Driftland Advances, a small-business funding broker in Conway, Arkansas, helps Faulkner County medical and dental practices match funding to the need: equipment financing for chairs and imaging, term loans for build-outs and acquisitions, and working capital for reimbursement gaps. The county had 317 ambulatory health care employers in 2023. Lending partners decide.
| Ambulatory health care | 317 employer establishments, Faulkner County (CBP 2023) |
|---|---|
| Offices of physicians | 79 establishments, 853 paid employees |
| Offices of dentists | 44 establishments, 36.4% under five staff |
| Health care payroll | About $335.9 million, the county's largest (CBP 2023) |
| Common fits | Equipment financing, build-out term loans, working capital |
Faulkner County, AR practices in numbers
| Category | Establishments | Paid employees | Under five employees |
|---|---|---|---|
| All ambulatory health care | 317 | 2,526 | 56.2% |
| Offices of physicians | 79 | 853 | 43.0% |
| Offices of dentists | 44 | 343 | 36.4% |
Ambulatory health care employers paid about $163.8 million in annual payroll in 2023, and the broader health care and social assistance sector paid about $335.9 million, the largest of any sector in the county (U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023). Another 679 ambulatory health care businesses operated with no paid employees in 2024, including 112 physician practices and 16 dental practices (U.S. Census Bureau, Nonemployer Statistics 2024).
Dental offices here were mostly employers of some size: only 36.4 percent of the 44 had fewer than five staff. That fits practices with hygienists, assistants and front-desk staff on payroll, and with equipment in every operatory.
Health care employers in nearby ZIP codes
Health care and social assistance employers, a broader group than clinics alone, show up across every ZIP near the office (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). ZIP 72032 had 135, and 35.6 percent had fewer than five staff. ZIP 72113 around Maumelle, AR had 71, with 57.7 percent that small, while ZIP 72076 around Jacksonville, AR had 65, with only 30.8 percent under five staff. ZIP 72110 around Morrilton, AR, in Conway County, had 42. The mix runs from one-provider offices to practices with sizable payrolls, and their funding needs differ accordingly.
Where practices need funding
- Equipment: dental chairs and delivery units, imaging and X-ray systems, sterilization, lab equipment, chiropractic tables and practice software.
- Build-outs: plumbing, cabinetry and wiring for a new or expanded clinic in leased space.
- Reimbursement gaps: wages and supplies paid while insurers and patients settle claims.
- Buying a practice or a partner's share: a larger one-time cost with a long payoff.
These needs map to different structures. Equipment financing suits chairs and imaging, because the equipment secures the deal. A term loan suits a build-out or an acquisition. Working capital or a line of credit suits the reimbursement lag.
Healthcare equipment financing, step by step
- Get a vendor quote with model numbers, installation and training costs.
- Decide whether you want to own the equipment at the end (a loan or EFA) or upgrade after a few years (a lease).
- Check whether installation needs construction work or a permit in your space.
- Gather recent bank statements and practice financial statements.
- Compare offers on total cost, not only on the monthly payment.
Partners usually finance medical devices and dental equipment as business equipment secured by the asset. Used or refurbished units are sometimes financed, often on shorter terms.
Opening or expanding a dental or medical office
A new office combines all three needs at once: build-out, equipment and running costs until the patient base grows. Partners look hard at that combination, because the practice has no revenue history at the new location. A detailed budget, a signed or draft lease, and equipment quotes make the request clearer. If you are buying an existing practice, its historical revenue and patient records become central to the partner's review.
The practice file a partner expects
- Practice bank statements and financial statements
- Business tax returns, where they exist
- Owner credit
- Equipment quotes or build-out bids
- Payer mix and accounts receivable aging, for working capital
- The lease, for build-outs in rented space
No two partners use quite the same yardstick. Census counts for the area show where practices sit in the local economy, and funding by sector compares other industries.
By Driftland Advances · Updated
