Dental Equipment Financing

Dental equipment financing is a loan or lease on clinical equipment, usually 6–22% APR over 3–7 years, often with a deferred or reduced first few months while the new equipment ramps up. A chair, delivery unit and light run about $25K–$60K per operatory, a CBCT unit $50K–$150K, an intraoral scanner $15K–$45K and a chairside milling system $75K–$200K. Lenders underwrite the dentist as much as the practice, so established practitioners often finance with little or nothing down.

Typical 2026 pricing; used means refurbished by an established vendor. CBCT field of view drives its price. Plumbing, cabinetry, radiation shielding and software licenses add to a buildout.

Illustrative level monthly payments on the amount financed. Rates depend on credit, time in practice, the equipment and the lender.

Dental practices have low default rates and predictable collections, and a dentist’s earning power follows them from practice to practice. Lenders price that in: established practitioners with good credit often finance equipment with little or nothing down, at the low end of the rate range, and on longer terms than most small businesses get. Newer dentists and associates buying in can also qualify, usually on the strength of their credit, training and production history.

The most common financing requests today are digital: CBCT for implants, endodontics and airway work; intraoral scanners that replace impressions; and chairside milling that turns a two-visit crown into one. Each has a payback that a lender can follow. CBCT keeps implant planning and scans in the practice instead of referring them out. A scanner cuts impression materials, remakes and chair time. Chairside milling cuts lab fees and adds same-day crowns that patients value. Putting the monthly payment next to the fees saved or added makes the case.

New equipment rarely pays for itself in its first month. Many dental lenders offer a deferred start or reduced payments for the first three to six months while a new operatory fills its schedule or the team learns a new workflow. Interest usually accrues during the deferral, so the total cost is slightly higher, but the payment matches when the production arrives.

A startup practice needs equipment, a buildout and operating cash before the first patient pays. Dental lenders often package equipment and leasehold improvements together for startups, with a deferred start. For a second location, see dental practice expansion financing, which covers how to budget the ramp. Buying an existing practice is usually an acquisition loan rather than equipment financing; see SBA loans for dental practice acquisition.

Refurbished chairs, delivery units and imaging from established vendors can cost substantially less than new and finance on similar terms when they come with a warranty and service support. Check that software licenses transfer, that imaging units can be registered and inspected under your state’s radiation rules, and that the vendor will install and service what it sells. Private-party purchases from a retiring dentist can be financed too; the lender runs a lien search and pays the seller directly.

Dental equipment has to be plumbed, wired and often shielded. Operatory plumbing and air, cabinetry, radiation shielding for imaging, network and software setup, and staff training can add a meaningful share to the invoice. Most dental lenders will finance these when they are on the dealer’s quote or submitted with it. A financed purchase qualifies for Section 179 like a cash purchase, up to $2,560,000 for tax years beginning in 2026, when placed in service by December 31. Confirm with your CPA.

Equipment financing is the right tool for the chair or the scanner. Payroll while insurance claims process, a marketing push for a new service, or supplies ahead of a busy month are better funded with working capital; see working capital for dental practices. For imaging beyond the dental office, see medical imaging financing, and for other clinical equipment, medical equipment financing. One application at equipment financing goes to 100+ funding partners.