Approval & checkout help

What happens between "approved" and "active": how long approvals last, why checkout links expire, what you can and can't change, and what denials and credit reporting actually mean.

Approval lifecycle Troubleshooting Denied?Credit reporting

Customer checking her approval on her phone

Payments & accountMake a payment, pay off early, fees, login Approval & checkoutExpired links, amounts, using it at a practice Refunds & disputesCancellations, partial refunds, how to dispute Contact usEmail, hours and the official account portal

Lifecycle

From application to active plan

Five states, two deadlines. The two numbers to remember are 30 days (approval) and 7 days (checkout link).

Apply

Soft credit check from the practice's link or this site. About a minute.

Soft check

Approved

Your amount appears in your account; the practice sees it in theirs.

Valid 30+ days

Checkout link

Practice sends a link for the treatment amount by text.

Expires in 7 days

Pick a plan

Preview every term and payment, pay the down payment.

Approval used

Active

Practice funded in 2–3 days; first payment ~30 days later.

Reporting begins

Troubleshooting

The six things that go wrong, and the fix for each

1My checkout link expired

Links last 7 days. If your approval is still active, nothing is lost.

Fix: ask the practice to resend from their portal, or log in → Payment Plans and complete checkout there.

2My approval expired

Approvals last at least 30 days. After that the amount is released.

Fix: reapply — it's another soft check with no score impact, and most people see the same or a similar amount.

3I need more than I was approved for

Amounts come from underwriting and can't be bumped on request.

Fix: finance part of the treatment now and reapply when the approval lapses, or ask the practice about a different plan tier.

4I want to use it at another practice

Each approval belongs to the practice you applied through.

Fix: apply through the second practice's link. The amounts are separate, not combined.

5The practice can't see my approval

They search by phone number.

Fix: give the front desk the exact mobile number you applied with, and confirm you applied through their link.

6Surgery or treatment is more than 30 days away

Your approval may lapse before checkout.

Fix: wait and apply within 30 days of your date, then check out as soon as the link arrives.

If you were denied

What the letter says and when to try again

1Open the Adverse Action Letter in your account — it lists the specific reasons (credit history, income relative to obligations, recent delinquencies).

2Denials can't be appealed. If a reason is a credit-report error, dispute it with that bureau before reapplying.

3Reapply after the waiting period. Many applicants are offered Pay-in-4 even when a larger monthly plan was declined.

A denial is based on a soft inquiry, so it never appears on your credit report and doesn't lower your score. What underwriting actually looks at →

Credit reporting

Three numbers that explain your credit report

0inquiries from applying — it's a soft check

~30 daysafter your first payment, the plan starts reporting weekly

30 · 60 · 90days past due are the late marks; 120 days is a charge-off

The tradeline appears under the lender's name, not the practice's. Why "Cherry Technologies" shows on your report

Approval FAQ

Quick answers

How long is my approval valid?

At least 30 days from the decision. The exact date is shown in your account under Payment Plans. After it lapses you can reapply — another soft check with no impact on your score.

My checkout link expired. What now?

Checkout links are valid for 7 days. Ask the practice to resend it from their portal, or log in and complete checkout from the Payment Plans page as long as your approval is still active.

Can I increase my approval amount?

Approval amounts are set by underwriting and can't be raised on request. If your treatment costs more, you can reapply once the current approval expires, or ask the practice whether a different plan tier is available.

Can I use my approval at a different practice?

No. Each approval is tied to the practice you applied through. Apply again at the second practice — the total approved across practices isn't combined.

Do I need to tell the practice I was approved?

Give the front desk the mobile number you applied with; your approval appears in their portal and they'll send the checkout link for your treatment amount.

I was denied. Can I appeal?

Denials can't be appealed, but you'll receive an Adverse Action Letter in your account explaining the reasons. You can reapply after the waiting period; if the reason was a credit report error, correct it with the bureau first.

When does my plan start reporting to the credit bureaus?

About 30 days after your first payment, then weekly. Applying is a soft check and reports nothing.

Approval looks wrong?

Send the practice name and the phone number you applied with. Approval questions are usually resolved the same day.

Contact support Apply again