Skip Navigation
  • Careers
  • Report a Claim
  • Contact Us
Risk Strategies Logo
  • Industries

    • Agriculture
    • Architects & Engineers
    • Aviation
    • Cannabis
    • Construction
    • Dental
    • Education
    • Entertainment
    • Financial Services
    • Fine Art
    • Healthcare
    • Law Firms
    • Marine & Yacht
    • Nonprofit & Human Services
    • Private Equity
    • Public Sector
    • Real Estate
    • Relocation
    • Transportation
    • Waste & Recycling
    • Wineries
  • Solutions

      • Captives
      • Casualty
      • Cyber
      • Environmental
      • International
      • Management Liability
      • Property
      • Surety
      • Employee Benefits Overview
      • Benefit Administration and Technology
      • Benefits Compliance Support
      • Data & Analytics
      • Human Capital Advisory Services
      • International Benefits
      • Absence Management & Ancillary Programs
      • Voluntary & Lifestyle Benefits
      • Medicare
      • Financial & Wealth Overview
      • Life Insurance
      • Private Client Services Overview
      • Homeowners
      • Flood
      • Collections
      • Umbrella & Excess Liability
      • Auto
      • Collector & Exotic Car
      • Boat & Yacht
      • Travel Medical & Trip Insurance
      • Family Office
      • Cyber Insurance - Family Office
      • Cyber Insurance - Individuals
      • Specialty Coverages
      • Private Client Risk Resource Center
    • Reinsurance
      • Risk Management Services Overview
      • Analytics
      • Claims Management & Advocacy
      • Loss Control
      • Safety Consulting Services
      • Pro Safety Training Courses
      • Workers’ Comp: Premium Review & Recovery
  • Consulting

    • Consulting Overview
    • Actuarial Services
    • Healthcare Claim Audit Services
    • Health and Welfare
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Pharmacy Consulting
    • Retirement Benefits
  • News and Insights

    • All Insights
    • Blog
    • Emergency Resource Centers
    • Employee Benefits Compliance Center
    • Events
    • Media Coverage
    • State of the Market Reports
    • Press Releases
    • Private Client Resources
    • Webinars
  • Company

