Dentist Claims & Resources

Our law firm’s disability insurance attorneys regularly represent dentists filing “own occupation” disability claims. We are located in Phoenix, Arizona, but our attorneys work with dentists nationwide.

As a dentist, you’re likely no stranger to hand, neck and back pain and you probably have your own personal remedies for when things get particularly bad. Maybe you ice your hands at the end of each day, see a chiropractor or get a massage on a weekly basis. Or maybe you go back to your office to stretch between patients and/or lie down to rest your legs and lower back.

The majority of our clients are dentists, and most of them come to us with the same initial question: should I stop practicing and file a disability claim, or should I just push through the pain? Many of them feel pressure to keep working, in spite of their conditions, because their income is production-based, or they own their practice and cannot afford to spend several months away from it recovering from surgery.

At the same time, continuing to work places your patients at risk and exposes you to malpractice and licensing issues. And if you have a condition like carpal tunnel or degenerative disc disease, the demands of dentistry likely caused your condition in the first place and continuing to practice will likely only cause further problems, and result in the need for more procedures and surgeries down the road.

If you have found yourself in this unfortunate predicament, you probably have a lot of questions. Should I have surgery, or just try conservative treatment? If I file a claim, will my disability insurer force me to have surgery? Will surgery fix the numbness? Will I be able to go back to work? How will my practice survive while I recover? Should I sell my practice? Or should I hire on a temporary associate to keep things afloat?

Ultimately, the answers to these questions largely depend on several factors, including whether you own your practice, the nature of your condition, your insurer, when your policies were issued, and what the key definitions in your policy say, among other things. Regardless of where you are in the disability claims process, our firm is here to help. We’ve compiled the resources below for dentists who are interested in learning more about the disability claims process.

If you don’t find the answers you are looking for here, you can search our disability insurance blog or contact one of our attorneys.

• When Do I Need to File a Disability Insurance Claim?
• When Should I Contact an Attorney About My Claim?
• What Should I Expect if I File a Disability Claim?
• Do I Have a True “Own Occupation” Policy?
• Should I Just Take a Break From Practicing to See If I Feel Better?
• Why Does the Disability Insurance Company Want My CDT Codes?
• How Long Does it Take to Get Disability Benefits? – Part 1
• How Long Does it Take to Get Disability Benefits? – Part 2
• Can My Disability Insurer Require Me to Have Surgery?
• What if Surgery Doesn’t Work?
• I’ve Been Paid Benefits for Years, Why Is My Insurer Asking for More Information?
• Questions to Ask When Choosing a Disability Attorney

• Disability Insurance – Do I Really Need It? A Disability Insurance Attorney’s Perspective
• Do You Have a True “Own Occupation” Policy? – Dentaltown (March 2019)
• What Every Dentist Needs to Know About Disability Insurance
• Disability Insurance and the Dentist: Can You Collect on Your Policy?
• A Stiff Upper Lip Can Lead To Getting Stiffed By Your Insurer: Chronic Pain and Your Ability to Collect Disability Insurance Benefits
• Working Through Pain: How Chronic Conditions Affect Dentists – Dentaltown (September 2015)
• The Injured Dentist: Is Your Work Ethic Hurting You and Your Patients?
• Dealing With the Demands of Dentistry: It’s Ok to Ask for Help

• Dentistry Tops List of Most Dangerous Jobs
• Unique Risk Factors In Dentistry
• Unum Study Shows Increase in Musculoskeletal Claims
• Degenerative Disc Disease and the Dentist
• Musculoskeletal Conditions in Dentistry: The Most Common Disability, The Most Difficult Disability Claim
• Non-Medication Treatments for Chronic Pain
• Carpal Tunnel Surgery – What if It Doesn’t Work?
• Hartford Study Shows Increase in Mental Health Issues in the Workplace
• Anxiety & Panic Disorder