Once you’ve completed dental school and obtained your license to practice, it’s time to explore your options for employment. Some new dentists decide to transition right into operating their own practice. Many instead opt to join existing practices as dental associates as a means of gaining experience and perhaps establishing an opportunity to join the practice as a partner down the road.
As a dental associate, you’ll work as a non-owner dentist within an established practice, giving you access to an existing patient base without taking on the liabilities of ownership. Before anything can get started, however, you’ll have to sign a dental associate contract.
Below are a few points to focus on when it comes to your first dental contract. But in order to best preserve your interests, it’s wise to consult with a qualified attorney who can help you understand what you’re agreeing to.
Scheduling
As with any employment contract, joining a dental practice involves agreeing to exchange services for salary. That starts with an understanding of what services are required and (perhaps just as important) when you’re expected to work.
It’s not unusual to see language like “at the employer’s discretion” when it comes to work hours, but that is not favorable for you. In simpler terms, it means you’re required to work when your employer demands. It could be two days a week or five, possibly weekends, and those days could involve early or late hours.
As such, it benefits you to clarify these expectations before you sign a contract and commit yourself. Not only is doing so important for maintaining your preferred work-life balance, but for ensuring adequate pay, especially if your compensation is based on production percentage instead of a set salary.
Termination and Non-Compete Language
Before you sign any contract, you must make sure you understand what the process of getting out of it looks like. It could include the amount of notice you’re expected to give and whether there are restrictive covenants regarding starting your own practice once you leave.
Employment Type
The type of employment offered will depend on the practice, but in most cases, you can expect to be hired as either a contractor (who receives a 1099 tax form) or a traditional employee (who gets a W-2).
Unless you’re interested in a field like travel dentistry, where you will frequently move from one practice to the next, a dental associate contract that includes W-2 employment is probably the most beneficial, as your employer will withhold required taxes on your behalf.
Compensation and Benefits
Some common types of compensation for dental associates include fixed salaries, percentages of production (which are essentially commissions for work completed), or salary-plus hybrids.
The third option tends to be the most desirable, as you’ll have a built-in salary that doesn’t change, along with bonus pay based on your productivity. In other words, more work equals greater pay. You just need to be aware that the base salary could be lower than average in such a scenario.
As for benefits, you should always read the fine print. For example, it’s common for the practice to cover your malpractice insurance, but you need to ensure that such a benefit isn’t coming out of your paycheck.
Legal Review of Your Dental Associate Contract
Finding your first job out of dental school is an exciting time, to be certain, but an unfavorable or imbalanced contract can turn what seems like a dream job into a legal nightmare. As such, having a skilled and experienced dental contract attorney review any contract before you sign is a wise choice to make. The qualified team at Mahan Law is ready to assist dental professionals nationwide with a range of needs. Contact us now to learn more and to schedule a consultation.
