Wellness Corner: Any- or own-occupation protection: What does your insurance policy state?
Summary & scoring by The Bell Brief (Dr. Jennifer Bell) using the Drill-Down Protocol (Drill-Down Score) — not the original publisher.
Why it matters for dental
Own-occupation disability policies protect a dentist’s income if a hand, wrist, or back injury prevents performing clinical dentistry—even if the dentist can still work in another field. Practice owners and associates should review policy language now, because a mismatch between coverage and actual duties can leave a high-earning clinician without benefits during peak career years.
Key points
- Any-occupation riders typically pay only if the dentist cannot perform ANY gainful job, while true own-occupation pays if clinical dentistry is no longer possible.
- Specialists (e.g., oral surgeons, endodontists) have higher premiums but also higher benefit limits that reflect procedure-specific earning potential.
- Most carriers impose a 90-day elimination period; owners should verify that overhead-expense riders cover continuing practice costs during that gap.
- State medical boards may require disclosure of disability claims; carriers can share records, so policy wording on residual or partial disability also matters for phased returns to practice.
Who should care
Read the original on DentistryIQ
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