Dentist Employment Agreement Template

Dental offices are not always solo practices. In some cases, as your business grows, you may want to bring on another licensed dentist who can take on some of your clients. Before you hire anyone, however, you should have a dentist’s employment contract in mind. This will help you and the new dentist know what to expect from the working relationship. It will also help you to uphold the standards of your dentistry practice.

So how do you draft a dentist employment contract? It may not be as daunting as it seems. Here’s what you need to know about hiring a new dentist and drafting a dentist employment contract.

Table of Contents

• Verify a Dentist's License
• What To Include
• Non-Compete Clauses
• How To Write
• Sample
• Frequently Asked Questions

Verify a Dentist’s License

Any dentist that you hire should be licensed to practice in your state. Use a state’s professional licensure database to check.

What To Include

Your dentist employment contract should include the following:

• The date that the agreement was entered into and the name of the company and employee
• Terms of employment
• Job description
• Information on compensation, benefits, expenses, and overtime
• Any accommodations for a disability
• Any confidentiality and non-compete agreements
• Grounds for termination

Non-Compete Clauses

Many dentists are solo practitioners, but those in a group practice often sign a non-compete clause to ensure that no one takes business from the firm. Sometimes these non-compete clauses will require that the dentist does not compete with the firm even for a certain period after leaving.

As an employer, protecting your business while creating a fair non-compete clause is essential. Look at other standard non-compete clauses for dentists to understand what’s fair. Try to keep the non-compete period reasonably short.

How To Write

Need to draft your dentist employment contract? Here’s the step-by-step process.

Step 1 – Write an Introduction

Your introduction is one brief paragraph. It includes the contract’s date and purpose, the company’s name, and the employee’s name. The final sentence states that the terms of the agreement bind both parties.

Step 2 – Cover the Terms of Employment

The first sections you write will cover the nature of the employment, including the employee’s job description and duties. It should include whether the employee is a full-time or part-time employee and the length of the employment term if it is a temporary position. If there is a probationary period, this should also be covered here.

Step 3 – Cover Compensation and Benefits

Compensation should be laid out in the contract, including the standard compensation and any additional compensation – such as bonuses or overtime. Non-financial benefits, such as time off or insurance, should also be included in your contract. Make sure to cover expenses, as well. What is the company’s responsibility, and what is the employee’s responsibility? How are these expenses reimbursed?

Step 4 – Lay Out Any Restrictions

This includes non-compete clauses, non-solicitation clauses, and confidentiality clauses. These clauses let the new employee know what they can and cannot do while working for your company. The contract should also explain the ownership of the employee’s work or repercussions for irreparable harm.

Step 5 – Discuss Grounds for Termination

Explain the grounds for termination and the right the company has to terminate the contract with the employee.

Step 6 – Add Anything Left Out

Any relevant miscellaneous terms can be added at the bottom. Then sign the contract to make it official.

Sample

If you need help drafting the contract, view a dentist employment contract sample or consider using our free template, available in PDF and Word formats.

Frequently Asked Questions