The most expensive months in a dental practice are often the first ones: after a purchase, a new location or a new associate. This guide covers what to fund and for how long.
Apply Now →Each one has a ramp: costs first, income later. Working capital covers the ramp, not a permanent gap.
| Item | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Staff payroll for the ramp period | You need a full team before patients fill the schedule |
| Lab and supply costs | They scale with work done, ahead of payment |
| Rent and utilities | Fixed from the start |
| Marketing and onboarding of patients | New offices and new associates need patients to find them |
| Insurance credentialing wait | New providers often cannot bill payers until credentialing completes |
A new associate or a newly opened office often cannot be paid by insurers until credentialing is complete. Procedures performed in the meantime may be paid late or handled differently. Ask each payer about its timeline, and treat the wait as a cost of the ramp. This is one of the least visible gaps in a dental start-up, and it is a good reason to hold a cushion beyond the first estimate.
For illustration only: a new associate adds $8,000 a month in costs at the start and brings in $2,000 of new revenue in month one, $6,000 in month two and $10,000 in month three. The practice is behind through the middle of month two. A working capital plan sized to that gap, with a cushion, is more useful than one sized to the first month alone. These numbers are invented to show the shape of a ramp and are not our terms or typical results.
We fund $25,000 to $5,000,000, funded in as little as 24 hours, with a 5-minute application and a soft credit pull. Sole proprietors can apply. Apply here with your ramp estimate.
Ask each offer for the total repayment and how repayment is collected. Choose an amount you could repay if the ramp takes a month or two longer than planned, since it often does.
A final point is who is carrying the plan. If the owner is also treating patients full time, the time to build the new book of patients is limited by the chair hours available. A realistic ramp accounts for that, and a practice with more chairs than available hours can be overbuilt for its first year.
Commonly when taking over a practice, opening a new office, or adding an associate or service line, since costs arrive before revenue.
It is the process of getting a provider approved by insurers. Until it completes, billing can be delayed. Ask each payer about its timeline.
It varies by practice. Plan for a longer ramp than you expect.
Yes. Sole proprietors can apply, with a 5-minute application and a soft credit pull.
No. Working capital covers operating costs. Equipment financing is tied to a specific purchase.
Three months of business bank statements and a 5-minute application. FICO 500+ considered. $25,000 to $5,000,000, funded in as little as 24 hours.
Apply Now →It takes about two minutes and it will not affect your credit score.
No obligation • No impact to your credit score
