Equipment finance for medical, dental, veterinary and allied health practices.

Generally, yes. For a chattel mortgage the interest and the depreciation of the equipment are deductible, and GST on the purchase can usually be claimed on the next BAS. For a lease the rental payments are deductible and GST is claimed on each payment. Instant asset write-off rules may apply in some years. Confirm the treatment with your accountant, since practices are often run through companies or trusts with their own considerations.

Almost any clinical asset: ultrasound and imaging, dental chairs and CAD/CAM systems, surgical and sterilisation equipment, veterinary diagnostic and surgical gear, physiotherapy and rehabilitation machines, optometry and audiology instruments, cosmetic lasers, practice management software and IT, and the clinic fit-out itself. New equipment from suppliers is the simplest; refurbished equipment from recognised dealers is financed by many lenders too.

Several lenders offer structures built for practices: deferred first payments so the equipment starts earning before repayments begin, terms matched to the equipment’s clinical life, seasonal or stepped repayments for practices that are still building patient numbers, and pre-approved equipment limits for established practitioners. Medical, dental and veterinary professionals are treated as low-risk borrowers, so pricing and documentation are usually favourable.

Yes. Registered health practitioners are often eligible for low-doc or no-doc equipment finance up to practice limits, commonly $150,000 to $500,000 depending on the lender and profession, based on registration, time in practice and credit history rather than financials. Larger amounts and new practices provide recent financials or a business plan. Your broker knows which lenders run professional programs for each discipline.

Buy with a chattel mortgage when the equipment will serve the practice for years and you want to own and depreciate it, such as dental chairs or sterilisers. Lease when the technology moves quickly and you expect to upgrade, such as imaging, lasers or IT, because a lease with a residual makes the upgrade cycle simpler. Your accountant advises on the tax outcome for your practice entity, and your broker structures either option.

Yes. Lenders regularly fund new practices for registered practitioners with a track record as an employee or associate, because the profession itself gives them confidence. A business plan, the lease on the premises and evidence of qualifications are the main requirements, and the fit-out, equipment and working capital can be funded together as a package so the practice opens fully equipped.

Yes, within limits. Refurbished equipment from recognised suppliers with a warranty is financed by many lenders, and private-sale equipment from another practice can be financed with a valuation. Lenders set age limits based on the equipment’s clinical and technological life, so a five-year-old ultrasound is treated differently from a five-year-old dental chair. Your broker checks eligibility before you commit to a purchase.

Within practice limits, approvals are often the same day or within 24 to 72 hours for registered practitioners, and settlement follows as soon as the supplier invoice is in. Larger amounts and new practices take a few days more. Suppliers often quote installation dates months out, so approval can be arranged early and settled on delivery.

Yes. Chairs, delivery units, cabinetry, sterilisation, imaging, compressors and suction can be financed together under one contract or a master facility, and installation and fit-out costs can usually be included when quoted by the supplier. Lenders like dental practices, so terms of five to seven years and no deposit are common for established practitioners.

Yes. Several lenders offer professional packages for dentists and other registered health practitioners, funding equipment and even practice purchases with little or no trading history because the profession’s income is reliable. AHPRA registration, a practice plan and a clean personal credit file are the key documents.