Key Takeaways

• Disability insurance and proper coverage reviews can protect dentists from income loss if an injury or illness prevents them from practicing.
• Offering employee benefits such as group health, disability, and liability coverage strengthens retention and helps combat staffing challenges.
• Thoughtful insurance planning reduces stress for owners and teams, lowering operational risk and supporting long-term practice stability.
• The right insurance partner does more than issue policies; they help dentists identify risks, prevent costly oversights, and stay focused on patient care.

Running a dental practice comes with an extraordinary amount of pressure, from patient care and production goals to staffing challenges and the constant demands of ownership. In a recent Beyond Bitewings episode, host Ash sat down with Nick Henshaw of WinStar Insurance Group to discuss how strategic insurance planning can help dentists reduce stress, protect their livelihoods, and strengthen their practices.

Nick specializes in insurance for dental practices and has seen firsthand how gaps in coverage or outdated policies can leave dentists vulnerable. One of the most common issues he encounters is disability insurance that hasn’t been reviewed since a dentist’s early career. Many dentists purchase basic coverage right out of school and never revisit it, even as their income, financial responsibilities, and lifestyle change. Nick emphasized that disability insurance is not limited to work-related injuries; any illness or accident that prevents a dentist from practicing can trigger a claim. Without proper coverage, the financial strain of losing the ability to produce can compound an already stressful situation.

The conversation also explored how practice owners can use group insurance benefits to strengthen retention and build a healthier workplace culture. Benefits such as health, vision, dental, disability, and group liability insurance are powerful tools for attracting and keeping talented team members, especially in competitive markets. Nick noted that younger workers increasingly prioritize culture and support over compensation alone. Offering meaningful benefits signals that a practice truly values its people, going beyond surface-level gestures like office perks or occasional recognition.

Another overlooked area is protecting hygienists and associates with appropriate disability coverage. Since practices rely heavily on the clinical output of their teams, the loss of a hygienist can create operational and financial strain. Ensuring these team members have access to protection is both a risk-management strategy and a meaningful demonstration of care.

Nick also warned practice owners about “force-placed insurance,” a costly and often inferior insurance automatically added by lenders when proof of coverage isn’t provided. This can quietly inflate loan payments and still leave practice property underinsured. Having an attentive insurance partner who manages these details can prevent delays in practice transitions, equipment acquisitions, or financing approvals.

Ultimately, Nick’s message centered on one idea: where pressure rises, risk rises. Dentists face enough stress clinically and operationally without worrying about inadequate coverage or overlooked liabilities. By reviewing policies regularly, offering strong benefits, and partnering with advisors who proactively help manage risk, practice owners can regain valuable peace of mind.