Half of Romanians say they have never been to the dentist, either because they don't think they need it, or because they don't have the money, according to the data of a Kantar study carried out at the beginning of this year.

In this context, the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) alternative payment tool offered by tbi bank for dental services in Dr. Leahu Dental Clinics is an extremely effective and affordable solution for a healthy smile.

The Buy Now Pay Later payment solution allows consumers to split the total cost of any dental procedure into installments with no interest or fees. The approval process is very quick, needing only a few minutes, and can take place right in the clinic.

This financing tool is accessible both for routine or preventive procedures, as well as for more complex and implicitly expensive ones, given that some dental work can cost more than 3,000 euros. Paying off such services in full, without financial pressure, can be a challenge for anyone, but a smart installment system could mean a monthly cost of around 150 euros, on average, for a period of 24 months.

”We continue the strategic partnership between tbi and Dr. Leahu Dental Clinics, signed two years ago, and we always offer customers the most affordable solutions for their smile. Buy Now, Pay Later differentiates in the market by being able to provide a value service without major effects on monthly budgets. With the option of paying in monthly installments without interest, we alleviate the financial burden that customers may feel and make it easier for them to access the medical care they need. And at the same time, we also help medical service providers to increase their income by removing the price barrier for their patients”, said Ionuț Sabadac, VP Merchant Solutions, tbi bank (opening photo).

Among Romanians who go to the dentist more often, about 8% go once a month or even more frequently, and the budget allocated to dental services is 17% higher this year, reaching an annual average of approximately 2,000 lei, according to the Kantar study. The most common preventive treatments are consultation, radiography, and professional hygiene procedures.

“Although we have been educating Romanian patients for many years, stressing the importance of prevention and the fact that general health starts with the teeth, and immunity is significantly influenced by access to dental services, studies and reality show us that the second major reason why they do not go to the dentist is the lack of resources, mainly money. We are delighted to be partnering with tbi bank, because through the effective financing tool it provides, it offers a practical solution to a problem that a third of Romanians mention. Moreover, it brings to the fore a different perspective, that Romanians could save years of dental health by financing and accessing dental services now, when the need is critical, rather than later”, said Dr. Ionuț Leahu, founder and CEO of the Dr. Leahu Dental Clinic Network.

The Dr. Leahu Dental Clinics network is the most extensive network in the Romanian dental healthcare industry, with a presence in 13 cities in Romania (Brasov, Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Constanta, Craiova, Galati, Iasi, Oradea, Pitesti, Ploiesti, Sibiu, Timisoara, Turda); it has 169 dental offices and a fully digitized dental technique laboratory, spread over a total area of more than 8,000 square meters and a team of more than 650 employees and collaborators, including more than 200 doctors.

tbi bank is a Southeast Europe Challenger Bank and BNPL leader in the region focusing on consumer, merchants, and SMEs by providing financing and additional embedded services through a wide network of phygital channels and platforms. Currently the Bank operates in Bulgaria, Romania, Greece, Germany and Lithuania. Through various digital channels, an own network of 300 physical locations and trusted partnerships with almost 15.000 small and large merchants and retailers, tbi has a customer portfolio of almost 2 million clients in 2021, when it issued nearly 500.000 payment plans.

Photo credit: tbi bank