    • About Us
    • Annual Report
    • Careers
    • Culture and Values
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
    • Environmental, Social, & Governance
    • General Terms of Business
    • Leaders
    • Local Expertise
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Recognition & Awards
    • Risk Strategies Foundation
    • Transparency and Disclosures
  • Join Us
    • Careers
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Industries
    • Agriculture
    • Architects & Engineers
    • Aviation
      • Aviation Business Insurance - Manned Risk
      • Non-Owned Aviation
      • Unmanned Aerial System and Drones
    • Cannabis
    • Construction
      • Alternative Solutions
      • Financing & Pre-Construction
      • Insurance Solutions
      • Risk Management
      • Surety
    • Dental
      • Insurance for Dental Professionals
      • Dental Malpractice Insurance
      • BOP Insurance - Dental Practices & DSOs
      • Dental School Graduates
      • Dental Associates & Hygienists
      • Dental Practice Owners
      • Dental Service Organizations (DSOs)
    • Education
      • Employee Benefits for Education
      • Property, Casualty & Liability for Education
      • Student Health & Wellness
        • Student Health Brokerage and Consulting
        • Student Health Plan Administration
        • Student Health Insurance Plans
        • Solutions for Student Athletes
        • Student Health & Wellness Tools
        • Special Risk Insurance
    • Entertainment
      • Film & Television
      • Advertising Production Wrap Ups
      • Advertising/PR
      • Event Cancellation & Non-Appearance
      • Music & Touring
      • Theatrical Production & Live Performance 
      • Venue Insurance
    • Financial Services
      • Asset Managers
      • Banks & Non-Bank Lending
      • Collections
      • Consumer Financial Services
      • Financial Tech
      • Insurance Companies
    • Fine Art
      • Artists
      • Artist Endowed Foundations
      • Auction Houses
      • Fine Art Packers / Shippers / Warehouses
      • Galleries
      • Museums
      • Private Art Dealers / Advisors
      • Private Collectors
    • Healthcare
      • Employee Benefits - Healthcare
      • Managed Care / Stop Loss
      • Medical Malpractice
      • Property & Casualty - Healthcare
      • Reinsurance
    • Law Firms
    • Marine & Yacht
      • Boat & Yacht For Individuals
      • Commercial & Recreational Marine Businesses
        • Marine Businesses
        • Sailing Organizations - Burgee Program
      • Jackline Insurance Solutions for Cruisers
      • Mega Yachts
      • One-Design Insurance Program
      • Crew Medical Insurance
      • Sailors Health Insurance Program
      • US Sailing Insurance Solutions
    • Nonprofit & Human Services
    • Private Equity
      • Crypto Companies
    • Public Sector
      • Public Safety Organizations & Municipalities
    • Real Estate
      • Commercial
      • Community Associations
      • Hospitality
      • Residential / Habitational
      • REITs
      • Retail
      • Specialty Programs
    • Relocation
      • Domestic Household Goods
      • Expat Renters & Living Insurance
      • Relocation Claims Service
      • International Household Goods
      • Supplemental Movers Coverage
      • Temporary Living Insurance
      • Vacant Home
    • Transportation
      • Business Auto Insurance
      • Last Mile Delivery
      • While Under Dispatch Insurance
      • Forwarding & Brokering
      • Workers' Compensation
    • Waste & Recycling
    • Wineries
  • Solutions
    • Commercial Insurance
      • Captives
      • Casualty
        • Analytics
        • Auto Liability & Physical Damage
        • Captives & Alternative Risk Financing
        • Claims Advocacy & Loss Control
        • Excess Liability
        • General Liability
        • Product Recall
        • Workers' Compensation
      • Cyber
        • Cyber Resolute
        • Cyber Risk Assessment and Analytics
        • Cyber Risk Response & Claims Advocacy
        • Cyber Insurance - Family Office
        • Cyber Insurance - Individuals
      • Environmental
        • Contractors Pollution Liability
        • Environmental Excess
        • Environmental Liability Transfer
        • Environmental Liability - Healthcare
        • Environmental Liability - Higher Education
        • Pollution Legal Liability
        • Environmental Liability - Private Equity
        • Professional Environmental Liability Insurance
        • Real Estate Development
        • Remediation Cost Cap
        • Secured Creditor Protection for Lenders
        • Underground Storage Tanks
      • International
      • Management Liability
        • Management Liability - Entertainment
        • Management Liability - Financial Institutions
        • Management Liability - Healthcare
        • Management Liability - Real Estate
      • Property
        • Builder's Risk
        • Property Claims Services
        • Inland Transit and Ocean Cargo
        • Natural Hazard Catastrophe Modeling
        • Political Violence and Terrorism
        • Property Damage & Business Interruptions Valuations
        • Property Loss Prevention and Control
      • Surety
    • Employee Benefits
      • Employee Benefits Overview
      • Benefit Administration and Technology
      • Benefits Compliance Support
      • Data & Analytics
      • Human Capital Advisory Services
      • International Benefits
      • Absence Management & Ancillary Programs
      • Voluntary & Lifestyle Benefits
      • Medicare
    • Financial & Wealth
      • Financial & Wealth Overview
      • Life Insurance
    • Private Client Services
      • Private Client Services Overview
      • Homeowners
      • Flood
      • Collections
      • Umbrella & Excess Liability
      • Auto
      • Collector & Exotic Car
      • Boat & Yacht
      • Travel Medical & Trip Insurance
      • Family Office
      • Cyber Insurance - Family Office
      • Cyber Insurance - Individuals
      • Specialty Coverages
      • Private Client Risk Resource Center
    • Reinsurance
    • Risk Management Services
      • Risk Management Services Overview
      • Analytics
      • Claims Management & Advocacy
      • Loss Control
      • Safety Consulting Services
      • Pro Safety Training Courses
      • Workers’ Comp: Premium Review & Recovery
  • Consulting
    • Consulting Overview
    • Actuarial Services
    • Healthcare Claim Audit Services
    • Health and Welfare
    • Mergers and Acquisitions
    • Pharmacy Consulting
    • Retirement Benefits
  • News and Insights
    • All Insights
    • Blog
    • Emergency Resource Centers
      • Cybersecurity
      • Earthquake
      • Hurricane
      • Pandemic
      • Riot & Civil Unrest
      • Severe Storms
      • Violence & Active Shooter
      • Wildfire
      • Winter Weather
    • Employee Benefits Compliance Center
    • Events
    • Media Coverage
    • State of the Market Reports
    • Press Releases
    • Private Client Resources
    • Webinars
  • Company
    • About Us
    • Annual Report
    • Careers
    • Culture and Values
    • Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
      • BeHEARD Series
      • DE&I Structure
      • Employee Resource Groups
    • Environmental, Social, & Governance
    • General Terms of Business
    • Leaders
    • Local Expertise
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Recognition & Awards
    • Risk Strategies Foundation
    • Transparency and Disclosures
      • General Terms of Business
      • Conflict of Interest Policy
      • Compensation Disclosure
      • Enterprise Risk Management
  • Join Us
    • Careers
      • Benefits & Wellness
      • Investing in Growth & Leadership
      • Life at Risk Strategies
      • Next Steps
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
      • Partnership Benefits
      • Why Join Us?
      • Onboarding & Integration
  • Careers
  • Report a Claim
  • Contact Us

