Medical, dental, and cosmetic costs, with the total clear before you decide.
- Loans from $5K to $100K, paid to you, with the total cost over the full term set out before you decide
- Indicative answer within 2 business days
- Employees on a wage, self-employed ABN holders, and borrowers with irregular income
- Private health rebates and any practice payment plan are worth checking first
- Full-doc (tax returns), low-doc or alt-doc (BAS, bank statements or an accountant's letter instead) options across our 90+ lender panel
Medical, dental, and cosmetic costs are usually quoted as a single number, with a payment plan offered at the same appointment. That plan may well be the cheapest option, and it is one offer among several, so it is worth knowing what else is available before deciding. Finance for these procedures is generally a standard personal loan rather than a specialist product, which means it can be priced against the clinic's plan directly. Whether to proceed, and when, is your decision and your clinician's. What Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you plainly is what funding is available and what each option costs over the full term.
Before you borrow: options worth checking first
A few checks can reduce what you need to borrow, sometimes substantially. Medicare may rebate part of the cost where the procedure has an item number, and the clinic can tell you which items apply and what the gap will be. If you hold private hospital cover, the fund can confirm what is covered and whether a waiting period applies, and for some procedures serving out a waiting period costs far less than financing the full amount. Many hospitals, dental practices, and specialists offer their own payment plans, and some are interest free for a period, so it is worth asking before assuming you need a loan. If the procedure is being deferred on a public waiting list, ask the specialist whether your clinical category has changed, because that can move the timeframe. We will still be here if a loan is the right answer.
Who we can help access finance
- Patients facing a long public waiting list for a procedure that is affecting daily life or work.
- People covering a gap payment where private cover meets only part of the cost.
- Dental patients funding implants, orthodontics, or extensive restorative work.
- Those funding elective and cosmetic procedures, including surgery, dermatology, and hair restoration.
- Patients needing bariatric or other surgery where the clinic requires payment before admission.
- People funding treatment for a family member, including a child or a parent.
- Self-employed borrowers and ABN holders whose income is real but takes longer to evidence.
- Borrowers who have been offered a clinic payment plan and want to know whether it is genuinely competitive.
How Medical and Dental Finance Works
Almost all of this is funded with a standard unsecured personal loan taken for that purpose. There are specialist medical finance providers and clinic-arranged plans, and they are convenient, but convenience is priced: a plan offered at the reception desk is one offer among several. A personal loan pays the funds to you, so you can settle the clinic invoice directly, split payment across a surgeon, an anaesthetist, and a hospital, or fund treatment across several appointments. Terms usually run one to seven years with regular repayments. Joseph Farhat and his team review your position, match it to the right lender from the 90+ panel, and manage the application through to funding.
What Lenders Assess
Income and capacity
the repayment has to fit alongside your existing commitments, and lenders test it against a buffer.
Credit profile
personal lending is risk-priced, so your file drives the rate you are offered.
Existing commitments
other loans, card limits, and buy-now-pay-later accounts all count.
Amount and term
borrowing the quoted amount over a realistic term is assessed more favourably than the maximum offered.
The purpose
stated plainly is fine. Lenders fund medical, dental, and cosmetic procedures routinely and do not require clinical detail.
Whether the cost is staged
treatment spread across several appointments can be funded with one loan for the quoted total, or a smaller loan for the first stage, and the structure affects the total cost.
Employment type
salaried is simplest. Self-employed, casual, and contract income narrow the lender list rather than closing it.
The Process: What to Expect
- Talk to Joseph Farhat and his team about the quoted amount, the timing, and your income. We will ask whether you have checked your rebate, your cover, and the clinic's own plan first.
- Provide the basics: identification, recent bank statements or payslips, and the treatment quote if you have it.
- We match your profile to the lenders most likely to approve it at a sensible cost, and compare that against the clinic plan if one has been offered, so you can see both totals.
- The lender issues an approval setting out the rate, comparison rate, term, fees, and repayment. We go through the total cost over the full term before you sign anything.
- Funds are released to you, usually within two business days, so you can pay the clinic, the hospital, and the specialists directly.
Indicative Finance Options
| Route | Pricing | Typical Amount | Loan Term | Paid To | Speed to Funding |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank personal loan | Sharpest available pricing | $5K to $75K | 1 to 7 years | You | 3 to 10 business days |
| Non-bank personal loan | Priced for flexibility | $5K to $100K | 1 to 7 years | You | Within 2 business days |
| Clinic or specialist plan | Set by the provider, sometimes interest free for a period | Varies by clinic | Usually under 24 months | The clinic directly | Immediate |
Indicative figures only. Actual terms depend on your circumstances and lender assessment at the time of application. We quote your rate and comparison rate for your specific loan amount and term before you apply. Terms are subject to change.
Why borrowers choose Settled With Joe for medical and dental finance
We represent you, not the lender
Joseph Farhat and his team act in your interest, and on consumer lending that is a legal duty, not a slogan.
The clinic plan is one offer among several
it may well be the cheapest, particularly if it is genuinely interest free, and we will show you how it compares.
We will tell you to check your rebate and your cover first
Medicare items and private cover can cut the amount you need, and those checks cost nothing.
Funds go to you, not the clinic
that lets you pay a surgeon, an anaesthetist, and a hospital separately, which a single clinic plan often cannot.
One conversation, not five applications
every application is recorded on your credit file.
