De-Novo Dental Practice Startup Loans
A de-novo dental practice has no operating history and no comparable in a generalist lender's book — and a typical project cost of $400K–$900K covering buildout, equipment, soft costs, and working capital. Dental-specialty programs underwrite your DDS/DMD income curve, the demographics of the proposed location, and the pro-forma — not the (zero) trailing-twelve-month revenue. We match you across that specialty panel.
No hard credit pull to start. · Takes about 2 minutes.
How this product is shaped.
- Project cost typically $400K–$900K. Buildout $200–$450K, equipment $150–$300K, soft costs $30–$80K, working capital $50–$150K. Larger ops or multi-op groups exceed $1M.
- 100% financing common. Specialty programs routinely fund the full project on credit-strong DDS/DMD files. Down-payment requirements (if any) often shrink for files with strong production at the prior employer.
- Interest-only ramp common. Term sheets often include 6–12 months interest-only during ramp, then amortize over 10 years (84 months equipment / 120 months term loan).
What the lender actually looks at
The de-novo underwrite is income-curve driven. Lenders pull your last 1–2 years of compensation (W2 + production reports if you're an associate), demographic data on the proposed location (Esri Tapestry, ADA workforce data, household income, dentist density), and the build/equipment pro-forma. Strong credit + a real pro-forma + a clean associate production history typically qualifies.
Things that hurt: aggressive pro-forma assumptions (Year 1 production >$1M without a justification), a lease at premium rent in an underserved demo, or a buildout budget without itemized vendor quotes.
Speed
Specialty dental lenders close de-novos in 30–60 days once a full package is in (credit, license, pro-forma, lease/LOI, build estimate, equipment quote). A typical pre-qualification takes 5–10 business days. Plan funding 90 days before construction start; lenders don't disburse the full project at once — they fund tranches against milestones (buildout draws, equipment delivery, working-capital wire).
Frequently asked.
- Do I need to have my license and lease before applying?
- License: yes for closing, no for pre-qualification. Lease: an LOI is sufficient for pre-qualification; signed lease is required to close. Some specialty lenders will pre-qualify on a location concept and demographics before you sign anything.
- How much production do I need to be doing as an associate?
- Top-tier files typically show $50K+/month personal production with 1+ years of history. Lower production is workable but the file may move from tier A to tier B pricing.
- Will the lender want a personal guaranty?
- Yes, on de-novos. Personal guaranty is standard until the practice has 2–3 years of operating history at which point covenant releases may apply.
See your match.
Soft-pull first. One hard pull only with the lender you choose.