How to Buy Disability Insurance for Periodontists: Costs and Coverage Decisions

Periodontists specialize in the preventative, surgical, and cosmetic treatment of the gums and bones supporting the teeth. Because of their extensive knowledge and training gained through a periodontics residency or fellowship program, periodontists enjoy one of the highest dental specialty salaries. 

However, this high income could quickly be at risk if you experience a long-term injury or illness at some point in your career. Protect your educational investment and future earnings with a disability insurance policy unique to your dental specialty.

Let’s look at how much disability insurance for periodontists costs and the most important policy details that can greatly affect your coverage.

How much does disability insurance for periodontists cost?

Disability insurance is a highly custom product. Policy and premiums vary based on age, gender, medical history, lifestyle choices and where you live. Your profession can also impact your premiums. For example, you’ll likely have higher premiums than other dental professionals who practice non-invasive dentistry.

Although there’s no one-size-fits-all, you can generally expect to spend about 2% to 4% of your income on own-occupation disability insurance coverage. Here are some sample quotes for periodontic residents and fellows.

Company	Male	Female
Guardian	$204	$297
MassMutual	$175	$273
Principal	$202	$360
Ameritas	$165	$231
Standard	$201	$320

Why do periodontists buy disability insurance?

Periodontists often sign up for hundreds of thousands of dollars of dental school loans and spend many years enhancing their skills through a periodontics residency or fellowship program. But this financial and professional commitment is usually matched with high six-figure earnings that make it worth becoming a periodontist.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) estimates that about 25% of 20-year-old Americans will become disabled before retirement age. Keep in mind this statistic is based on meeting the SSA’s traditional definition of disability. In reality, your ability to work as a periodontist could be at higher risk.

For example, you need precise dexterity to perform surgical procedures for advanced periodontitis and other challenging implant cases. Therefore, your hands are your most valuable asset. But they’re also your most vulnerable asset considering any number of injuries (e.g., car accident or other trauma) or medical conditions (e.g., arthritis or carpal tunnel) could impact your ability to work as a periodontist.

Getting a long-term disability (LTD) insurance policy specific to your periodontics specialty will provide the strongest income protection for your family. For a quick quote, enter your information below. Or continue reading to learn more about disability insurance for periodontists.

What should disability insurance for periodontists cover?

First and foremost, your disability policy needs to include own-occupation coverage that allows you to file a claim if you’re unable to work as a periodontist. From there, you can customize your coverage to fit your financial needs and monthly budget.

Here are some common disability policy riders to consider:

• Future increase option. If you’re a resident, fellow or young practicing periodontist, a future increase rider will allow you to buy additional coverage as your salary increases without another medical exam.
• Residual disability benefits. If you don’t qualify for a total disability, a residual disability rider allows you to collect benefits with a partial disability if it impacts your income, time or job duties.
• Cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). Although this policy rider can be expensive, it might make sense if you’ve already chosen the maximum benefit amount and want to ensure your benefits will keep pace with inflation.
• Catastrophic benefits. A catastrophic rider will pay out benefits for a severe disability that affects your ability to perform daily living activities, such as bathing, eating or dressing.

There are many other disability insurance riders available, each of which can increase your coverage and your premiums. Research or speak with an independent insurance broker to decide which riders could be beneficial for your situation.

How often do periodontists file disability insurance claims?

Disability insurance companies generally classify periodontics as a medium-risk occupation. However, depending on the insurance carrier, you could fall into a high-risk classification.

This means, based on historical claims data, your dental specialty is more likely to file a disability claim. Therefore, you’ll pay higher premiums than other less invasive dental specialties.

What types of disability insurance are available to periodontists?

Long-term disability insurance for periodontists is often available through employers, associations and the open marketplace. Here are some options to consider:

• Employer-provided disability insurance. This group policy can fall short for high-earning periodontists. Monthly disability insurance benefits are usually capped (e.g., $5,000 to $10,000) and typically have an any-occupation definition of disability. But it's usually a no-cost benefit, so many dentists mistakenly rely on this type of policy as their sole income protection.
• Disability insurance via a professional association. The American Dental Association (ADA) provides discounts for its members. However, your premiums and access to discounts can change over time.
• An individual disability insurance policy. This type of policy provides the most flexibility. But it also can be the most expensive. So, you’ll want to avoid unnecessary costs and maximize discounts by working with an independent broker, such as SLP Insurance.

Even if your employer offers LTD, you might still benefit from a supplemental policy that provides better benefits or specialty-specific coverage.

How much disability insurance do periodontists need?

You can usually purchase a disability policy that covers up to 60% of your gross income. But this percentage could vary depending on the insurance carrier and your existing coverage.

Periodontist disability payout example

Using recent ADA income data, let’s say you earn an average periodontist salary of $301,110. You might be eligible for a maximum monthly benefit of $15,055.

However, how much disability insurance you need depends on many financial factors. For example, if you have multiple income streams or a high-earning spouse, you might not need the maximum benefit.

That said, you’ll need to look at the whole picture, including your spending habits and lifestyle preferences, to determine a payout that makes sense for your household.

Why you need to review your periodontist disability insurance policy

Disability policies have an endless amount of terms, exclusions and decisions. So, you need to comb through your existing policy and compare other policy options to ensure you have adequate disability coverage.

Be sure to review the definition of disability (e.g., own-occupation versus any-occupation), benefit payout amount and monthly premiums. But you’ll also want to choose a benefit period and elimination period that makes the most sense for you.

Finally, if you have a pre-existing health issue — which can include certain medications and medical conditions — work with an independent broker who can steer you to the most beneficial opportunity.

Get a disability insurance quote for periodontists

SLP Insurance works with periodontists and other dental professionals to find an own-occupation policy at an affordable rate. We have access to exclusive discounts and can help walk you through important policy decisions without inflating your policy for the sake of large commissions.

For a custom quote for periodontist disability insurance coverage, fill out the form below, and our team will reach out for the next steps.