Unexpected dental bills can be a major source of financial stress. But what actually happens if you’re unable to pay your dental bill? Are there legal ramifications? Will it affect your credit? Unfortunately ignoring and not paying your dental bills can lead to serious consequences.
When you receive dental treatment, you agree to pay your provider’s fees. Skipping out on your bill is considered breach of contract. While most dentists will work with patients on payment plans when money is tight unpaid dental bills do eventually get sent to collections.
This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to know about the repercussions of not paying your dental bills and how to handle the situation properly.
Overdue Notices and Calls From Your Dentist
Once your dental bill becomes past due, your dentist’s office will start contacting you. Expect to receive phone calls and letters advising you to pay the outstanding balance. If you fail to respond or set up a payment plan, the contacts may become more frequent and firm. At this stage, it’s crucial to communicate with your dentist and explain your financial situation. Most will happily work out a payment schedule or assist you with financing options. Ignoring their calls and letters will only escalate matters.
Consequences On Your Credit Report
If you continue not paying your dental bill after repeated contacts from your provider, the account will get referred to a debt collection agency. This is one of the biggest consequences – it can seriously damage your credit score.
The collection agency will report the unpaid dental bill to the major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion). This delinquent debt then appears on your credit report and remains there for up to 7 years.
Having an account in collections lowers your overall credit score as it represents high credit risk. A poor credit score makes it difficult to qualify for loans, mortgages, credit cards and other financing at favorable rates.
Debt Collection Harassment
After your dental office assigns your unpaid bill to collections, the debt collector’s job is to recover the money. And they can be quite aggressive.
You’ll start getting multiple phone calls per day demanding payment. Collectors may also contact your friends, family and employer asking for your whereabouts and payment status. This harassment will continue until you either pay off the debt or the collector gives up (usually after they’ve called for a few months).
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, collectors cannot use abusive language or make threats. But their frequent calls and contacts are legal as long as they adhere to your state’s regulations. Responding to the collector, setting up a repayment plan or negotiating a settlement can help reduce this nuisance.
Wage Garnishment
For extremely delinquent debts, collectors can sue you to recover the money. If they win the lawsuit, the court can order your employer to garnish your wages. This means a portion of each paycheck (up to 25%) gets sent directly to pay off the judgment.
Wage garnishment continues until the full dental bill amount gets repaid through the deductions. Having your wages garnished makes it difficult to afford your regular living expenses. Respond to any lawsuits promptly and see if you can settle or agree on a payment plan before the court gets involved.
Property Lien
In some cases, the court may place a lien against your property to collect an unpaid dental bill judgment. This means your home, vehicle or other assets can’t be sold or refinanced until the lien gets repaid. It also hurts your credit rating like having an account in collections.
Liens get removed after paying the debt. Work with the court on a realistic payment plan so the lien gets lifted quickly. Just realize that liens reduce your financial options until the dental bill gets paid back.
Tips for Handling Unpaid Dental Bills
Don’t let an unpaid dental bill spiral out of control. Here are some tips if you’re struggling with a past due dental expense:
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Communicate proactively with your dentist. Explain the situation and request a payment plan or financing options.
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If contacted by a collector, negotiate a reasonable settlement offer. Get any agreements in writing before sending payment.
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Consider applying for a personal loan to pay off the dental bill in full, avoiding further collection efforts.
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Prioritize paying off the dental debt to stop collection calls and protect your credit score.
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Learn your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and your state’s laws.
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Consult reputable credit counseling agencies for guidance on managing the debt.
With the right strategy, you can handle unpaid dental bills responsibly without damaging your finances long-term. But avoiding and ignoring the situation only makes matters worse. Contact your dentist right away if you’re unable to pay a bill so you can take control of the process.
What happens when dental bills go to collections
When your dentist sends your overdue account to collections, theyve essentially sold your debt to the collection agency.
When your dentist sends your overdue account to collections, theyve essentially sold the debt to the collection agency.
- You are no longer dealing with your dentist. If you decide to pay the bill or talk it out with your dentist, they cant help you because they are no longer the owner of the debt. You must contact the loan collection agency if you have any inquiries. They may not be as nice or as pleasant as your dentist.
- You may have a blemish on your credit score. Depending on the total amount owed, the dental debt collections may show up on your credit report. If it does you will have a marked decrease in your credit score.
- Undesired contacts. Some loan collection agencies may be too forward for some peoples taste. They will call you, they will mail you, they will constantly remind you that youve an unpaid bill. They will chase you down to the ends of the earth until you finally pay off that bill.
If all of that sounds unpleasant to you, perhaps it may be a good idea to settle your debt.
What if I’m in the middle of treatment?
If you dont pay, your dentist can refuse to continue treatment. That would not be good if you were in the middle of a multi-step procedure such as crowns, veneers, or root canals.
Youll be left in a temporary state which can get infected if you dont complete treatment for an extended period of time.
What Happens If You Don’t Pay Medical Bills?
FAQ
What happens if I leave the dentist without paying?
Can a dentist send you to collections?
How would you deal with a patient with a dental need that is unable to pay?
Is a dental bill considered a medical debt?
What happens if I don’t pay my dental Bill?
If you don’t pay your dental bill, your dentist will make multiple attempts to contact you before you get sent to a loan collection agency. In the dental industry, that process is known as being “sent to collections.” There are consequences of having dental and medical debt in collections.
Do you need a dentist if you don’t pay your dental Bill?
Roughly 99.99% of them require in-person intervention by a healthcare professional. Hint: That is the reason why you can’t eliminate seeing dentists in your life! If you do not pay your dental bill, your dentist will make multiple attempts at contacting you before the debt gets sent to loan collector.
Should I pay off my dental bill while my Dentist is contacting me?
Our recommendation is to pay off your dental bill while your dentist is still contacting you. If you’re able to do so, it’ll stop your account from going into collections. This will help keep your credit score high so in case you were about to apply for a mortgage, you will not be hampered.
What happens if a medical bill is not paid?
If a medical bill isn’t paid after a certain period of time, it can be turned over to a debt collection agency. So long as a medical bill is yours, it’s accurate and you owe the money, then debt collectors can contact you to try to collect it, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
How does my dentist contact me if I have an unpaid dental Bill?
If you have an unpaid dental bill, your dentist will make multiple attempts to contact you through various means in order to get you to pay your bill. How your dentist may contact you: Phone call – They will call you. Email – They’ll attach your invoice to an email. Paper mail – Some offices still use USPS snail mail.
What if I owe my dentist money?
If you owe your dentist money for treatment that you’ve received, you should strive to pay what you owe. If you don’t, your dentist will make a couple of attempts at contacting you to get the bill paid before they give your account over to collections. It is certainly much more preferable to deal with your dentist than a debt collection agency.