Running a dental office takes planning for patients and the practice. Many behind-the-scenes elements need consideration. One of the most crucial is insurance coverage. While there are some commonalities between what dental offices and corporations need to carry, there are a few key differences. Because a dentist provides medical services, malpractice insurance is just one of a few policies dental office management should consider. Become familiar with insurance options to keep your practice and those who work there protected.
Insurance for dental offices
Insurance policies offer peace of mind for when something unexpected happens. In a dental office, issues that may crop up run the gamut from building damage due to a storm to a worker getting injured. To ensure your practice can cover the loss, consider these insurance policy types.
General liability
As a business, a dental office needs to provide coverage if someone gets hurt while visiting. General liability policies cover various incidents and accidents that may happen while someone is on the property. For instance, if a vendor is delivering supplies and falls inside the office, general liability coverage would offset medical costs. The policy can also cover damage to someone’s property, such as water damage to an expensive bag.
Malpractice
As a healthcare professional, a dentist should carry medical malpractice insurance. This protects the provider in the event a client sustains an injury or illness as a direct result of the treatment or an accident that happens during a visit. If a drill slips and hits the tongue, cheek, or gums, malpractice insurance may kick in. Aside from protecting the dentist, there are entity malpractice policies that trigger if and when the practice is in danger of a lawsuit from a client. Entity malpractice acts as an umbrella to protect the practice as a whole.
Data breach
As a dental office, your computer server holds sensitive information about all present and past clients. It is the practice’s responsibility to keep this information protected against cyber attacks and ransomware. Data breach insurance policies provide protection should any sensitive data for the practice become compromised. It allows a practice to get back up and running, pay for new software and security, and compensate clients whose sensitive information was exposed. According to ADA.org, things like credit monitoring are usually part of the data breach policy’s coverage.
Business interruption
When the business needs to shut down, it causes a ripple effect. Depending on the reason for the shutdown, it may last for a while. Financially, it may be difficult to continue paying staff, rent, or utilities. A business interruption policy can step in and help pay the operating costs to keep the practice afloat. This way, when the office can resume seeing clients, everything is still in place to do so.
Give us a call
At Doctor Genius, our goal is to help your practice thrive. That is why we advocate choosing the right insurance. Understanding the options that exist can only help when you speak to an insurance representative. Our staff stands at the ready to lend assistance and offer healthcare practice advice on a variety of topics. Call us at 1-877-477-2311, and let us guide you through the options.
Doctor Genius, located at 16800 Aston Street, Suite 270, Irvine, CA 92606, provides a range of services for practice success. We seek to meet our clients’ needs by providing a variety of marketing, SEO, practice optimization tools, and coaching to transform the healthcare experience. Though we work to provide the most accurate information, the content found on this website is solely intended for entertainment purposes. Therefore, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is entirely correct. You may not use the information on this site to cure, prevent, or diagnose a perceived medical issue. If you have healthcare-related needs, please speak directly to a healthcare professional. Never self-perform medical treatments discussed on this website. All images displayed are also for entertainment purposes only, and personal experiences may differ. Please note that the business tactics mentioned on this site might not be applicable to your industry or practice.
