At TowneBank SBA Lending, our dental practice loans help dentists finance the major steps toward ownership and expansion: practice acquisition, partnership buy-in, financing commercial real estate for a practice location, or purchasing equipment and build-out.
For qualifying projects, financing can reach about 90% of Total Project Cost, with working capital to help you get started built into the same loan.
We work with licensed dentists who are U.S. citizens building an ownership stake in a for-profit, U.S.-incorporated business.
Have questions about SBA financing? Tell us about your project, and a member of our SBA Lending team will help you explore potential financing options and next steps.
Whether you have a specialized practice or are a general dentist, our SBA lending approach recognizes that strong earnings, student debt, and limited savings are often all factors in the path to growing or owning your own practice that is for sale now.
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SBA Preferred Lender
With in-house approvals, your SBA 7(a) loan and its SBA guarantee do not wait in the SBA's underwriting queue, so decisions come faster, and your closing timeline stays on track.
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Top 50 National SBA Lender
Ranked #34 among U.S. SBA lenders, reflecting a consistent commitment to SBA financing and support for business owners nationwide, from first-time buyers and startups to established, growing companies.
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Real Volume and Real Experience
Since October 1, 2025, TowneBank SBA Lending has approved $192.8 million in SBA loans, reflecting extensive experience supporting business acquisitions, commercial real estate purchases, practice financing, and growth-focused transactions.
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SBA Lending Is Our Entire Business
More than 50 professionals work exclusively on SBA lending, bringing specialized expertise to every transaction, from the first conversation through closing and servicing, and supporting business owners across 48 states.
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TowneBank SBA Lending
Specialized SBA lending expertise backed by the resources of a $22.6 billion relationship bank with more than 70 banking offices across its footprint, giving you local support at every step.
The most attractive ownership and real estate opportunities are often time-sensitive. SBA financing can help dentists act when the right opportunity becomes available.
A retiring dentist is ready to sell, and you have the clinical skill and earnings to take over, but not 25% of the purchase price in cash, along with student debt weighing down your personal balance sheet.
Cash-flow-based SBA financing looks to what the practice earns, making acquiring an existing practice possible before another buyer steps in.
You have rented your dental office for years, watching the cost climb while the opportunity to own the building becomes more compelling. Building ownership can create long-term stability.
Cash-flow-based SBA financing considers the business's ability to support the project, helping you pursue ownership with rent-replacement financing before the transition window closes.
From valuation and underwriting through closing and post-closing support, understanding the financing process helps you prepare for each stage of practice ownership.
| Stage | Goal or Typical Range | What We Need From You |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Screen | 2–3 days for an initial answer is the goal; not a commitment to lend | Three years of personal tax returns, Personal Financial Statement, and initial financial information |
| Term Sheet | Proposal follows credit review | Review and sign the term sheet |
| Submission | Complete file moves to underwriting | Collections and production reports, Letter of Intent or purchase agreement, and requested documents |
| Underwriting | Credit decision is 10 business days once assigned (for SBA 7(a) loans) | Responsive follow-up; practice valuation is completed as part of the review |
| Closing | Typically, 30 to 60 days, depending on the complexity and loan type | Closing documents, costs, and final conditions |
| Servicing | Portfolio Manager supports you for the life of the loan | Ongoing communication as your business evolves |
| Pre-Screen | 2–3 days for an initial answer is the goal; not a commitment to lend |
|---|---|
| Term Sheet | Proposal follows credit review |
| Submission | Complete file moves to underwriting |
| Underwriting | Credit decision is 10 business days once assigned (for SBA 7(a) loans) |
| Closing | Typically, 30 to 60 days, depending on the complexity and loan type |
| Servicing | Portfolio Manager supports you for the life of the loan |
| Pre-Screen | Three years of personal tax returns, Personal Financial Statement, and initial financial information |
|---|---|
| Term Sheet | Review and sign the term sheet |
| Submission | Collections and production reports, Letter of Intent or purchase agreement, and requested documents |
| Underwriting | Responsive follow-up; practice valuation is completed as part of the review |
| Closing | Closing documents, costs, and final conditions |
| Servicing | Ongoing communication as your business evolves |
When construction is involved, there may also be an additional review step in the business loan process. The transition period between the selling dentist leaving and the buying dentist taking over often sets the real timetable, particularly when patient relationships need to transfer smoothly.
