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Five West programs at a glance
Published market ranges are not quotes, and the only way to know where you actually price is to have your file matched to the right program. That is what we do: one application, matched to the program that fits, compared on total cost of contract rather than headline rate.
- Rates
- 7% to 9% A credit · B and C quoted to the file
- Terms
- 24 to 84 months, with 10 years on SBA loans
- Amounts
- $15,000 to $5 million+
- Application only
- Up to $500,000 with no tax returns or financial statements
- Credit
- Established businesses from 600+, startups from 700+
- Equipment
- New, used, refurbished, dealer, and private-party purchases
- Speed
- Same-day options on qualified files, with approvals in as little as 30 minutes
- Coverage
- Nationwide and U.S. territories
Send us the equipment quote and we will come back with a real number, usually the same day.
Free consultation, no obligation. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting; rates and terms depend on the complete business and credit profile.
Five West dental equipment financing rates
Dentistry prices well. The sector carries some of the lowest default rates in commercial lending, and our programs reflect that:
Subject to credit approval and underwriting. Rate depends on the complete business and credit profile.
Two things to know before you compare that against anything else: application-only up to $500,000, with no tax returns and no financial statements, which covers essentially every dental equipment purchase; and a minimum credit score of 600+ for an established practice and typically 700+ for a startup, meaningfully below where most banks stop.
How the wider market prices dental equipment
- 760+ FICO (excellent): from 7.0% APR. Approval rates around 95%. Nothing prices below prime except a manufacturer promotion on one specific new unit.
- 700–759 FICO (good): from 9.0% APR. Approval rates around 85%. Most established practices land here.
- 640–699 FICO (fair): quoted to the file. Approval rates around 65%. Banks become difficult; specialty equipment financing is the practical route. Expect a larger down payment.
- Below 640 FICO (challenged): quoted to the file. Approval rates around 40%. Achievable with strong collateral, meaningful money down, or a co-guarantor, but the payment math needs scrutiny.
Ranges reflect published equipment-finance benchmarks as of August 2026 and are illustrative, not quotes. Dental practices generally price toward the favorable end of each band.
Rates by lender type
Why you are still seeing 5% and 6% online
Because a lot of what ranks was written in a different rate environment and never updated. Content published in 2020 and 2021 quoted rates that were accurate when the federal funds rate sat near zero and prime was 3.25%. Prime is 7.00% as of September 2026, and a commercial funder cannot lend below its own cost of money and stay in business. Check the publication date before you anchor on a 5% or 6% rate. If the page really is current, ask what is attached: a manufacturer promotion on one new unit, a captive subsidy paired with a service contract, or a lease payment factor that is not the whole cost of the contract.
Our own A-credit programs start at 7%, and that is not us pricing above the market. That is the market.
Prime is the practical floor
The Wall Street Journal prime rate is 7.00% as of September 2026, after a quarter-point increase on September 17, 2026, on a federal funds target range of 3.75% to 4.00%. Where prime shows up directly in a quote: SBA 7(a) loans are capped at prime plus a spread that varies by loan size, prime + 3% variable on loans over $250,000 (10.00% today) up to prime + 6.5% on loans of $50,000 or less (13.50%). Business lines of credit commonly price at prime + 1% to 3%, or roughly 7.75% to 10.00% for a strong practice. Fixed-rate equipment loans are not indexed to prime, but they are priced off cost of funds, which moves with the same underlying rates.
Seven factors that move your rate
- Personal credit score. The single largest driver. The gap between a 760 and a 690 file is commonly 5 to 8 points.
- Time in business. Two years is the conventional threshold. Startups price higher regardless of personal credit.
- Deal size. A $250,000 transaction usually prices better than a $35,000 one.
- Term length. Longer terms carry more risk and usually a slightly higher rate, though they lower the payment.
- New vs. used. Used typically adds 1 to 3 points; private-party more than dealer.
- Collateral quality. Chairs, cabinetry, and compressors hold value and price better than fast-depreciating digital technology.
- Down payment. One of the few levers you fully control.
What one point of rate actually costs
Here is a $120,000 dental equipment loan over 60 months:
One percentage point on $120,000 over five years costs about $58 a month, or roughly $3,470 across the term.
Worth negotiating, though not worth losing a tax year over. If a two-week delay pushes your equipment past December 31, the Section 179 deduction you defer is typically worth several times the rate savings.
Why the lowest rate is not always the cheapest deal
Three things routinely make a higher-rate offer the better one. Prepayment penalties: an 8% loan with three years of lockout costs more than a 9.5% loan you can retire early if you sell or refinance. Blanket liens: a bank taking a general lien on all practice assets constrains your next transaction, while an equipment-only lien leaves the rest of the balance sheet clean. And fees: documentation fees, origination points, and lease buyout obligations do not show up in the rate. Compare total cost of the contract, every payment plus every fee, rather than APR alone.
