The top reasons to choose a specialist dental insurance broker

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Posted by: Dental Design 22nd April 2023

Simon Gale

All dentists and DCPs must, by law, have appropriate indemnity insurance in place, so that any patient who successfully pursues a claim can be compensated. However, the insurance market is vast, so how do you decide which provider to choose? Should you go for a specialist or non-specialist broker, for example. For many, the case for choosing a specialist dental insurance and indemnity provider is overwhelmingly strong, for protection and peace of mind. Here are the top reasons why…

A changing industry

Dental care has changed, and is continuing to evolve. There has been a shift towards prevention and early diagnosis, so that problems can be intercepted and treated in a minimally-invasive way. Cutting-edge technology has given practices different ways to gather and share information as well as deliver treatment; dentists can achieve incredible things, faster than ever. The latest generations of materials, for all applications, are revolutionising workflows and have led to the emergence of new techniques, too. The stakes are therefore high, to deliver safe and stable work, every time.

If you are a dental professional who has broadened their skillset, your insurance must be adapted to reflect this, permitting you to undertake all of the tasks you do, at all the locations you work in.[i] As dentists take on more challenging cases, other DCPs often facilitate preventive-maintenance treatments, for example. If you’re a dentist who delivers dental implants, there are numerous reasons why an implant may fail, from untreated or undiagnosed periodontal disease, to poor oral health behaviours. If a patient feels they weren’t fully informed about the risk factors, they may request you cover the cost of corrective treatment.

A specialist broker will not just know about insurance, they will know all about dentistry. They will understand what a modern professional and practice needs and wants from their protection, now and in the future. A specialist broker will create a tailored policy for the work you do now, that can be easily adapted if and when your circumstances change.

Changing patients

Patients have changed too. They are acting more like consumers and will question and query if they’re dissatisfied. If they aren’t happy with how a complaint was handled, and want to take things further, there is information online that will tell them how straightforward the process of making a claim is. Law firms that offer their services on a no-win-no-fee basis are even more of an incentive to pursue a claim for work that may have been completed in the past, by their previous dentist. The combination of a wider range treatments – which may be complex – being offered to patient-consumers with sky-high expectations means professional dental indemnity must be robust. A specialist insurance broker will understand how patients’ changing behaviours are impacting on DCPs, and their ability to practise with confidence.

Should a patient complain, or trigger the claims process, it can be a long time before the matter is resolved. Living under a cloud for months or even years can have a detrimental effect on mental health; stress can have physical symptoms too, like sleep problems and headache. You may be worried about the financial consequences of having to pay compensation, and what this will mean to your livelihood and career. Also, there are your family, friends and colleagues, who will want to help but might not know how. A specialist dental indemnity and insurance provider will do more than offer quality cover, they will have other resources for any extra support you might need. Specialist dental indemnity provider Howden offers its clients 24/7 access to a mental health helpline, for example. This is in addition to their strong, contract-based offering, for cover in a wide number of scenarios. Contract cover means your right to be indemnified will be covered by your policy – unlike discretionary polices offered by Mutual Defence Organisations (MDOs). With a 10-year run off as a safety net, you can move to Howden for cost competitive cover, tailored to you and fit for the ever-changing dental industry.

A specialist broker will have valuable knowledge of and insight into dentistry, as well as insurance, which can be confusing for the uninitiated. A great dentist, DCP or practice needs great protection in a modern world, for peace of mind to carry on doing the job they love, and developing personally and professionally, without the fear that life could be turned upside down by a complaint or claim. Working with a specialist means the right people on your side, when it matters most.

For more information, please visit www.howdengroup.co.uk or call 020 3918 9127

Howden Insurance Brokers Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in respect of general insurance business. Registered in England and Wales under company registration number 725875. Registered Office: One Creechurch Place, London, EC3A 5A.

[i] General Dental Council. Guidance on Indemnity. Link: https://www.gdc-uk.org/registration/your-registration/indemnity (accessed December 2022).