If you’re a dentist getting ready to buy a home, a dentist mortgage can offer as little as 0% down and no mortgage insurance, up to a 2mm loan amount.
That’s a rare opportunity at these loan amounts. Once a loan goes above the conforming loan limit and into jumbo territory, lenders typically require 10% to 20% down. On a $1.5 million home, that’s $150,000 to $300,000 you’d normally need to bring to closing. With 0% down, you don’t have to spend years saving for a down payment, so buying a home can become realistic much sooner. And if you already have savings, they can stay in your account as reserves.
So who qualifies? The program is open to dentists with a DDS or DMD and a valid license, as well as those currently in a residency, fellowship, or internship.We work with dentists paid as associates, on a 1099, or through their own practice, as well as those starting a new position with a signed contract.
Key Takeaways
- A dentist mortgage through our Doctor Mortgage Loan is open to licensed dentists with a DDS or DMD, including orthodontists, oral surgeons, and other specialists, and to dentists currently in a residency, fellowship, or internship.
- With a credit score of 720 or higher, our Doctor Mortgage Loan offers loan amounts up to $2 million with 0% down and no mortgage insurance, and from 680 to 719, 0% down is available up to $1.5 million.
- A signed associate contract or offer letter can count as qualifying income for a dentist mortgage if the job starts within 150 days of the loan’s note date, with extra reserves for the months before you start.
- Student loan payments count toward the Doctor Mortgage Loan’s debt-to-income limit of 45% to 50%, except that residents and fellows who qualify on their current training income may have deferred, forbearance, or $0 income-based payments left out.
- Dentists paid on a 1099 can qualify with a qualifying contract. Practice owners are also eligible, with a history of at least one year of tax returns for practice income.
What Is a Dentist Mortgage?
A dentist mortgage is a home loan for dentists that relaxes the down payment and mortgage insurance rules of a conventional loan. Ours is the Doctor Mortgage Loan, the same program physicians, pharmacists, and veterinarians use. It finances a one-unit home you’ll live in, either as a purchase or as a rate-and-term refinance (not cash out).
Here’s how the program works as of October 2026, according to our program page:
| Feature | Requirement | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | DDS or DMD | Either dental degree qualifies, and the program treats them the same |
| Credit score | 680 minimum | A score of 720 or higher opens 0% down on loans up to $2 million |
| Down payment | 0% up to $1.5 million at 680 to 719; 0% up to $2 million at 720 or higher | From 680 to 719, loans above $1.5 million need at least 5% down |
| Mortgage insurance | None | No monthly mortgage insurance. The program is built for buyers putting less than 10% down |
| Debt-to-income ratio | ||
| 45% to 50% | Up to 50% of your gross monthly income with 5% or more down on a 20-, 25-, or 30-year fixed. The limit is 45% with 0% down, and on ARMs and 15-year fixed loans. Student loans and the new house payment count | |
| Reserves | ||
| 0 to 6 months of payments | Savings left after closing; with 5% or more down, none are required on loans up to $1.5 million, plus extra reserves if you qualify on a signed contract or keep your current home | |
| Property | One-unit primary residence | Second homes, rentals, multi-unit homes, and manufactured homes aren't eligible |
| Loan terms | 15-, 20-, 25-, or 30-year fixed; 5/6, 7/6, or 10/6 ARM | An adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) stays fixed for the first 5, 7, or 10 years, then adjusts every six months. ARMs need a loan amount of at least $350,000 |
The $1.5 million and $2 million limits are program maximums. Your income and debts decide what you qualify for, and the monthly payment you’re comfortable with is the better guide to your price range.
Who Qualifies for a Dentist Mortgage?
Any dentist with a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) or Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) meets the degree requirement, since both are among the ten credentials the program accepts. Specialty doesn’t change eligibility. Orthodontists, oral surgeons, endodontists, periodontists, and pediatric dentists all qualify through the same degree.
At least one borrower on the loan has to hold the degree and have an active employment contract or a verification of employment. Dental hygienists, dental assistants, and dental therapists can’t qualify on their own credentials, but they can be co-borrowers alongside a medical professional with one of the ten credentials the program accepts.. A co-borrower who won’t live in the home is allowed too, as long as that person’s income is 50% or less of the total qualifying income.
How Your Pay Structure Affects a Dentist Mortgage
Dentists are paid in several ways, and each one calls for different paperwork at pre-approval.
Associates on salary or W-2 pay
If you’re already working as an associate, your pay stubs and a verification of employment from the practice document your income. When part of your pay is a percentage of production or collections, ask your Client Advisor how that portion will be counted before you settle on a price range, especially if you’re new to the job.
New graduates and associates with a signed contract
You can qualify before your first day. A signed employment contract or offer letter counts as income if the job starts within 150 days of your loan’s note date, the date on the promissory note you sign at closing. If the start date falls more than 150 days after the note date, the contract income can’t be used to qualify, so tell your Client Advisor as soon as possible about any start date shifts.
