Dental Practice Loan Calculator (2026)
Enter your loan amount, rate, and term to get your monthly P+I payment, total interest, amortization snapshot, and DSCR check. Compare SBA 7(a), SBA 504, conventional, and equipment lease payments side-by-side.
Enter Your Loan Details
For a practice acquisition, this is typically the agreed purchase price minus your down payment. Range: $50,000 to $5,000,000.
SBA 7(a) variable rates in 2026 are typically Prime + 2.75% to Prime + 3.75%. Conventional dental practice loans run 6.5%–9%. Enter the actual rate quoted by your lender.
SBA 7(a) typically requires 10% down for practice acquisitions. Conventional lenders may require 10–20%. A larger down payment reduces your loan amount, monthly payment, and total interest paid.
Net operating income available for debt service — roughly your monthly EBITDA divided by 12. Leave blank to skip the DSCR check. Most lenders require a DSCR of at least 1.25.
Disclaimer: Estimates only. Actual loan terms depend on credit, lender, and current market conditions. Verify all figures with your lender before making financial decisions. SBA guaranty fee tiers are estimates based on FY2026 SBA schedules — confirm current fees at sba.gov before applying.
Your Loan Estimate
Enter your loan details to see your monthly payment, total interest, amortization, and DSCR check.
Whether you are buying an established general dentistry practice, refinancing existing debt, or financing a new CBCT unit, knowing your monthly payment before you sit across from a lender is one of the most important preparations you can make. This free dental practice loan calculator gives you an instant estimate of your principal-and-interest payment, total interest over the life of the loan, and a debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) check — all in one place, updated live as you adjust your inputs.
The calculator supports four loan programs used in dental practice financing: conventional bank or credit union loans, SBA 7(a), SBA 504, and equipment loans and leases. For SBA 7(a) loans, the calculator can also estimate the upfront guaranty fee so you see the true cost of the program before you apply.
What Numbers Does the Calculator Accept?
The calculator takes five core inputs. Loan amount is the purchase price of the practice (or the equipment cost), ranging from $50,000 to $5,000,000. If you enter a down payment percentage, the calculator automatically subtracts that amount and finances only the remainder — so the loan amount field represents the total transaction price, not what you borrow. Annual interest rate accepts values between 3% and 15% in 0.125% increments. Term lets you choose 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, or 25 years by radio button. Down payment defaults to 10% — standard for most SBA 7(a) practice acquisitions — and can be set from 0% to 30% in 5-point steps. Finally, the optional monthly net practice income field enables the DSCR check described below.
What Is DSCR and Why Does 1.25 Matter?
DSCR stands for debt service coverage ratio. It is the single most important underwriting metric for dental practice acquisition loans. The formula is straightforward: divide your monthly net operating income by your monthly loan payment. A DSCR of 1.0 means the practice earns exactly enough each month to cover the payment and nothing else. A DSCR of 1.25 means the practice earns 25% more than the payment — which gives the lender a cushion against slow months, unexpected overhead increases, and patient attrition after a transition.
Most SBA-preferred lenders and conventional dental banks set their minimum DSCR at 1.25. Some will approve loans at 1.15 to 1.20 with strong credit and a large down payment, but 1.25 is the standard floor. If the calculator flags your DSCR as below 1.25, the most common remedies are increasing the down payment (which reduces the principal), extending the loan term (which lowers the monthly payment), or negotiating a lower purchase price. The DSCR check is optional — leave the income field blank if you do not have a figure yet.
SBA 7(a) vs. Conventional vs. SBA 504: Which Fits Your Situation?
SBA 7(a) is the most widely used loan program for dental practice acquisitions. It covers both goodwill (the patient base and brand) and equipment, offers terms up to 10 years for pure practice purchases and up to 25 years when real estate is included, and requires only 10% down. The tradeoff is a guaranty fee (estimated in this calculator) and slightly higher closing costs. SBA 7(a) loans are available through hundreds of approved lenders and are frequently the best choice for first-time buyers with strong credit but limited capital. Read the full guide to SBA 7(a) loans for dental practices for a detailed breakdown of eligibility, documentation requirements, and lender selection.
Conventional loans from banks and credit unions that specialize in healthcare lending skip the SBA guaranty fee, can close faster, and may offer fixed rates that are competitive with SBA variable rates in a stable rate environment. The downside is that conventional lenders often require 15–20% down and more conservative DSCR thresholds. They are well-suited for buyers with substantial equity or repeat buyers expanding a group practice.
SBA 504 splits the financing three ways: a private lender funds roughly 50%, a federally licensed Certified Development Company (CDC) funds 40%, and you contribute 10% as equity. The CDC portion typically carries a lower fixed rate and a longer term (up to 25 years), which makes SBA 504 attractive when the acquisition includes commercial real estate. The structure is more complex and the approval timeline longer than SBA 7(a), but total interest cost over the life of the loan can be significantly lower for large real-estate-anchored transactions. See the detailed SBA 7(a) vs. SBA 504 comparison for dentists to decide which program fits your specific transaction.
Equipment loans and leases are standalone financing for specific items — dental chairs, digital X-ray systems, cone beam CT (CBCT) units, CAD/CAM mills, and laser systems. Terms typically run 3–7 years, down payments are often zero or minimal, and approval can be faster than full practice acquisition loans. Use the equipment type in this calculator if you are financing a single piece of equipment rather than an entire practice. For a deeper dive, see the dental equipment financing guide.
How to Use the Results
The monthly P+I figure is the number your lender will use for underwriting — it represents principal and interest only, not property taxes, insurance, or practice overhead. The term comparison table lets you see at a glance how stretching from a 10-year to a 15-year term saves roughly $2,000–$3,000 per month on a $1 million loan at 7.5%, but adds $150,000 or more in total interest. The 12-year amortization snapshot shows how much equity you are building each year and when your balance drops below key thresholds. Use the print button to save a PDF copy to share with your accountant, dental practice broker, or lender before your application meeting. For a full overview of dental practice loans and financing options, including how lenders evaluate creditworthiness and what documents to gather, see our comprehensive financing guide.
Estimates only. Actual loan terms depend on credit, lender, and current market conditions. Verify all figures with your lender before making financial decisions.