Running a dental offices can be demanding, and it’s a constant challenge for owners to deliver exceptional care while maintaining profitability. These challenges are magnified when you consider that dentists also need to balance risks related to property damage, equipment breakdowns, crime and cyber liability.
The list below provides an overview of these risks and more—helping you identify potential blind spots in your risk management and insurance programs.
- Natural disasters and equipment malfunctions put dental offices at risk of property losses. In particular, tanks of oxygen and nitrous oxide gasses pose a potential fire hazard to the office and the property held therein.
- In the event that an injury occurs at your dental office, you may be held responsible. A simple wet floor or uneven surface could cause slips, trips and falls that may lead to costly insurance claims. General liability coverage can help cover any associated medical costs, and may even cover loss or damage to a patient’s property such as broken dentures.
- Most dental work depends on a variety of different equipment to function properly (e.g., grinding and polishing hand tools, dental vacuum systems, X-ray machines, imaging and computer systems), creating significant equipment breakdown exposures as a result. Equipment breakdown coverage can help cover the cost of broken dental tools in the event of a failure.
- All dental offices face professional liability From time to time, dentists and hygienists make errors during procedures, may fail to detect or accurately diagnose and treat a condition, or may administer treatment that results in pain, discomfort or disfigurement, leading to costly malpractice claims. The exposure is even greater at teaching clinics, as less experienced employees may be assisting during surgeries.
- A dental office may be a target for cyber criminals, as these businesses often store sensitive customer data (e.g., names, addresses, medical history and credit card information) in a computer or server. Additionally, improperly trained employees or guests with access to unsecured guest Wi-Fi could put your organization at risk for ransomware, viruses, phishing scams and malware.
- Crime can be a challenge for dental offices due to their inventory of medications and medical supplies that may be attractive to wrongdoers. In this day and age, thieves (including your employees) do not need direct access to cash to steal from you—merchandise, supplies and securities are all fair game.
- Any time one of your employees is injured on the job, your organization could be subjected to a workers’ compensation claim. Common sources of on-the-job accidents for dental offices include injuries caused by dental tools (e.g., explorers and probes), slips, trips, falls, musculoskeletal injuries caused by repetitive tasks, sprains and strains. Normal, everyday tasks related to cleanings or taking X-rays can lead to accidents and, in turn, increased costs for your business.
Conclusion
Finding the best insurance policy for your Dental Office in Ohio, and figuring out the types of coverage needed to protect your business, can be confusing, time consuming and difficult.
However, the right insurance protection is still critical to the success of your business. Without it, you’re one claim away from being out of business.
And remember, not all policies are created equal.
You probably wouldn’t suggest that your patients go to their eye doctor instead of you if they were having a toothache, right? Just because you’re both doctors doesn’t mean you have the same skill set.
Just the same, you need an Insurance Advisor that understands your industry, your risks of loss, and how best to protect you and your business.
We can help.
We know the industry, we understand your needs, and we work with multiple insurance companies so we can deliver the insurance solution that’s perfect for your business, and your budget.
When you have confidence in your business insurance, you have greater peace of mind knowing that you can keep working to generate revenue, even when disaster strikes.
To get started on your customized solution, contact one of our Licensed Advisors, or Request a Proposal and we’ll get to work right away.