared to when they were cash-pay. New patient retention increases from approximately 40% to 90% with membership plans.
The platform's enterprise scalability proves itself through documented case studies. GEN4 Dental Partners implemented Clerri across 40+ locations in 14 days, enrolling 500+ members immediately. 7 to 7 Dental & Orthodontics grew membership revenue from $349,000 to a projected $1.63 million while achieving 85% higher production from members compared to insured patients.
For practices seeking to reduce insurance dependency and build predictable recurring revenue, Clerri addresses root causes that financing solutions alone cannot solve.
CareCredit has established a wide acceptance network with 285,000+ provider locations. The revolving credit line model allows patients to use the same card across multiple providers and procedures.
Key Features:
- Revolving credit line usable at 285,000+ locations
- Promotional 0% APR periods ranging from 6-24 months
- Brand recognition built over 30+ years
- PMS integrations with Planet DDS and other platforms
Pricing Structure:
- Processing fees vary. Contact them for pricing.
Cherry differentiates through transparent pricing for both practices and patients. The platform provides true 0% APR options without deferred interest traps.
Key Features:
- True 0% APR financing options
- Soft credit check that does not impact patient credit scores
- 80%+ approval rates for a zero-interest offer
- Loan amounts up to$50,000
- 60-second application process
Pricing Structure:
The provider receives the full payment minus the merchant processing fee.
Denefits removes credit score barriers entirely through its no-credit-check model. The platform focuses on expanding patient access regardless of credit history.
Key Features:
- Customizable payment plan terms
- In-house and third-party financing options
- Automated payment collection
- Patient communication tools
- Integration with practice workflows
Pricing Structure:
- Contact for specific pricing details
Credee achieves 97% approval rates through its no-credit-check approach combined with protected payment technology that automates collections and reduces practice AR risk.
Key Features:
- 97% approval rate with no credit checks
- Protected payments with automated collection
- Flexible payment plan structures
- PMS integration capabilities
Pricing Structure:
- Specific pricing not publicly disclosed
Subscribili helps dental practices run membership plans with automated billing, member management, and practice-branded enrollment. The platform focuses on reducing administrative burden for subscription-based patient programs.
Key Features:
- Practice-branded plan signup pages
- Automated recurring billing and payment recovery
- Member tracking and utilization visibility
- Reporting dashboard for enrollment, revenue, and plan performance
Pricing Structure:
- Contact for specific quotes
Plan Forward offers dental membership plan software with emphasis on PMS integration to reduce manual front-office effort. The platform includes operator-led guidance for pricing analysis and workflow optimization.
Key Features:
- 20+ PMS integrations
- Automated billing, renewals, and patient notifications
- AI-powered analytics for plan performance monitoring
- Pricing analysis and workflow support
Pricing Structure:
- Two platform options: Essential (unintegrated) and Advanced (PMS-integrated)
- Priced per member per month with custom enterprise pricing
When to Choose Membership Plans Over Financing
Membership plans address different challenges than patient financing. While financing helps patients afford large one-time procedures, membership plans build long-term retention and predictable recurring revenue. Practices dropping insurance networks increasingly turn to membership as an alternative for uninsured patients.
Consider membership when your practice needs:
- Predictable monthly recurring revenue
- Higher patient retention rates
- Reduced insurance dependency
- Increased preventive care visits
- Loyalty-driven patient relationships
When to Choose Financing Solutions
Patient financing excels at immediate case acceptance for high-value procedures. Consider financing when you need:
- Immediate full payment for large procedures
- One-time emergency treatment solutions
- Serving patients who prefer pay-per-visit models
The Combined Approach
Many successful practices use both models together. A patient enrolls in a membership plan for preventive care and receives discounts on additional treatment. When that patient needs major work, they finance the discounted amount. The practice benefits from recurring membership revenue plus high case acceptance through financing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do membership plans compare to patient financing for practice profitability?
Membership plans and patient financing serve complementary purposes. Financing provides immediate cash flow for large procedures, with practices receiving full payment upfront minus transaction fees (1.7%-6% depending on provider). Membership plans create recurring revenue streams where practices keep 100% of subscription fees. Clerri practices report 172% cash increase from membership patients over time, demonstrating long-term profitability advantages that single transactions cannot match.
Can dental practices use both membership plans and patient financing together?
Yes, and many successful practices combine both approaches strategically. Membership plans like Clerri excel at building recurring revenue and patient loyalty for preventive care and routine procedures. Financing solutions like Cherry help patients afford large treatments such as implants or orthodontics that may exceed membership plan discounts. This combined strategy maximizes both immediate cash flow from major procedures and long-term value from higher membership retention rates. Practices can offer membership subscriptions to build a loyal patient base while maintaining financing relationships for treatments requiring extended payment terms.
Are there compliance requirements for dental membership plans?
Dental membership plans must comply with state-specific regulations including DPO (Discount Plan Organization), DMPO (Discount Medical Plan Organization), and Knox-Keene requirements in applicable states. Membership plans are explicitly not insurance products. Clerri operates as a discount medical plan operator with built-in compliance infrastructure across all 50 states, reducing legal risk for practices operating multi-state membership programs.