You are about to leave Risk Strategies website and view the content of an external website.

You are leaving risk-strategies.com

By accessing this link, you will be leaving Risk Strategies website and entering a website hosted by another party. Please be advised that you will no longer be subject to, or under the protection of, the privacy and security policies of Risk Strategies website. We encourage you to read and evaluate the privacy and security policies of the site you are entering, which may be different than those of Risk Strategies.

OK
  • News and Insights
  • Blog
Subscribe

Subscribe via Email

  • News and Insights
  • Blog
April 21, 2025

Considerations for Insuring Multi-location Dental Practices

Dental
4 min read
Kyle Wallace, Managing Director; Herb Ford, Vice President, Dental Practice
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Multi-Location Dental Practice and DSO Insurance Guide
  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Key takeaways

  • Insuring a multi-location dental practice is not the same as insuring a single practice. 
  • Avoid purchasing piecemeal coverage for multi-location practices and dental service organizations (DSO) to avoid gaps in coverage and excessive insurance costs.
  • Dental professionals running multi-location practices should work with a specialty broker to design a master insurance policy to ensure coverage is cohesive, scalable, and cost-effective.  

When a dental practice expands to multiple locations, its approach to insurance coverage must evolve accordingly. The structure and design of the coverage plan will require careful consideration, and while the process differs from insuring a single practice, it does not need to be complicated.

Core insurance policies for a single-office dental practice

  • Professional liability (PL): Also known as dental malpractice insurance, this policy covers the actions of the practice owner and staff, with the practice entity named as an additional insured.
  • Business owners policy (BOP): Includes property, general liability, embedded employment practices liability (EPL), and data breach/cyber liability coverage. While commonly used, the cyber liability limits in a BOP are often insufficient even for a single practice. A separate data breach and cyber policy should be considered.
  • Workers’ compensation (WC): Protects employees in the event of work-related injuries or illnesses.

These policies adequately cover a single office, but fall short when applied to multiple entities.

Challenges of insuring multi-location dental practices

When a dentist opens a second location, often under a new legal entity name, the typical approach is to replicate this coverage. A new BOP and Workers' Compensation policy is purchased, ideally mirroring the first practice. Associate dentists may be required to carry their own PL policies, and the practice owner may ask the associate to add the entity name as an additional insured.

