Medical and dental practice financing covers clinical equipment, office build-outs and the cash gap while insurance claims are paid. Kitehill Commercial Capital, a small-business funding broker in Greenville, South Carolina, helps Greenville County practices compare equipment financing, term loans, working capital and credit lines, and connects them with lending partners, which decide and set terms.
| Typical needs | Clinical equipment, imaging, build-outs, the gap while claims are paid |
|---|---|
| Funding types discussed | Equipment financing, term loans, working capital, lines of credit |
| Greenville County practices | 1,138 ambulatory health care employers in 2023 (Census CBP 2023) |
| Dental offices | 235 employer establishments, 26.8 percent under five employees (Census CBP 2023) |
| Physician offices | 266 employer establishments, 60.2 percent under five employees (Census CBP 2023) |
| Who decides | The lending partner, not Kitehill Commercial Capital |
Greenville County's practices
Greenville County had 1,138 ambulatory health care employer establishments in 2023, the category that includes physician, dental, chiropractic and other outpatient offices, with 14,429 paid employees and about $975.2 million in annual payroll (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023).
| Group | Employer establishments, 2023 | Paid employees | Share under 5 employees | No-employee businesses, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of physicians (NAICS 6211) | 266 | 4,375 | 60.2% | 386 |
| Offices of dentists (NAICS 6212) | 235 | 2,365 | 26.8% | 95 |
| All ambulatory health care (NAICS 621) | 1,138 | 14,429 | 52.2% | 2,370 |
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023; U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024. The contrast between the two groups is striking. Six in ten physician offices are under five staff, but only about a quarter of dental offices are. A typical dental office in the county is a staffed operation with chairs, hygienists and front-desk staff, and its funding needs scale accordingly.
Dental office financing
Dental practices finance a long list of equipment: operatory chairs and delivery units, digital X-ray and cone-beam imaging, intraoral scanners, milling units, lasers and sterilization equipment. Most of it holds value and has a resale market, which makes equipment financing the natural fit. Adding operatories or a second location usually combines equipment financing with a term loan for the build-out, because walls and plumbing cannot secure their own funding.
Medical clinics, chiropractic and specialty practices
Physician practices, urgent care, physical therapy and chiropractic offices finance exam and treatment tables, diagnostic devices, imaging, practice-management systems and office fit-outs. Healthcare equipment financing works the same way as for any business: the partner pays the seller, records its interest in the equipment and is paid on a schedule. Partners look closely at specialised devices with a thin resale market, and some will finance them only from established vendors.
Leasing technology that changes quickly
Some clinical equipment holds its value for many years; some is overtaken by new models within a few. For technology that ages fast, such as certain imaging and software-driven devices, a lease with an option to upgrade or return at the end of the term can make more sense than owning. For durable equipment such as chairs, cabinetry and sterilizers, ownership through an equipment loan or equipment finance agreement usually costs less over the life of the asset. Ask any partner to show the end-of-term options in writing before comparing monthly payments.
The wait on claims
Practices deliver care today and are paid when insurers process claims, sometimes weeks later. Payroll, rent and supplies do not wait. That is a classic working capital gap, and for practices where it recurs every month, a line of credit that is drawn and paid down as claims arrive can be the more efficient tool. Partners will want to understand the practice's payer mix and how long claims typically take.
A simple way to size the gap is to compare a typical month's payroll, rent and supplies with the claims still waiting to be paid at month end. If that shortfall is roughly the same every month, a credit line suits it; if it was caused by a one-off, such as a payer changing its processing, short-term working capital may be enough.
Solo practitioners and newer practices
Not every practice has staff. Greenville County had 2,370 ambulatory health care businesses with no paid employees in 2024, including 386 physician offices and 95 dental offices, reporting about $98.5 million in combined receipts (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024). Many are solo clinicians, therapists and specialists working on their own.
For a solo or newly opened practice, the funding conversation is different. Partners usually want months of the practice's own bank statements, which a new practice does not have, so equipment financing secured by the equipment is often the most practical first step, with working capital considered once deposits are established. Free advisers at the Greenville Area SBDC can help a new practice prepare its financial records.
What partners review for a practice
- Recent business bank statements, showing deposits from payers and patients.
- Production and collection reports from the practice-management system.
- Equipment quotes, separated from build-out costs.
- The practice's lease, especially for build-outs.
- Credit history for the practice and its owners, and existing equipment notes and leases.
Partners decide how much weight each item carries. Kitehill does not predict amounts, approvals or terms.
How Kitehill works with practices
We separate the request into its parts, equipment, build-out and cash flow, because each is usually financed differently. Call (864) 302-0567 or visit 101 W Court St. The Greenville, SC page has county data, and funding by industry covers other sectors.
By Kitehill Commercial Capital · Updated
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