Risk Management:
The occupational demands of practicing clinical
dentistry are unlike any other occupation.
Physically, dentists must contort their necks,
backs, shoulders, arms, wrists and hands for
prolonged periods of time. They are also
required to engage in repetitive tasks requiring
fine manual dexterity, fine motor skill, grip
strength and gross motor function. This is all
done while utilizing needles, sharps, drills and
other dental instruments in the confined space
of a patient’s mouth. The occupational
demands are further compounded by need for
unimpaired cognitive and executive function,
as well as visual acuity.
Given these occupational demands, “minor”
medical conditions can render a dentist “totally
disabled” from practicing clinical dentistry.
While these medical conditions might be a
“mere inconvenience” to other professionals,
given the occupational demands, they can
prevent dentists from practicing with requisite
skill to ensure patient safety, forcing them to
cease practicing.
The consequences of becoming disabled can
be devastating if a dentist lacks the proper
financial planning. Specifically, studies indicate
that 38 percent of disabled dentists will
struggle to pay their normal living expenses
within three months of losing their
occupational income. 3 These studies also
indicated that approximately 65 percent of
disabled dentists will be unable to pay their
normal living expenses within one year of
becoming disabled. 4
Financial advisors traditionally recommend that
professionals obtain disability insurance that
provides a net benefit equal to 60 percent to
70 percent of their gross earnings. While this
general rule accounts for the applicability of tax
consequences, it does not address the unique
nature of dental partnerships and the potential
financial impact on a dental practice should a
partner become disabled.
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MAY/JU NE 2019 | P EN N S YLVA N IA D EN TA L J O UR N A L
The importance of understanding
your policy definition of
“Own Occupation” coverage:
The strength of a dentist’s disability coverage is
determined by the policy provisions. IDI products,
if purchased correctly, provide dentists with access
to the best available coverage. A common issue
of confusion arises when discussing “Own
Occupation” coverage. Traditionally, there are three
tiers of “Own Occupation” coverage: 1) “True Own
Occupation”, 2) “Modified Own Occupation” and
3) “Limited Own Occupation.” All three of these
products are marketed and sold as “Own Occupation”
policies; however, these products do not provide
equal coverage. It is common for dentists, like my
client, to confuse their “Own Occupation” coverage
with “True Own Occupation” coverage. As my client
learned, this common mistake can leave dentists
with significantly less coverage than anticipated.
“True Own Occupation” Coverage is designed and
marketed to provide a dentist with 100 percent
of their disability insurance benefit if an injury or
sickness prevents them from working in their
occupation. The dentist is entitled to this benefit,
regardless of their ability to work in another
occupation. The full disability benefit remains
payable, even if the dentist pursues another
occupation generating significant income.