For many dental practices, figuring out how to make the payment experience just as solid as the care they provide can be challenging. Between verifying insurance, estimating patient responsibility, sending invoices, and handling financing or partial balances, payment processing can get complicated fast. And when it does, patients notice.

Getting payment processing right is becoming more important. The global dental services market was worth $475.83 billion in 2024 and is expected to exceed $763.74 billion by 2034. Below is a practical guide for building smarter, more patient-friendly dental payment processing.

What’s in this article?

• What is dental payment processing and how does it work?
  
• What are the best payment terminals for dental offices?
  
• What are the security and compliance requirements for dental payments?
  
• How to choose the best payment solution for your dental practice
  

What is dental payment processing and how does it work?

Dental payment processing includes everything your practice does to get paid, from the moment a patient schedules an appointment to the last cent you collect after insurance settles. It’s the system that manages out-of-pocket payments, insurance reimbursements, patient balances, and financial communication.

Here’s how it works.

Before the visit

Insurance is often verified ahead of treatment. Coverage details, copays, and preauthorizations are checked so both the patient and the practice know what to expect. A treatment plan and cost estimate are presented to the patient. Ideally, the patient signs off on the clinical and financial plan.

At the appointment

The patient pays their estimated portion, typically via card, digital wallet, or bank transfer. The payment processor handles the transaction and moves funds to your account. The best setups integrate directly with your billing software so payments are automatically logged in the patient’s ledger.

After the visit

Your billing team files a claim with the insurer using the correct codes and required documentation. This can include X-rays, notes, or preapprovals. The insurer reviews the claim and issues an explanation of benefits that details what’s covered, what’s not, and what’s left for the patient to pay.

Once insurance pays

You post the payment to the patient’s account. If there’s a balance due, the patient gets a bill or a payment link by email or text. If a card is stored on file and you have the patient’s consent, you can automatically charge the remaining balance and send a receipt.

If there’s a remaining balance

Patients pay online, in person, or by phone. Practices that use tokenized payment methods can collect balances securely without asking patients to re-enter card information. The goal is to close the loop quickly so you don’t have to chase down unpaid bills.

What are the best payment terminals for dental offices?

In a dental office, the payment terminal is part of the patient experience, the front desk workflow, and your broader revenue system. The right one preserves privacy, integrates with your tech stack, and helps staff work more efficiently.

Here’s what to consider.

Core functionality

Every terminal should support chip cards, Tap to Pay, and digital wallets like Apple Pay or Google Pay. You don’t know what payment method the patient will prefer so your terminal should be able to handle all of them. Seek an intuitive interface. Easy-to-read displays, touch screens, and simple prompts can all help.

Flexibility

You might need to collect payment at the front desk, in a consulting room, or even in a dentist’s chair.

Consider:

• Wireless or handheld readers that can move with your staff, as these can minimize bottlenecks at checkout and enable more private financial conversations after treatment
  
• Tap to Pay for iPhone or Android devices, which are great for consultations or flexible treatment areas
  
• Multiple terminals per location if you have a high-volume practice or a large physical space
  

Integration with your systems

The best terminals connect directly with your dental practice management software and payment processor so your front desk team isn’t toggling between systems or rekeying data. Payments post directly to the patient ledger, which can reduce manual errors and help you avoid manual reconciliation.

For example, Stripe Terminal connects to Stripe’s broader payments platform. So whether a patient pays in person, online, or via mobile, all the data flows into the same backend. That means unified reporting, fewer platforms to manage, and easier follow-ups if you need to collect a balance later.

Security and compliance

Any terminal you use should help you meet security standards and minimize your risk exposure.

That requires:

• Point-to-point encryption (P2PE) so sensitive information never touches your systems in readable form
  
• Tokenization for card-on-file payments, if you offer recurring billing or want to charge post-insurance balances with patient consent
  
• No local storage of card data so staff can’t see or record full card numbers
  

Operational fit

• Connectivity options: Choose what works best in your environment—Wi-Fi for flexibility, Ethernet for stability, or Bluetooth for mobile.
  
• Receipts: Decide whether you need a built-in printer, email or text receipts, or both. Many practices skip paper entirely.
  
• Setup and maintenance: Consider ease of updates, support availability, and how downtime is handled. A terminal reboot shouldn’t derail your schedule.
  
• Cost structure: Some vendors sell terminals outright, while others lease or bundle them with service agreements. Factor in the total cost of ownership, including support, warranty, and upgrade paths.
  

The best terminal for your practice will depend on your priorities. If your goal is faster checkout, look for Tap to Pay, saved card support, and a modern user interface. If your goal is better coordination with insurance billing and patient balances, choose something that integrates smoothly with your practice software. If you want to scale, ensure your terminal can support multiple locations and teams or future service lines (e.g., orthodontics, cosmetic).

A great terminal reduces daily administration, makes staff more efficient, and helps patients feel confident and cared for through the last moment of their visits. Find a terminal that fits into the bigger picture of your payment system.

