An ownership business
Most dentists still work for themselves. The American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute found that 72.5% of U.S. dentists owned their practice in 2023.
That share is falling. It was 84.7% in 2005. Dental support organizations, the corporate groups that run or support practices, now count 16% of dentists as affiliates.
Those groups bring capital. An independent practice that wants the same imaging, the same milling system, and the same updated operatories has to fund them itself. That is what most dental financing is for.
An equipment business
A dental office is a small surgical facility. The list of what it needs is long:
- Treatment units and delivery systems
- Digital X-ray and 3D imaging
- Scanners and in-office milling
- Sterilization and compressors
- Practice-management software and computers
Equipment financing fits because the equipment secures the loan. Kapitus finances up to 100% of the cost for qualified buyers, on terms up to 72 months, with rates starting at 7.5%.
What a lender sees in a dental practice
Dental practices underwrite well.
- Revenue per dentist is high. General dentists in private practice average $965,660 in gross billings. Specialists average $1,213,040.
- Cash comes two ways. Insurance pays part. Patients pay the rest, often at the visit. That shortens the wait compared with a medical practice.
- Deposits are frequent. Card payments and insurance payments arrive daily.
- Patients come back. Recall visits make revenue predictable.
What gets a closer look:
- One-dentist risk. If you cannot work, production stops.
- Debt already on the books. Practice loans and equipment loans come off what you can carry.
- Insurance mix. A practice that depends on a few low-paying plans has thinner margins.
Buying or buying into a practice
A purchase is the largest financing most dentists ever do. An SBA 7(a) loan is the usual tool:
- Loans up to $5 million
- Terms long enough to keep the payment manageable
- About 10% down
- A 680 credit score
- Three to six months to close, on average
Start early. If a seller wants to close in 60 days, an SBA loan may not get there in time.
Dental practice loans: what you can get
| Product | Amount | Term | Typical use in a dental practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equipment financing | Up to 100% of cost | Up to 72 months | Treatment units, imaging, scanners, milling |
| SBA 7(a) loan | Up to $5 million | Up to 25 years | Buying a practice, a buy-in, a build-out |
| Line of credit | Up to $750,000 | Up to 24 months | Payroll and supplies while insurance pays |
| Term loan | Up to $5 million | 6 to 36 months | A hire, a repair, an opportunity with a deadline |
| Business HELOC | Up to $750,000 | 5 to 30 years | Low-rate capital for an owner with home equity |
Amounts and terms are what our primary lender publishes; your offer is sized to your production and bank balances.
Matching the tool to the need
- Equipment: equipment financing
- Acquisition, buy-in, or build-out: an SBA loan
- Timing gaps: a line of credit
- Something that cannot wait: a term loan
Dental practice financing requirements
The starting points are the same as for any business: 2 years in business, $250,000 in annual revenue, and a credit score of 600 or higher, with floors that run from 600 to 680 depending on the lender. Equipment financing can start at 1 year with some lenders. An SBA practice loan asks more: a 680 score published, above 700 in our experience, and about 10% down.
Have these ready:
- 3 to 6 months of business bank statements
- Monthly production and collection reports
- For equipment, the vendor’s quote
- For a purchase, the seller’s tax returns and financial statements
Check your number with the funding estimator.
Sources
- American Dental Association Health Policy Institute: Dental practice research, including the 2025 Survey of Dental Practice and practice ownership research briefs
- Kapitus: Equipment Financing and SBA Loans, checked October 12, 2026
- U.S. Small Business Administration: 7(a) loans, updated July 27, 2026