Your first mortgage payment can come due before your first paycheck. The program asks for additional reserves to cover each month between that first payment and your start date, on top of any reserves your down payment and loan size require.
Dental residents
Being in a residency, fellowship, or internship meets the license requirement, so dental residents can apply while they’re still training.
Residency doesn’t change the employment requirement. A paid residency position is documented with a verification of employment. If your program doesn’t pay a salary, or that salary doesn’t qualify you for the amount you’re hoping for, a signed contract for your next job can count as income instead. As previously noted, that job must start within 150 days of the note date. In that case, your student loan payments count toward your debt-to-income ratio.
Independent contractors paid on a 1099
If you receive a 1099 instead of a W-2, you can still qualify for the Doctor Mortgage Loan with an executed contract that states a guaranteed salary or hourly rate and the hours you’ll work. You’ll also need a letter from the practice confirming you won’t pay any expenses to do your job, and the job has to start within 60 days of closing. If you filed taxes on 1099 income last year, we’ll need those returns. If they show business expenses, you’ll qualify under the standard self-employment rules instead.
When the Doctor Mortgage Loan doesn’t fit 1099 income, a 1099 mortgage uses your 1099 totals as qualifying income, with one to two years of history in many programs. It’s a non-QM loan, meaning it falls outside the federal qualified mortgage standards, though the lender still has to confirm you can repay. Expect to put 10% to 20% down and to pay a rate above conventional rates.
Practice owners
As a practice owner, your income is verified with tax returns and business records instead of a contract. The Doctor Mortgage Loan follows Fannie Mae’s self-employment rules, with at least one year of personal and business tax returns showing 12 months of self-employment. If the note date is after April 30, you’ll also need a year-to-date profit and loss statement. If the program doesn’t fit, two other loans can work with owner income.
A conventional loan uses your filed tax returns, and the standard is two years of self-employment history, with exceptions our self-employed mortgage guide explains. Business deductions that lower your taxable income can also lower your qualifying income, which matters when your returns show less than the practice earns.
A bank statement mortgage loan, another non-QM option, uses your deposits instead. Your average monthly deposits over 12 to 24 months of bank statements become your qualifying income. It typically asks for two years of self-employment, a credit score of at least 660, and three to six months of reserves. Expect to put at least 10% down and to pay a higher rate than on a conventional loan.
Dental School Debt and Your Debt-to-Income Ratio
Most dentists finish school with student loans, so it helps to understand how they affect your approval. Lenders look at your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), which is the share of your gross monthly income that goes to debt payments, and your student loan payment counts toward it.
How high your DTI can go depends on your down payment and loan type:
- Up to 50% with 5% or more down on a 20-, 25-, or 30-year fixed loan
- Up to 45% with 0% down, or on an ARM or 15-year fixed loan
Residents and fellows get one exception. If you’re still in training and qualifying on your current training income, student loan payments that are deferred, in forbearance, or set at $0 under an income-based repayment plan may be left out of your DTI. Once you’re out of training, this exception no longer applies, even if your payments haven’t started yet.
If you have student loans, bring a current statement from your loan servicer that shows your repayment plan and monthly payment. How that payment is counted is one of the first things we’ll confirm. If you’re thinking about switching repayment plans or refinancing your student loans, talk with us before you do, since a new plan can change the payment we use in your DTI.
If you’ll still own your current home at closing, its mortgage payment counts toward your DTI too. If you have a signed sale or lease agreement, bring it so we can review how the payment is treated. Without one, the payment may still be left out if you have at least 20% equity and sign a letter of intent to sell or rent the home, though you’ll need extra reserves.
Can You Use a Dentist Mortgage to Buy a Practice or an Office?
No. A dentist mortgage finances a one-unit home you’ll live in. Buying a practice, an office building, or equipment takes business financing, which works separately from your home loan.
Associates planning to buy into a practice should plan the timing of both purchases with us, because moving from employee to owner changes how your income is documented.
Other Mortgages for Dentists
Depending on your down payment and debts, other mortgages for dentists can cost less each month than a dentist mortgage.
| Loan | When it can fit | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional with 20% down | You have 20% down and limited debt | At 20% down, a conventional loan has no mortgage insurance either, and its rate may be lower |
| Conventional with 3% down | You're a first-time buyer | Fannie Mae's 97% loan-to-value options allow 3% down, and with less than 20% down you'll pay private mortgage insurance |
| Jumbo | Your loan is above the conforming limit, or above the Doctor Mortgage Loan's $2 million maximum | A jumbo loan covers amounts above the conforming limit, the largest loan Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will buy, and our jumbo loans go up to $3 million with at least 10% down |
Rates on the Doctor Mortgage Loan can be higher than on a standard conventional loan with 20% down. A conventional loan with less than 20% down adds private mortgage insurance, and the Doctor Mortgage Loan doesn’t, which can offset a higher rate. A higher rate can still be the better choice when it lowers your total monthly payment.