What are the security and compliance requirements for dental payments?

When you process payments in a dental office, you’re working with two types of regulations:

• Those that govern patient health information
  
• Those that govern payment card security
  

Understanding how and when they overlap is necessary to protect patient data, avoid liability, and keep your operations clean. Here’s a closer look at each one.

Patient health information

Legislation such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in the US sets rules about how to manage protected health information (PHI). If your payment processor moves only money, and not patient information or treatment details, it might be outside this scope. But if your system handles both payment and clinical data (e.g., “$250 for a crown on tooth No. 14 for Jane Doe”), it probably qualifies.

Some systems blur the line, especially if they integrate with your practice management software. If payment data is tied to patient records, play it safe and treat the system as if it falls under PHI regulations.

To stay compliant:

• Work with vendors that can store and transmit PHI safely
  
• Don’t include treatment details in unsecured payment messages
  
• Never send PHI over plain email or text messaging (SMS)
  

Payment card security

Global standards such as the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), as well as laws such as the revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) in the EU, dictate the payment card security requirements for dental payments. Dental practices that accept credit or debit cards in person, online, or over the phone should prioritize the following:

• Use PCI-compliant tools: Choose a payment provider that meets the highest standard for securing card payments. Stripe, for example, is PCI Level 1 certified.
  
• Don’t store card info yourself: That means no Excel sheets with card numbers, no paper forms that live in a drawer, and no manual entry of card information unless it’s through a secure system. Use terminals that tokenize and encrypt the card as soon as it’s entered so your practice never touches the sensitive data.
  
• Use secure networks and updated devices: Card readers should support Europay, Mastercard, and Visa (EMV) chip and contactless payments, which are generally safer than magnetic stripe swipes. Terminals and software should be kept up-to-date, and office Wi-Fi should be secured, especially if it’s connected to payment tools.
  
• Train your staff: Everyone who handles payments should understand what data is sensitive, how to enter it correctly, and what to avoid (e.g., writing card info down or emailing it).
  

How to choose the best payment solution for your dental practice

Dental payments are complex and often involve in-person, online, recurring, insurance-adjusted, and financed payments all at once. The right payment solution should simplify how you manage money in each of these scenarios.

Here’s how to evaluate your options.

Ensure it integrates with your systems

Your payment tool should connect with your practice management software. At the very least, it shouldn’t create extra work for you.

Look for:

• Automatic posting to the patient ledger
  
• Unified reporting across payment channels
  
• No double entry between platforms
  

Stripe can easily integrate with dental software providers like Dentally to sync all types of payments.

Prioritize features built for dental workflows

General-purpose payment solutions often fall short in a clinical environment.

Assure that the tool supports:

• In-person, online, and mobile payments
  
• Stored cards for balance billing or recurring payments
  
• Subscription-style billing (great for orthodontics or membership plans)
  
• Billing with embedded payment links
  
• Multiple locations or providers under one account
  
• Optional financing tool
  

Demand security and compliance by default

Any solution you choose should be:

• PCI Level 1 compliant
  
• Using encryption and tokenization for stored card data
  

You shouldn’t need to build a compliance program from scratch.

Evaluate the patient experience

How easy is it for patients to pay? Can they use Tap to Pay at the front desk? Can they pay online with a mobile-friendly link? Can you charge a stored card without difficulty? Does the bill or receipt make sense to the patient?

Your payment solution reflects your brand. A simple, transparent payment process can make a strong, positive impression on patients.

Review the reporting and reconciliation features

You should be able to:

• Track payments by date, provider, or location
  
• See which transactions were included in each bank deposit
  
• Quickly identify outstanding balances
  
• Reconcile with your accounting system without digging through spreadsheets
  

The right dashboard can save you significant admin time.

Understand the fee structure and total cost

Every processor charges transaction fees. But not all pricing is transparent.

Ask the following:

• Are there monthly minimums or statement fees?
  
• Do you pay extra for PCI compliance or support?
  
• What does the platform charge for recurring billing?
  
• Are hardware costs paid up front, bundled, or leased?
  

Stripe uses transparent pricing with no hidden fees, which helps businesses plan for the future while avoiding surprise charges.

Consider scalability and flexibility

Will your payment system still work if you open a second location, start offering cosmetic services, or switch to new scheduling or billing software? Look for open application programming interfaces (APIs), flexible setup options, and multilocation support. A good system should grow with your practice, not hold it back.

Don’t lock yourself into something rigid

Avoid vendors that require proprietary hardware or multiyear contracts unless the terms are truly favorable. Choose a solution that gives you room to adapt. Platforms like Stripe offer the freedom to build what you need, whether you want a simple plug-and-play setup or a more customized approach.

The best payment solution is the one that makes your team’s job easier, the patient experience better, and your finances more transparent. If you’re still stitching together systems to manage in-office, online, and balance payments, it’s time to consolidate.