A dental employment contract is a document that explains the working relationship between a dentist and their employer. It includes important information about various aspects of the relationship, such as roles, compensation, and termination.
Negotiating your dental employment contract is important to do before you agree to the terms. As a healthcare professional, you want to confirm that all terms in the contract are aligned with your needs and requirements, while being fair and reasonable.
Read the rest of this article to learn about what’s usually included in a dental employment contract, the most effective ways to negotiate a dental employment contract, and when you should consult with a lawyer for legal guidance.
What Should Be Included in a Dental Employment Contract?
A dental employment contract usually contains key terms such as the following:
- Compensation. This specifies how compensation should be calculated, such as if it’s a fixed salary. It should include information about bonuses and benefits, such as life insurance and retirement plans.
- Termination. It’s important for both parties to know how they can end the contract with and without cause, and how many days of notice need to be given. What happens after the contract ends should be noted, such as if paid time off is provided.
- Non-compete clause. This restricts how, where, and for how long the dentist is allowed to work after they leave the practice.
- Malpractice insurance. It’s essential to know exactly what this insurance covers and if the employer will provide it.
- Scope of work. This outlines the dentist’s responsibilities, such as their clinical duties, patient care, and required admin.
- Working hours. Days and times when the dentist is expected to work will be outlined.
- Compliance. The contract should clearly define laws that need to be followed, such as all dental board regulations and HIPAA laws.
- Expenses. There could be expenses that the dentist will have to cover, such as gaining licenses, travel costs for meetings, and others.
How Should You Negotiate Your Dental Employment Contract?
When reviewing your dental employment contract, check for any sections that don’t match your goals and aren’t fair to you so that you can negotiate them. Here’s what to look for.
Compensation
The salary and/or bonuses listed in the contract might not feel sufficient for the job role or your experience. Research salaries for dentist roles in your location to get an idea of whether or not the salary falls short. Check that the benefits mentioned in the contract are clearly defined.
Duties
The duties you’ll have in this job role should match your career goals so that you can grow in the position. You might want to negotiate work schedules or on-call duties.
Severance Pay
If there’s involuntary termination of the contract, you’ll want to ensure that you’ll be protected. It’s important to discuss severance pay with your employer, such as how it will be calculated and any continuation of benefits.
Non-compete
If you leave the company, you want to know that the contract’s non-compete clause isn’t too restrictive, such as by limiting your future work prospects. Consider the geographic scope and duration of the clause, and think about any exceptions to the clause that you’d like. For example, you might want to be able to work in a nearby town or start your own practice.
Malpractice Insurance
It’s a must to know who will pay for your malpractice insurance. It’s common for your employer to handle this, but you still should seek clarification if it’s not provided in the contract.
Performance Metrics
Your dental employment contract should contain transparent performance metrics. If it doesn't, this can create confusion over how success is evaluated, which is especially concerning if performance is tied to compensation.
Tips for Negotiating Dental Employment Contracts
When negotiating your dental employment contract, you should bear the following in mind.
- Highlight your strengths. Communicate with your employer about your skills and expertise, as this will strengthen your negotiating power by showing your employer that you’ll bring value to the practice.
- Understand what you want. Before negotiating with your employer, have clear expectations so that you know what’s negotiable and non-negotiable for you, based on your requirements.
- Don’t think you can’t negotiate the contract. There’s no such thing as a standard contract. If you sign the contract without considering what you wish to negotiate, you’ll potentially miss out on a better outcome—or be unaware of potential risks.
- Ensure you understand everything in the contract. Before you negotiate, ensure that you understand every term in the contract. If there’s vague or confusing language, get your contract reviewed by a lawyer.
Do You Need a Lawyer for Help with Dental Employment Contract Negotiations?
If you have clarity on the dental employment contract and know what you wish to negotiate, you might be able to negotiate the issues with your employer without legal assistance. However, if you’re dealing with a confusing contract or you’re unsure of how to navigate negotiations, you should connect with a lawyer.
Here’s how they can help you.
They’ll Review Your Contract
Lawyers are skilled at reviewing contracts so they can identify any vague or misleading terms, or potentially risky sections. Without a legal background, you might miss these and it could harm you later.
To request a review, post a project for free on ContractsCounsel marketplace, an online legal marketplace connecting clients with lawyers. All the lawyers are vetted on the platform.
Once you post your project on the , lawyers will send you bids and you can review the lawyers’ profiles based on factors such as their client ratings, experience, and credentials, to choose to work with the best one for your requirements.
They’ll Suggest Changes
By negotiating with your employer on your behalf, your lawyer will be able to suggest better terms that protect your interests and avoid any one-sided situations, such as by setting reasonable work schedules and fair compensation structures.
They’ll Keep You Legally Compliant
The dental employment contract needs to be aligned with all dental board and industry standards, as well as local labor laws to ensure it’s legally enforceable.
They’ll Avoid Mistakes
By negotiating on your behalf, your lawyer will prevent you from making mistakes that could potentially harm your reputation or make you miss out on benefits.
Where can you find a lawyer to negotiate a dental employment contract?
You should contact a lawyer on ContractsCounsel, as they’re experienced in reviewing and drafting dental employment contracts. They’ll ensure all terms are fair, reasonable, protect your rights, and give you peace of mind to pursue your professional goals.