How to get to the lower end of the range
Protect your personal FICO in the months before you apply. Submit a complete file with anomalies explained up front, because underwriters price uncertainty. Put money down; even 10% changes exposure on a marginal file. Match the term to asset life rather than stretching for the lowest payment. Get two or three quotes, not six. Bundle purchases: one $180,000 transaction typically prices better than three separate $60,000 ones. And if you are buying a specific manufacturer’s package, ask about the captive promotion, but price the equipment independently first.
Loan or lease?
FMV operating leases carry an effective rate starting around 7% embedded in the payment. They are frequently the better structure for CBCT, intraoral scanners, and CAD/CAM, where you expect to upgrade in four to six years. But because the lessor owns the asset, the payments are deducted as an operating expense rather than qualifying for Section 179. A $1 buyout lease or a straight equipment loan is treated as ownership and does qualify. For chairs, cabinetry, and compressors you will own for a decade, ownership structures generally win.
The bottom line
Expect pricing from 7% with excellent credit and from 9% with good credit, with fair-range files priced to the file, against a 7.00% prime rate as of August 2026. Dental borrowers generally price at the favorable end of each band. Negotiate the rate, but weigh it against prepayment terms, lien position, and total contract cost, and near year end, factor in the value of getting the equipment placed in service on time. Five West prices A credit at 7% to 9% on terms of 24 to 84 months, with 10 years on SBA loans; other profiles are priced to the full file, and the Quote Builder shows your range in a few taps. Send the quote and we will tell you which tier your file lands in, usually the same day.
Want to know where you actually price?
Published ranges only go so far. One application across our funding programs gets you a real number, without six credit pulls. Or run the numbers yourself first in the Quote Builder. No credit pull, no obligation.
Dental equipment rate questions
Why do some sites say equipment financing starts at 5%?
Because much of that content was written in a different rate environment and never updated. In 2020 and 2021 the federal funds rate was near zero and prime was 3.25%, so a 5% equipment loan was real. Prime is 7.00% as of September 2026, and no commercial funder lends below its own cost of money. Check the publication date on any page quoting 5% or 6%, and if it is current, ask what is attached: a manufacturer promotion on one unit, a captive subsidy paired with a service contract, or a lease payment factor that is not the full cost of the contract.
What is the average interest rate for dental equipment loans in 2026?
As of August 2026, dental equipment loans start near 7% APR. Practices with 760+ personal FICO typically see pricing from 7%; 700 to 759 from 9%; 640 to 699 and below are quoted to the file, and the Quote Builder shows your range in a few taps. The Wall Street Journal prime rate is 7.00%.
What credit score gets the best dental equipment financing rate?
A personal FICO of 760 or above generally qualifies for the best pricing, typically from 7% APR with approval rates around 95%. Scores of 700 to 759 typically price from 9%. The difference between a 760 file and a 690 file is commonly 5 to 8 percentage points, making personal credit the single largest driver of rate.
What is the prime rate in 2026?
The Wall Street Journal prime rate is 7.00% as of September 2026, after a quarter-point increase on September 17, 2026, based on a federal funds target range of 3.75% to 4.00%. Prime is the reference index for most variable-rate commercial credit, including SBA 7(a) loans and business lines of credit.
What are SBA 7(a) rates for dental equipment in 2026?
SBA 7(a) maximum rates as of September 2026, against a 7.00% prime rate: loans over $250,000 are capped at prime + 3% variable, or 10.00%; loans of $50,000 to $250,000 at prime + 6%, or 13.00%; loans of $50,000 or less at prime + 6.5% variable, or 13.50%. Terms run to 10 years for equipment.
How much does one percentage point of interest cost on a dental equipment loan?
On a $120,000 loan over 60 months, one percentage point costs approximately $58 per month, or about $3,470 across the full term. At 8% the payment is $2,433 monthly and total interest is $25,990; at 9% the payment is $2,491 and total interest is $29,460.
Are dental equipment loan rates lower than general business loan rates?
Generally yes. Equipment financing is secured by identifiable, recoverable collateral, which prices better than unsecured credit, and dental practices are one of the more creditworthy small-business segments, with historically low default rates, so dental borrowers are often priced toward the favorable end of published ranges.
Should I take the lowest rate offered?
Not automatically. A lower rate paired with a three-year prepayment lockout, a blanket lien on all practice assets, or heavy origination fees can cost more than a slightly higher rate with clean terms. Compare total cost of the contract along with lien position and prepayment flexibility, rather than APR alone.
Does a lease have an interest rate?
Fair market value operating leases carry an effective rate starting around 7% embedded in the payment rather than stated as an APR. FMV leases often suit fast-cycling technology such as CBCT and intraoral scanners, but the payments are deducted as operating expense rather than qualifying for Section 179, since the lessor owns the asset. A $1 buyout lease is treated as ownership and does qualify.
Related dental financing guides
More on financing equipment for a dental practice.
On the siteDental financingEquipment financeFinancing glossary
This article is general information about commercial equipment financing and is not a commitment to finance. All financing is subject to credit approval and underwriting. Rates, terms, and approval depend on the complete business and credit profile. Figures shown are illustrative market ranges gathered from published sources as of August 2026 and are not an offer. Five West Financial is not a tax advisor or an accounting firm; confirm any tax treatment with your CPA before relying on it.