How We Handle Home Loans for Dentists
We first confirm your degree/license and then review the corresponding paperwork and documentation before we dive into your loan specifics. This process can look like the below:
- We confirm your degree and license. We start with your DDS or DMD and your state license, or your current residency, fellowship, or internship.
- We match the paperwork to how you’re paid. Associates and paid residents bring pay stubs and a verification of employment. New hires bring a signed contract, which we check against the 150-day window from the note date. Contractors bring their contract, a no-expenses letter from the practice, and any 1099 tax returns, and owners bring their personal and business tax returns.
- We review your student loans. We look at your servicer statement and repayment plan, and for residents and fellows qualifying on current training income, whether deferred, forbearance, or $0 payments can be left out.
- We set the loan amount, down payment, and reserves. Your credit score sets how much is available with 0% down, your income and debts set what you qualify for, and your down payment, loan size, and start date set the reserves.
- We show you the alternatives. If a conventional, jumbo, or bank statement loan would cost less each month, we can show you the payment on each one side by side.
View mortgage rates for
November 4, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Do dentists qualify for a physician mortgage loan?
Yes. Dentists qualify for our physician mortgage loan, the Doctor Mortgage Loan, with a DDS or DMD and a valid license, or while currently in a residency, fellowship, or internship. Orthodontists, oral surgeons, and other dental specialists qualify through the same degrees. Dentists also need a credit score of at least 680, a current job or a signed contract, a debt-to-income ratio of 45% to 50% depending on down payment and loan type, and a one-unit home they’ll live in.
Can a dental resident get a dentist mortgage?
Yes, if the employment requirement is met. A dental resident can apply for a dentist mortgage through our Doctor Mortgage Loan, because being in a residency meets the program’s license requirement, but the resident still needs a paid residency position confirmed by a verification of employment, or a signed contract for a job that starts within 150 days of the loan’s note date. If the resident qualifies on current residency income, deferred, forbearance, or $0 income-based student loan payments may be left out of the debt-to-income ratio. If the resident qualifies on a future contract, those payments count.
How much can a dentist borrow with 0% down?
With a credit score of 720 or higher, our Doctor Mortgage Loan offers loan amounts up to $2 million with 0% down. With a score from 680 to 719, 0% down is available up to $1.5 million, and loans above that, up to $2 million, need at least 5% down. Mortgage insurance isn’t charged; the program is built for buyers putting less than 10% down, and the amount a dentist qualifies for still depends on income, debts, and reserves.
Are dentist mortgage loans only for new dentists?
No. Dentist mortgage loans through our Doctor Mortgage Loan are open to practicing dentists as well as new graduates and residents. A practicing dentist needs a current job confirmed by a verification of employment, or a signed contract for a new one. Dentists paid on a 1099 and practice owners can qualify too, with different documentation.
Can a practice owner get a dentist mortgage?
Yes. Our Doctor Mortgage Loan follows Fannie Mae’s self-employment rules, so a practice owner can qualify with at least one year of personal and business tax returns showing 12 months of self-employment, plus a year-to-date profit and loss statement if the note date is after April 30. If the program doesn’t fit, a conventional loan uses a practice owner’s filed tax returns, with two years of self-employment history as the standard. A bank statement loan uses 12 to 24 months of deposits and asks for two years of self-employment, a credit score of at least 660, at least 10% down, and a higher rate.
Do student loans count on a dentist mortgage?
Student loan payments count toward the debt-to-income ratio on a dentist mortgage, and our Doctor Mortgage Loan allows a ratio of up to 50% with 5% or more down on a 20-, 25-, or 30-year fixed loan, or 45% with 0% down or on an ARM or 15-year fixed. The exception is for residents and fellows qualifying on their current training income, whose student loan payments may be left out if they’re deferred, in forbearance, or set at $0 under an income-based repayment plan.
Can I use a dentist mortgage to buy a dental office?
No. A dentist mortgage finances a one-unit home you’ll live in, and the program doesn’t cover second homes, rental properties, or commercial real estate. Buying a dental office, a practice, or equipment takes separate business financing.
Ready to See What You Can Buy?
A Client Advisor can review your contract, pay stubs, or business documents, check how your student loans count, and show you the monthly payment at different purchase prices.
Want to see if you qualify? Contact JVM Lending at (855) 855-4491 or hello@jvmlending.com, or start your pre-approval.
NOTE: Please note that loan guidelines and requirements are subject to change without notice. All figures in this post are examples for illustrative purposes only.
Sources
- JVM Lending, Doctor Mortgage Loan program page
- JVM Lending, Bank Statement Mortgage Loan page
- JVM Lending, 1099 Mortgage Loans 2026
- JVM Lending, Jumbo Loans page
- American Dental Education Association
- American Dental Association
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- Fannie Mae
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
