Don’t Let a Short-Term Illness Knock You Out by Stuart L. Segelnick, D.D.S., M.S., C.D.E., SDDS Bulletin Editor Most dentists have experienced some form of illness during their careers. There was even a time when working with a cold was considered standard dental practice procedure for many dentists in solo practice. Today we better understand the ethical dilemma of working while sick, which can bring an increased risk to the health of dentists’ employees and patients and affect the dentist’s decision-making capacity. A sickness that has caused the dentist to stay at home and not function could have a devastating effect on the practice. There are many different types of aid the dentist may be entitled to during these trying times such as disability insurance and social security disability. However, if the illness lasts for a short period of under a few weeks, then there is no vehicle for recouping the economic loss. Looking into mitigating the financial and collateral damage of a short-term work interruption before the incident occurs may be a prudent course of action. A few months ago, I personally had to deal with a health problem that closed my office. My gallbladder was the culprit. The gallbladder is used by our bodies to store bile and release it when fatty food is being digested (see https:// www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/ NBK279386/ and https://newsin health.nih.gov/2015/02/galled- gallbladder). Otherwise, the gallbladder is not an organ that is necessary for survival because in its absence the liver, which produces bile, will continue to do so at a slow rate, emptying into the small intestines. My gallbladder was filled with stones which I saw clearly on a sonogram and special MRI called a magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) that the surgeon ordered. It had caused a few episodes of common bile duct obstruction leading to severe crushing pain in my right chest and back — severe agony that Photo of the author’s gallstones on top of an inverted 8-ounce plastic cup after nail polish application for long-term preservation had me doubled up and vomiting all night long. After the last attack, when my gallbladder became infected and almost had me hospitalized, I decided it was time to explore surgical options of removal (cholecystectomy), especially when my physician said it could become life threatening. Since it was a planned surgery, it gave me time to plan for my absence. My surgeon had informed me that I could most likely return to work in five days, although most of my own online research pointed to two weeks. The patients were cancelled and the staff were coached on what to do while I was away. They would manage the office while I was gone and call me if there was anything that couldn’t wait. There are many consequences to being unable to practice for even a small amount of time. One of the first things you should do is have an emergency contingency plan. A very helpful website, the American Association of Disabled Dentists (AADD) has a well thought out “Emergency Practice Continuity Care Plan,” which you can find at https:// disableddentists.org/2016/06/24/ activate-your-practice-continuity- plan. I contacted one of the founders of the AADD, Dr. Ronald Marsh, who started the organization after having a stroke and finding the American Dental Association was not helpful in his plight. Dr. Marsh and three other people who have experienced terrible health issues are available to support and counsel any dentist who has questions on how to proceed during the trying times of disability. Dr. Marsh advised that when purchasing your disability insurance, you make sure there is a short-term disability clause, which could have helped me in my situation. He also counseled, “When purchasing disability insurance, do it NOW; never delay, and get the best policy you can afford. This is NOT the time to be cheap. It could be the best investment you ever make. Ensure it has an “own occupation clause,” and be open to buying a second policy. And yes, you can have more than one policy.” He also stressed paying for your policy with post-tax dollars, which is a huge benefit, otherwise your benefits will be taxed. Dr. Marsh recommended buying a disability policy with a cost- of-living rider along with the option to increase purchased benefits as your practice grows and you have a higher income. If there are lifetime benefits available, Dr. Marsh recommended purchasing them too; although costly, he said, “It is well worth it.” As a second backup if you are not in a group practice, Dr. Marsh said to make sure you get the practice an overhead rider, which will cover your rent, utility 4 SDDS BULLETIN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2023 — VOLUME 40 ◊ NUMBER 6
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