Slatemont Capital Group, a small-business funding broker in Bismarck, North Dakota, explains how local practices finance medical and dental equipment: an equipment loan, a lease or a line of credit, and what a partner reviews for each. Burleigh County had 256 ambulatory health care employers in 2023. Approval and pricing for any practice request rest with the lending partner.
The practices buying equipment here
Burleigh County had 256 ambulatory health care employer establishments in 2023, with 3,916 paid employees and $323.1 million in payroll. Among them were 52 dental offices with 548 employees and 34 physician offices with 1,179 employees (County Business Patterns 2023). Health care and social assistance as a whole carried the county's largest payroll, $669.2 million.
In ZIP 58501, health care and social assistance was the largest sector by employer count, with 160 establishments (ZIP Business Patterns 2023). Across the county line, ZIP 58554 around Mandan had 64.
Start with how long the equipment will earn
The structure should outlast the payments, not the other way round. Imaging and diagnostic systems that are superseded every few years age faster than a well-kept chair or autoclave. Write down how long you expect to use each item before choosing how to pay for it.
Three payment routes for a chair or scanner
| Question | Equipment loan or EFA | Lease (FMV) | Line of credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who owns it | The practice | The leasing company until a buyout, if any | The practice |
| Payment size | Covers the full cost | Often lower | Depends on how fast you repay |
| Fits | Long-lived equipment | Fast-changing technology | Small items and repairs |
| Main risk | Paying for outdated gear | Higher total if you keep it | Tying up a limit for years |
Owners who search 'equipment loan vs line of credit' usually have a large purchase in mind. A credit line is better kept for small items and repairs, so it stays available for the next surprise.
Software, installation and other soft costs
Practice management software, installation, training and cabling often come on the same quote. Some partners finance them with the hardware; others finance only the hardware. Ask before you sign the vendor's order, so you know which costs to pay in cash.
What a partner reviews for a practice
- The vendor quote with make, model and any software or installation lines
- Production and collections reports
- Business tax returns and recent bank statements
- Payments already running on other practice equipment
- The clinician-owner's credit and, often, a personal guarantee
A new or growing dental practice
Owners searching 'how to finance a dental practice' are often financing several things at once: equipment, a fit-out and working capital for the first months. Partners usually prefer to see each one separately, with its own quote. Our medical and dental page covers buy-ins and fit-outs; a term loan usually suits the construction side.
Before you sign the vendor's order
- Decide how long each item will be used
- Ask the vendor to split hardware, software and installation on the quote
- Compare total cost under a loan and under a lease, not just the payment
- Check delivery and installation dates against when payments start
- Read the equipment financing page for buyout options
County context is on the Bismarck, ND page, and more posts are on the blog.
By Slatemont Capital Group · Updated