Dental Protection has introduced a new product, Company Protection, which allows incorporated companies to request assistance in the event they are alleged to be vicariously liable for the acts or omissions of a clinician working for the corporate and/or where the corporate is found to owe a non-delegable duty of care for the patients treated on its premises.

This product sits separately and in addition to any individual practice principal membership with Dental Protection. In 2021, the defence organisation confirmed that it had extended the member benefits for practice principals with three or fewer un-incorporated practices to include additional protection against vicarious liability and/or non-delegable duty of care claims relating to treatment provided by dental practitioners and dental care professionals. Individual membership does not however extend to include assistance for an incorporated business, which requires its own protection.

Any incorporated dental company with employees and a gross annual turnover of less than £1.7 million can apply for Company Protection. Subscriptions are based on the individual circumstances of the company; for example, the number of dentists and dental care professionals working within the company, the number of Dental Protection members, and the period of retroactive protection required.

Company Protection benefits include redirection and defence of vicarious liability and non-delegable duty of care claims. If these claims cannot be redirected or defended, Company Protection also will pay compensatory damages. Company Protection includes a claims indemnity limit of £1 million for each claim and in the aggregate, and up to ten years' retroactive protection. The product also includes access to expert dentolegal and media advice and support.

Practices that are non-incorporated should visit Dental Protection's Vicarious Liability hub for guidance on separate support with claims relating to vicarious liability or non-delegable duty of care. Those with a mixture of incorporated and non-incorporated practices, can view the FAQs: https://www.dentalprotection.org/uk/company-protection/company-protection-q-a. For companies with turnover >£1.7 million see: https://www.healthcareprotection.org/.

For further information, or to join, visit: https://www.dentalprotection.org/uk/company-protection.