The most common dental practice deal occurs when an associate or outside dentist acquires an established practice from a retiring owner. SBA financing can support the acquisition based on the practice’s operating history and cash flow with a business acquisition loan.
Ownership changes within a group practice can take the form of a partner buy-in or buyout. Partner buyout financing can help fund the transfer while keeping the practice operating through the transition.
Owning the space where your practice operates replaces a long-term lease with ownership of an important business asset, while creating future stability. Depending on the project, an SBA 504 loan and an SBA 7(a) loan could combine to create a single SBA commercial real estate loan deal structure.
Chairs, imaging equipment, and operatory build-out could all be financed as part of a qualifying project with an SBA construction loan. Opening a new practice with a start-up loan is also possible, although it carries higher requirements than acquiring an established practice.
Dental Practice Buyer Questions
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This varies based on the loan amount and the deal. We lend up to about 90% of Total Project Cost on qualifying dental practice financing, with the remainder provided as your equity injection. The project can include the practice purchase, working capital, closing costs, and eligible fees. Small Business Administration rules also require all available collateral from owners with 20% or more ownership with certain programs.
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Not by itself. To determine creditworthiness, we consider student debt alongside your income, credit history, household obligations, business plan, projections, and the cash flow of the practice you plan to buy. Your existing debt is part of the overall credit picture, not an automatic barrier to dental practice financing.
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During underwriting, we order an independent practice valuation to establish the practice’s worth. The appraisal considers factors such as collections, patient base, equipment, lease, and goodwill rather than relying on the purchase price alone. The valuation becomes part of the practice acquisition review.
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Yes. We can structure SBA loans to finance the practice and its owner-occupied commercial real estate together. SBA 7(a) can support the practice purchase and working capital, while SBA 504 can finance qualifying real estate and long-lived equipment loans. Our team coordinates the structure as one overall transaction.
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Yes. Working capital can be included in the same loan to help cover payroll, supplies, rent, and other operating needs during the transition. Since collections can lag behind services provided, we size the cushion around the practice’s expected cash flow.
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Not necessarily. We consider your production record, credit score, management readiness, and the cash flow of the practice you plan to acquire, evaluating each loan on its own merits. Opening a new practice is also possible, although start-up loans carry higher requirements than an established practice acquisition.
TowneBank SBA Lending works with dentists at every stage of ownership, from first-time buyers to experienced practice owners looking to grow, transition, or invest in their future.
Associates and dentists purchasing their first practice and building ownership for the first time.
Dentists acquiring an established practice from a retiring owner or purchasing an additional location.
Dentists financing partner buy-ins, partner buyouts, succession plans, and ownership transitions.
Practices purchasing, constructing, or refinancing owner-occupied dental office space.
Dentists expanding locations, adding operatories, renovating offices, or investing in growth initiatives.
General dentists, orthodontists, oral surgeons, periodontists, pediatric dentists, and other specialty practices.
Whether you're purchasing your first practice, buying into a partnership, acquiring commercial real estate, or expanding an established operation, our SBA Lending team understands the unique challenges and opportunities dentists face throughout the ownership journey.
Ready for growth or ownership and have a practice you are considering? Share the opportunity with the team at TowneBank SBA Lending.
We’ll get started with the practice details to help you understand how dental practice loans may fit.
Some applications may require further consideration, and additional information may be required.
Credit terms are subject to approval.
Amount of Credit is subject to SBA program.