On the surface, this approach may appear to have addressed the risks, but it immediately creates gaps and unnecessary complications in coverage. Additionally, the ownership team has surrendered a margin of control over the insurance protecting the practice. As the practice continues to grow, this fragmented approach to insurance often continues, further complicating the coverage structure.

Common problems with piecemeal insurance

  • Coverage gaps: Overlapping or conflicting policies leave practice owners underinsured in critical areas.
  • Redundancy: Duplicate EPL or cyber coverage inflates costs unnecessarily.
  • Scattered oversight: Multiple policies make it hard to oversee and manage the practice’s insurance portfolio.
  • Excessive costs: Surplus lines PL policies and high umbrella liability limits are common, increasing expenses without adequate justification.

The piecemeal approach is difficult to fully grasp how underinsured the practice might be in critical areas. As the cost and administrative burden of managing numerous policies becomes overwhelming, the practice may seek the help of an insurance professional.

Partnering with a specialty broker

Partnering with a specialty insurance broker familiar with the unique risks of the dental industry will ensure the practice obtains adequate coverage at the appropriate cost. A specialist insurance broker can help streamline your coverage by creating an insurance program built using one master insurance policy for every area of coverage.

Key benefits of a master policy

  1. Clear, unified coverage
    • A program built for professional liability, property, general liability, workers’ compensation, and data breach/cyber liability.
    • Management liability coverages (EPL, directors and officers, fiduciary, and crime coverage) are integrated.
  2. Scalable and cost-effective
    • Coverage grows with your practice, reducing redundant costs and administration.
  3. Streamlined management
    • Simplifies oversight by having one program built to protect all locations under a single plan.

Additional benefits of working with a specialty broker

In addition to designing a master policy, an experienced insurance team builds a program designed to make practice management easier. Working with a specialty broker will include:

  • Risk assessments: Evaluate current insurance portfolio for gaps and inefficiencies.
  • Ongoing support: Adapt policies as your practice expands or regulations change.

Securing the future of your dental practice

For a growing dental practice, patchwork insurance creates costly vulnerabilities. Transitioning to a master insurance policy offers a scalable, comprehensive, and streamlined solution. By partnering with a skilled broker, group dental practices can confidently reduce risks and focus on growth.

Consulting a dental-specific insurance professional is the first step toward optimizing coverage. With their guidance, you can protect your practice, employees, and patients while maximizing efficiency and minimizing costs.

About the authors

Kyle Wallace has over 35 years of experience in the insurance industry. The last 25 have been spent working exclusively with dentists of all specialties and dental practices of all sizes. Kyle is recognized in the dental community as an authority on dental practice risk management and malpractice claims prevention.

Herb Ford specializes in advising dental practices and dental service organizations (DSO) on how to protect their dental practice and organization. He does this by creating comprehensive insurance programs that protect them against known and unknown risks.

The contents of this article are for general informational purposes only and Risk Strategies Company makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, regarding the accuracy or completeness of any information contained herein. Any recommendations contained herein are intended to provide insight based on currently available information for consideration and should be vetted against applicable legal and business needs before application to a specific client. 

Related Posts

See all posts

Dental
5 min read
January 14, 2025

Why Personal Disability Insurance for Dentists is Important

Key takeaways: Not all disability insurance policies work well for dental professionals. Here are …
Read article
Dental
7 min read
November 01, 2024

Claims-Made vs. Occurrence: Which Dental Malpractice Insurance is Right for You?

It’s easy for dental professionals to feel overwhelmed by the jargon and conflicting advice …
Read article
Risk Strategies Logo
  • Report a Claim
  • Contact
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Consumer Health Data Privacy Notice
  • Accessibility
  • Health Plan Transparency Compliance
  • Accessibility
  • Cookie Policy
  • Health Plan Transparency Disclosure
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
©2025 Risk Strategies. All rights reserved.

Connect with Us

  • LinkedIn
  • X
  • Instagram
  • Facebook