No clinical detail required
lenders fund the amount, not the procedure. We do not ask you to explain your treatment and neither do they.
90+ lenders on one panel
bank, non-bank, and specialist, so a clean file gets a sharp rate and a complex one still has options.
Usually no direct cost to you
as a broker we are typically paid by the lender on settlement.
An honest answer early
tell us the surgery date and we will tell you what is realistically achievable.
Frequently asked questions
What is medical and dental finance?
It is funding used to pay for a procedure, whether that is surgery, dental work, or an elective or cosmetic treatment. In practice it is almost always a standard unsecured personal loan taken for that purpose rather than a separate product. That is useful to know, because it means you can compare it directly against a clinic payment plan instead of accepting whichever option is put in front of you at the appointment.
Does the lender know what procedure I am having?
No, and this is one of the most common questions on this page. You state a purpose category such as medical or dental, and lenders do not require clinical detail, a diagnosis, or a description of the procedure. If you provide a quote it may show the clinic name, and you can generally supply a quote with the amount and provider without the treatment detail. Your medical information is yours and lenders have no need for it.
Is a clinic payment plan cheaper than a personal loan?
Sometimes, particularly where the plan is genuinely interest free over a defined period and you can clear it within that period. Where the interest-free window ends and a rate applies, or where fees are charged monthly, the total can exceed a personal loan comfortably. The right approach is to compare the total dollar cost of both, not the monthly repayment. Bring us the plan you have been offered and we will price the alternative against it honestly, including telling you when the clinic plan wins.
Can I finance a cosmetic procedure?
Yes. Cosmetic and elective procedures are funded routinely, including surgery, dermatology, dental aesthetics, and hair restoration. Because these usually attract no Medicare rebate and no private cover, the full cost typically sits with you, which is precisely why comparing funding options matters. Some cosmetic clinics work with a particular finance provider, so it is worth seeing that offer alongside an independent comparison.
Can I finance a procedure overseas?
It is possible but it needs care. The loan itself is straightforward, since funds are paid to you and you can use them where you wish. The considerations are practical: overseas procedures may not be covered by Australian private cover, follow-up care and any complications are generally at your own cost, and travel expenses add to the total. Lenders do not restrict where you spend the funds. We will set out the total cost, including travel and any follow-up care, so you can see the full number before deciding.
Will applying affect my credit score?
Every credit application is recorded on your file, and several applications in a short period read poorly to the next lender. This is worth knowing before you accept a clinic's offer to submit your details to two or three finance providers at once, which is a common practice and can leave several enquiries on your file in a single afternoon. We work out which lender fits before an application is lodged, so your file carries one enquiry.
What is a comparison rate, and why are no rates shown on this page?
A comparison rate combines the interest rate with the standard fees into a single figure so two loans can be compared honestly. It matters especially here, because clinic plans often quote a monthly fee rather than a rate, which makes them hard to compare against a loan without doing the arithmetic. A comparison rate is only meaningful for a specific amount and term, so we quote your rate and comparison rate for your real numbers alongside the total dollar cost.
Do you work with borrowers with bad credit?
Yes, we do. A default, an old arrears listing, or a thin credit file does not rule you out, and it is not something we will make you feel awkward about. Several lenders on our panel assess your current capacity rather than the credit file alone, and price for it rather than decline it. Telling us early lets us approach the right lender first instead of adding enquiries to your file.
Can I fund treatment for my child or parent?
Yes. The loan is in your name and assessed on your income, and there is no requirement that the treatment be for you. This is common for parents funding orthodontics or surgery for a child, and for adult children funding dental or medical work for a parent. Where the person receiving treatment will contribute to repayments, that is an arrangement between you rather than something the lender assesses.
Do you act in my best interests?
Yes. When we provide credit assistance on consumer lending we owe you a best interests duty. We make reasonable enquiries into your financial situation, requirements, and objectives, and we must not suggest or help you apply for a loan that is unsuitable for you. On this page that duty is why we point you to your Medicare rebate, your private cover, and the clinic's own plan before we set out the loans. Before we provide credit assistance you will receive our Credit Guide.
Why work with Settled With Joe for medical or dental finance?
Because the plan offered at the clinic is one offer among several, and seeing the totals side by side is worth it. Most of the people we help here are patients facing a gap payment, a long public waiting list, or dental work that can no longer be put off. There is no judgement in the conversation and we do not ask about your treatment. What matters is the amount, the timing, and your capacity to repay. We will point you to your rebate and your cover first, because those reduce the amount rather than finance it, and if a loan is still the answer we will price it against whatever the clinic has offered. Our panel covers 90+ bank, non-bank, and specialist lenders. We are based in Sydney and work with borrowers Australia-wide. Joseph Farhat and his team will tell you honestly and early what is achievable.
Do you give financial advice?
No. We do not guide you on your finances, nor give financial advice. We focus on outcomes and solutions of presenting your unique scenario to the right lender so you can access funding in a timely and compliant manner.
Do you help with medical and dental finance outside Sydney?
Yes. Settled With Joe is based in Sydney and arranges medical and dental finance Australia-wide, covering both metro and regional areas. We work with clients in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, and Canberra, as well as regional areas including Newcastle, Wollongong, Geelong, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, and Toowoomba. Lender appetite does not vary much by location on this product, though public waiting lists and specialist availability do. Joseph Farhat and his team will identify which lenders on the panel are the best fit for your situation.
