A super active friend of mine went on a routine mountain bike ride on a familiar trail one Saturday in April. Everything was going well until his front tire struck an unseen tree root. The bike flipped forward, throwing him onto a rock with both hands outstretched.

He broke both wrists.

In an instant, a healthy, active husband and father faced surgery, months of rehabilitation, and an estimated eight to nine months away from work.

Stories like this remind us that life can change in seconds.

Most of us assume that if we're injured and can't work, our disability insurance will simply replace our income. But that's a dangerous assumption. Not all disability insurance policies define "disability" the same way, and understanding that difference before you ever need the policy could have a significant impact on your financial future.

Step one: Obtaining disability insurance

Without disability insurance, we are sitting ducks swimming in a pond of fire. With current reported rates of musculoskeletal pain among dental clinicians ranging between 64% and 91%,¹ many clinicians will experience an injury or physical limitation during their careers. While many aches and pains don’t become debilitating, we must consider randomness of life including accidents and illnesses.

Step two: Asking your insurance company about your policy before you buy/renew

If you already own an insurance policy, read it from top to bottom, then have that phone call and adjust according to your specific needs and desires.

For dental clinicians, there are generally two ways a disability policy may define what benefits you’re eligible for:

Any-occupation disability means you're considered disabled only if you're unable to perform any occupation for which you're reasonably suited by your education, training, or experience. If you're capable of earning an income in another profession—even one that pays substantially less—you may not qualify for benefits, depending on the terms of your policy.²

Own-occupation disability focuses on your specific profession. If an illness or injury prevents you from performing the substantial duties of your occupation as a dental hygienist or dentist, you may still qualify for benefits even if you're physically capable of working in another field, provided your policy includes a true own-occupation definition.³

Imagine sustaining a wrist injury that permanently limits your grip strength or coordination. You may no longer be able to appropriately adapt a handpiece, perform periodontal instrumentation, or maintain the fine motor control your profession requires. However, you might still be capable of teaching, working in administration, or even taking a completely unrelated job. Barista anyone?

Additional reading: Wellness Corner: Financial wellness practices for owners and employees during uncertain times

Without an own-occupation definition, your disability policy may determine that because you can work, you're not considered disabled under the policy's terms.

That's an important distinction.

As dental professionals, we invest thousands of dollars in education to obtain licensure, ergonomic equipment, continue our education, and learn strategies to protect our careers. We (hopefully) stretch, strength train, improve our posture, and prioritize recovery because we know our bodies are our greatest professional asset.

Protecting the income our bodies generate deserves the same level of consideration.

Hopefully you'll never need to file a disability claim. But if you do, you'll likely be grateful that you understood the details of your policy long before an injury forced you to.

Just as we encourage our patients to focus on prevention rather than treatment, financial preparedness follows the same philosophy. Read your policy. Understand how disability is defined. Ask questions. If you're shopping for coverage, discuss whether a true own-occupation policy is appropriate for your situation with a qualified insurance professional.

After all, career longevity isn't just about protecting your body. It's also about protecting your ability to earn a living.

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Clinical Insights newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe.

References

1. Saccucci M, Zumbo G, Mercuri P, et al. Musculoskeletal disorders related to dental hygienist profession. Int J Dent Hyg. 2022;20(3):571-579. doi:10.1111/idh.12596
2. Gochnour W. What every dentist should know about disability insurance. Dentist Advisors. https://dentistadvisors.com/education-library/article/what-every-dentist-should-know-about-disability-insurance/
3. What does “own occupation” mean? American Dental Association. https://ada.protective.com/own_occupation.htm