If you’re one of the nearly 200,000 dentists in the U.S., building and maintaining a thriving practice is certainly a key goal. You might not know where to find the best fit for financing that meets your needs when you’re exploring loans for dentists. You also might wonder if you’ll qualify for any medical practice loans, especially if you recently graduated from dental school.

Credit cards are certainly one way to close funding gaps. Over time, however, your credit score may fall victim to this strategy and might decrease. Maxed-out cards and high credit utilization rates can do a real number on your credit score. Not to mention that the interest rate on credit card debt can also cut into your practice’s profits.

There are a wide variety of loans for dentists to help your practice meet its goals, no matter the stage of your dental careers.

The type of financing you need depends on what’s best for your practice’s needs. From loans to lines of credit, here are your funding options.

Business loans for dental practices

Funding immediate business needs could be satisfied by a rewards credit card with a generous credit limit. If you max out that card, however, you’ll be removing an immediate funding option meant for emergency expenses.

If your dental practice has an established track record, solid financials, and a business plan that charts out a path to continued revenue success, business loans could be an ideal solution to preserve your available credit card buying power.

Short-term loans for dentists are ideal for bridging cash flow gaps and maybe the occasional building repair or pay raise to retain a key employee. Longer-term loans can help you achieve larger projects like upgrading your practice’s patient management and billing software or even a renovation to your waiting room.

You’ll be looking at flexible terms, loan amounts, and even repayment schedules that can flex with your revenue flow.

SBA dental practice loans

When you need capital for your dental practice, your first thought might not be for an SBA (Small Business Administration) loan. However, SBA loans can offer dental professionals favorable terms, flexible maturity dates, and wide-ranging use of funds to meet a variety of business needs.

SBA loan amounts range from $50,000 to $5.5 million. While terms vary by use of funds, a typical repayment timeline ranges from five to 25 years.

While the SBA guarantees a portion of these loans for dentists (usually around 85 percent), loans are offered through banks and credit unions in your local community and online lending partners like Kapitus.

The qualification process for an SBA loan is rigorous. Business owners need to prepare multiple months’ worth of financial statements as part of the application process. SBA lenders will also typically require collateral to back the loan. It could be equipment or real estate that you currently own. Interest rates will typically be lower than non-collateralized loans.

Dental practice equipment loans

When your goal is to provide the utmost quality in dental care, you’ll have a continuous eye on equipment that can help you deliver.

From patient chairs to cabinetry, and x-ray imaging tools to lights, equipment loans can help you set your office up for success. As your practice grows, loans can help you keep up without feeling a crunch on your cash flow.

There is also the option to finance equipment leases with an upgrade option. This means your practice can keep up with the most current technology to better serve your patients. You won’t have to worry about your financing outlasting the relevance of your equipment.

Working capital and business lines of credit for dental practices

A business line of credit could be a powerful financial tool if you want a stream of capital that can be used for any purpose. Whether you need a working capital infusion for your practice or some cash to help navigate seasonality, a line of credit gives you cash at a moment’s notice.

SBA loans and traditional business loans have more rigorous underwriting processes. But, lines of credit are more flexible in their approval process. A line of credit is also applicable when your dental practice doesn’t have an immediate need for cash. You’ll have it ready when the need arises. You won’t have to endure the approval process when time is of the essence.

An unsecured business line of credit has a higher interest rate than a traditional business loan or line secured by collateral. However, an advantage to a line of credit is only having to borrow exactly as much as you need. This can help you save interest costs long-term. You’re only paying interest on what you’ve drawn on your line.

Helix financing

Like most healthcare businesses, dental practices have specific waters to navigate. As the insurance landscape becomes more nuanced, your cash flow might slow down. Delayed insurance payouts and low premiums can take a bite out of your cash-on-hand.

Helix healthcare financing from Kapitus can help free that cash back up.

Helix financing is designed with the needs of your dental practice in mind. They have an expedited underwriting process. The process infuses anywhere from $20,000 to $500,000 into your business in as little as three days. You’ll be hard-pressed to be caught short for capital again.

Terms for repayment are also flexible and intended to keep you out of a cash crunch as time goes on. Terms range from six months to ten years. Helix can help you shake free of the financial confines related to insurance payout timelines.

Next steps

Review the wide variety of financial tools and loans for dentists available. And, think about what your upcoming financial needs might be.

It might help to organize your business goals by short-term and long-term. Then sort those projected capital needs by dollar amount. This process can help you determine which financial solution will help your practice at the most reasonable cost over the term you need the funds.

Keep in mind that collateral-backed loans will likely offer the most favorable interest rates. They typically have longer approval windows. You’ll need to do some planning if they’re part of your business financing plans. Lines of credit can have shorter approval windows and offer funds at the ready when you need them.

If you’re curious about the above loans for dentists that might be the best fit for your business, reach out to the team at Kapitus. They’ll help you find the best solution for your growing practice while leaving your credit cards out of the mix and in your wallet.