Smile Generation Credit Card: The cost of dental care can be quite expensive, especially for major procedures like implants, bridges, crowns, and braces. Even with dental insurance, the out-of-pocket costs for dental work can put a serious dent in your budget. This is where the Smile Generation Credit Card comes in. This credit card, offered by Synchrony Bank, is designed specifically for financing large dental expenses and procedures not fully covered by insurance.
With the Smile Generation card, you can get special financing offers and payment plans from Smile Generation-affiliated dentists and orthodontists across the country. This allows you to move forward with the dental treatments you need while making the costs more manageable. The card also provides benefits like discounts on dental care, no annual fee, and rewards on purchases.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explain what the Smile Generation Credit Card is, its key features and benefits, eligibility and approval requirements, and how to apply. Read on to see if this specialty credit card could help you afford the smile you’ve always wanted.
Key Features and Benefits of Smile Generation Financial Credit Card
Here are the main features and benefits of the Smile Generation Credit Card:
- Special financing offers – The main draw of this card is that it offers deferred interest and extended financing plans for big dental procedures. This allows you to break up costs over 6, 12, 18, 24-month payment plans. As long as you pay the balance in full before the promotional period ends, you pay no interest.
- Access to Smile Generation dentists – Cardholders get access to the network of affiliated Smile Generation dentists and orthodontists across the United States. These dental care providers offer special financing plans.
- No annual fee – There is no annual fee to maintain the account. This makes it more economical if you only need financing occasionally.
- Rewards program – Cardholders earn 1 reward point for every $1 spent on dental care with Smile Generation and 1 point per $2 on other purchases. Points can be redeemed for account credits towards dental care.
- Low promotional APR – The reduced promotional APR of 0% makes financing dental procedures more affordable. But this rate only applies during promotional periods.
- Lengthy promotional periods – Promotional periods can be as long as 24 months, allowing you to pay for major treatments over an extended timeframe.
- Discount on dental care – Cardholders get 5% off dental care purchases made with the Smile Generation card, up to an annual maximum savings of $500.
- No prepayment penalties – There are no early repayment fees if you pay off your promotional balance before the promotional period ends. This allows flexibility.
- Purchase protection – Eligible purchases with the card come with purchase protection against damage or theft for 120 days.
The Smile Generation Credit Card gives you access to special financing offers not available with traditional credit cards. This can make getting expensive dental procedures done more economical.
Eligibility and Approval
The Smile Generation Credit Card has fairly simple eligibility and approval requirements:
- Good to excellent credit – You will need a credit score of 670 or higher to qualify for this card. This shows the lender you are creditworthy and responsible. People with fair credit likely will not be approved.
- No history of late payments – If you have a habit of making late payments and have recent late payments on your credit history, your application could be denied. Timely payment history is vital.
- Low credit utilization – Having high balances on other revolving accounts could impact approval chances. Try to keep utilization below 30% before applying.
- Sufficient income – You will need stable income from employment, self-employment, retirement, or other sources. Minimum income requirements are not publicly disclosed.
- No recent bankruptcies – If you have filed for bankruptcy in the last 12-24 months, it will be challenging to get approved until you have re-established your credit.
- Valid Social Security Number – For identification and underwriting purposes, you must have an SSN to apply.
- US residency – This card is only available to residents of the 50 US states and Washington D.C. Other US territories are not eligible.
As long as you meet the above criteria, your odds of approval are good. Synchrony Bank will check documents like income statements and credit reports to verify eligibility. The bank may request a copy of a current dental treatment plan when applying.
How to Apply
Applying for the Smile Generation Credit Card is straightforward and can be done in a few ways:
- Apply online – You can fill out the application form on the card’s website. You will need to provide contact info, employment details, income, and Social Security Number. The online system will guide you through the steps.
- Apply by phone – Call 1-866-396-8254 and provide the required information over the phone to a customer service representative. This is the quickest application method.
- Apply at your dentist’s office – Many Smile Generation dentists have paper applications in their offices. Stop by, fill out the form, and drop it off. The dentist will submit it for you.
- Use a paper application – Print out the credit card application form and mail the completed form to Synchrony Bank. Be sure to attach documentation like pay stubs.
- Apply after pre-qualification – You can also pre-qualify online with a soft credit check. If pre-qualified, you will get an offer code to include with the full application.
The application process takes just a few minutes. Synchrony Bank usually responds with a decision within 7-10 days. If approved, you can activate the card against upcoming dental expenses.
Conclusion
The Smile Generation Credit Card can be an extremely valuable way to finance major dental procedures not fully covered by insurance. The 0% promotional APR periods allow you to pay for treatments over time without accruing interest. This stretches out the costs to be more manageable. Just be sure to pay off the full promotional balance before the deadline.
This specialty credit card also gives you easy access to the Smile Generation network of quality dentists across the nation. There are thousands of general dentists and specialists to choose from who accept the card’s special financing offers.
However, this card does not make sense for routine dental exams and cleanings. The rewards rate of 1% back is lower than most other cashback cards. You are better off using a general rewards card for basic preventative dental care.
Overall, the Smile Generation Credit Card is an excellent option if you are planning major dental treatments like implants, orthodontics, crowns, or veneers. Use it to cover what your dental insurance doesn’t. Then make monthly payments over 6, 12, 18, or 24 months. If you have good credit and expensive dental bills on the horizon, apply for this specialized card today.
He is the founder and owner of Ventures Money, a leading finance and investment website. With over 10 years of experience in the finance industry, Mustafa is passionate about helping everyday investors make smart decisions with their money.
After getting a lot of experience, Mustafa worked at several top investment banks before deciding to launch this site. His goal was to create an approachable, jargon-free resource for investing advice and market analysis.
Under Mustafa’s leadership, Ventures Money has become one of the most trusted sites for investment strategies, stock research, and personal finance tips. Every day, Mustafa and his team of finance experts work hard to break down complex financial topics into clear, actionable guidance.
When he’s not busy running Ventures Money, Mustafa enjoys spending time with his family, staying active outdoors, and learning about the latest innovations in finance tech. He lives in India with his family including his wife and one child.