SBA 7(a) Dental Office Feasibility Study in New Hampshire

Half the national scale, steady cancellations

New Hampshire dental offices under SBA 7(a) borrow at roughly half the national scale: the median loan of $250,000 is 0.51x of the dental median elsewhere. Half of the New Hampshire loans lie between $100,000 and $730,750. Across FY2017 to FY2026 the file records 34 approvals totaling $18.8 million, and no franchise brands are involved, at 0.00%. New Hampshire is 37 among states by count, while dentistry takes 9 of 39 within the state's asset types.

One lender and two counties

SBA lists a lone holder for the cell, Eastern Bank, behind 7 loans that add up to $1.2 million. Hillsborough County accounts for 13 loans and Rockingham for 9, together the great majority, with Carroll, Grafton and Strafford showing 3 each. Annual counts held between 1 and 7, the high in FY2024 at 7 loans and $1.6 million, with none in FY2025.

Cancellation, and the missing rate

About 19.4% of the earlier approvals were cancelled, with the same ceiling once undisbursed loans are counted, a notable figure for a small class. Charge-off experience is not measured, because the early funded cohort is too small; the rate is withheld and is not zero.

What a New Hampshire dental study tests

In a state with few dental markets, the first test is local supply: the number of dentists per resident in the town, the age of competing owners and the chance of buying a retiring practice. New Hampshire is compact, but insurance mix differs between southern commuter towns and the northern part of the state, so payer evidence should be local. A purchase must be tested on the patient records transferred and the share expected to stay, and the seller's willingness to stay on for a transition period belongs in the schedule. A new practice needs a ramp that matches how long it takes to build a patient base, and hygiene capacity matters as much as dentist hours. With loans centered near $250,000, the budget will often be equipment, build-out and goodwill, and the study should itemize each. The cancellation record suggests that closing conditions deserve attention: leases, equipment quotes and licensing. Coverage must hold if patient visits arrive slowly.