There are many situations in your personal and professional life in which insurance can be helpful. While all these situations may not occur in your life, the odds of them occurring and the financial burden they can cause make purchasing insurance worthwhile.  

Common claim risks orthodontists may face include: 

  • You experience a critical injury or death 
  • A fire or flood damages the practice you own 
  • An employee or guest is injured at the practice you own  
  • A cybercriminal steals patient data from your practice 

Though you may face these risks as an orthodontist, there are ways to help protect yourself and your practice through insurance.  

Group Insurance Policies to Help Protect Against Common Claim Risks 

First, it’s important to note that the way you practice will affect the type of insurance you need. But whether you are a practice owner or an employed orthodontist, there are some risks all orthodontists face. 

The core products all orthodontists should consider are: 

  • Disability insurance* 
  • Life insurance* 
  • Critical illness insurance*  
  • Malpractice insurance 

Common claim risk #1: You experience a disability and cannot work as an orthodontist.  

Disability insurance help protect your income as an orthodontist should you become disabled and unable to work due to a covered illness or disability as an orthodontist. After all—the odds of experiencing a disability may be higher than you may think.  

According to the Council for Disability Awareness¹, 1 out of 4 American workers experience a long-term disability at some point during their careers.  

While you may be young and healthy, be aware that the most common disabilities are illnesses rather than accident-caused disabilities2, such as: 

  • Musculoskeletal disorders  
  • Cancer  
  • Mental health issues, including depression and anxiety 
  • Injuries such as fractures, sprains and strains of muscles and ligaments 

Common claim risk #2: You experience a critical injury or death.   

Life insurance helps provide financial stability for your loved ones in your absence. Critical illness insurance provides support and covers associated healthcare costs if you experience an unexpected covered critical illness.  

Life and critical illness insurance policies may be especially important for orthodontists due to your highly specialized skills. The median salary for orthodontists is $208,000—much higher than the median annual wage of $39,810 for all workers3. You may expect to earn a higher income as an orthodontist for decades, providing financial stability for your family.  

These policies can be especially beneficial if you are considering buying a practice and must take out a large loan.  

Common claim risk #3: You make an error treating a patient or a patient alleges you made an error. 

Malpractice insurance helps cover the cost of certain legal fees, and judgments/settlements that you may face as a result of litigation brought against you for the services you provide as an orthodontist. 

Protecting Against Common Claim Risks 

Insurance offers critical protection that orthodontists may need in their personal and professional lives. It can be a safety net should something go wrong, helping you recover without risking bankruptcy and everything you’ve worked to build. 

Explore coverage options designed for AAO members at AAO-Insurance.com.  

 

 

1 “The Chances of Becoming Disabled Are Rapidly Increasing.” Council for Disability Awareness: Prevention, Financial Planning, Resources and Information, Council for Disability Awareness. 2022. 

2 “Causes of Disability; Why People Become Disabled.” Council for Disability Awareness: Prevention, Financial Planning, Resources and Information, Council for Disability Awareness, 2022.

3 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Outlook Handbook”, September 1, 2020. 

 

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This marketing material is not intended for the residents of New Mexico with respect to Group Disability Insurance and Arizona to Critical Illness Insurance.