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Best business loans for dental practices in 2026
The best financing for most dental practices is an SBA 7(a) or bank term loan for acquisitions and buildouts, and equipment financing for chairs, imaging, and CAD/CAM systems. Dentists are generally viewed as strong borrowers, so the priority is usually the lowest rate and longest term, not the fastest approval.
By the WithFunded team · Published November 11, 2026 · Rates as of November 2026
The short list
- Best for buying or starting a practice
- SBA 7(a) loan
- Best for imaging and operatory equipment
- Equipment loan
- Best for an established practice with strong credit
- Bank term loan
- Best for insurance reimbursement timing
- Business line of credit
The 4 best options, ranked
1. SBA 7(a) loan Best for buying or starting a practice
A practice purchase is mostly goodwill and patient records, which conventional lenders are reluctant to lend against. The SBA guaranty makes that financeable over as long as 10 years.
Watch for: Heavy documentation, and the timeline rules it out for anything urgent. SBA loan guide →
2. Equipment loan Best for imaging and operatory equipment
Cone-beam imaging, chairs, and milling units are expensive and long-lived. An equipment loan spreads the cost across the years the equipment produces revenue.
Watch for: Older or highly specialized equipment gets shorter terms and higher rates. Equipment financing guide →
3. Bank term loan Best for an established practice with strong credit
A practice with clean financials can often borrow from a bank at rates below SBA maximums, if it is willing to wait through bank underwriting.
Watch for: The slowest route outside SBA and the hardest to qualify for. Term loan guide →
4. Business line of credit Best for insurance reimbursement timing
Payroll and lab fees are due on schedule while insurers reimburse later. A small line smooths that out and costs nothing when unused.
Watch for: Some lenders add draw or maintenance fees, and a limit can be cut at renewal. Business line of credit guide →
Side-by-side comparison
| Option | Verdict | Cost basis | Funding speed | Qualifies on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SBA 7(a) loan | Best for buying or starting a practice | Capped at 10.00%–13.50% by loan size (prime plus the SBA maximum spread) | Weeks to months | Generally stronger credit and two or more years in business |
| Equipment loan | Best for imaging and operatory equipment | Representative 8%–30% APR, with the term matched to the equipment's useful life | Days to weeks | The equipment is the collateral, which can offset a thinner credit profile |
| Bank term loan | Best for an established practice with strong credit | About 7% median on new small-business term loans (Kansas City Fed, Q4 2025) | Weeks | Strong credit, established financials, often collateral |
| Business line of credit | Best for insurance reimbursement timing | Representative 8%–30% APR, charged only on what you draw | Often days | Revenue, time in business, and credit |
What it costs
SBA 7(a) rates are capped at prime plus a maximum spread that shrinks as the loan grows. At the current 7.00% prime rate, these are the highest payments a lender could charge on a 10-year term:
| Loan amount | Maximum rate | Monthly payment at the maximum |
|---|---|---|
| $250,000 | 13.00% | $3,733 |
| $500,000 | 10.00% | $6,608 |
| $1,000,000 | 10.00% | $13,215 |
Payments at the SBA maximum variable rate for each size tier. Many borrowers qualify below the maximum. Source for rate caps: U.S. Small Business Administration. WithFunded calculation.
Monthly payments on a standard fixed-payment loan at the representative 8%–30% APR band. The low end of each range is 8% APR and the high end is 30% APR.
| Amount | 36 mo | 60 mo | 84 mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| $75,000 | $2,350–$3,184 | $1,521–$2,427 | $1,169–$2,144 |
| $150,000 | $4,700–$6,368 | $3,041–$4,853 | $2,338–$4,289 |
| $300,000 | $9,401–$12,735 | $6,083–$9,706 | $4,676–$8,578 |
Financing $150,000 over 60 months costs about $3,041–$4,853 a month, or $32,488 to $141,181 in total interest, depending on the rate you qualify for. WithFunded calculation, representative 8%–30% APR band. Not a quote.
What lenders look at
- Collections and production reports, and for an acquisition, the selling practice's tax returns.
- Your clinical experience and, for a first practice, your personal credit and liquidity.
- Existing student debt, which affects personal cash flow but rarely blocks a practice loan.
Mistakes to avoid
- Using fast, expensive working capital for a planned purchase. Dental practices usually qualify for cheaper money if they plan ahead.
- Underestimating working capital for the first months after an acquisition, when some patients do not transfer.
Frequently asked questions
- How do dentists finance buying a practice?
- Most use an SBA 7(a) loan or a conventional practice loan from a bank with a health care lending group, sometimes with a seller note for part of the price. Terms commonly run up to 10 years.
- How much does dental equipment financing cost?
- At a representative 8%–30% APR, $150,000 of equipment runs about $3,041–$4,853 a month over 60 months. Dentists with strong credit usually price toward the low end.
- Can a new dentist get a practice loan?
- Often yes. Lenders look at clinical experience, personal credit, and the practice's cash flow. A first-time buyer should expect to show a business plan and some cash reserves.
See what your business qualifies for
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Get matched → or open the payment calculatorWithFunded has a dedicated page for dental practices: dental.withfunded.com.
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How we ranked these options
This guide ranks types of financing, not individual lenders. Each option is ordered by how well it fits the need described on this page, judged on four things in this order: whether the structure matches how the money will be used and repaid, total cost, funding speed, and how hard it is to qualify. Cost figures are WithFunded calculations from published rate inputs as of November 2026: the bank prime loan rate from the Federal Reserve, the SBA maximum-rate schedule, and Federal Reserve survey data. The method follows our 2026 SMB Financing Cost Report, whose own figures use June 2026 rates.
WithFunded is a financing marketplace, not a lender. Our 2-minute form suggests a product type from the families we cover, and a funding partner reviews the request. Not every structure named in this guide is available through WithFunded: options such as SBA microloans, USDA farm loans, bank loans, and seller financing are ones you would pursue directly with the provider. They are listed because leaving out a good fit would make the ranking less useful.
Related guides
The top-ranked option on this page is SBA 7(a) loan because it fits the most common version of this need. Your own best fit depends on your revenue, time in business, credit, and how fast you need the money.
Disclaimer. WithFunded and Big Think Capital are a financing marketplace; we are not the direct lender and do not guarantee funding, approval, rates, or terms. Everything on this page is a representative example only — not an offer or a commitment to lend, and not financial advice. Actual rates, fees, payments, and terms are set by the funding lender and depend on your business, credit, and the product. Where required by state law, the lender provides cost-of-financing disclosures before any agreement is signed.