Dental Assisting Professional Liability Insurance

Dental assistants must have professional liability insurance (PLI).

What is Professional Liability Insurance?

Professional liability insurance, also known as malpractice insurance or errors and omissions insurance, protects you against potential negligence claims made by your patients and employers. A PLI policy covers errors, omissions or negligent acts, which may arise from the normal or usual services you provide.

We have a Professional Liability Insurance Program in place that covers dental assistants until November 30, 2022.*

The coverage includes:

• $2,000,000 liability insurance per occurrence
• $3,000,000 liability insurance annual aggregate
• coverage for legal defense costs incurred in a claim or lawsuit
• coverage for legal fees related to disciplinary action by a provincial regulator
• coverage for loss of earnings (up to $500 per day)

The policy covers you for incidents that happen during the policy term, even if a claim is made after your coverage expires. The policy is in force the date you become registered with our College.

The coverage excludes:

• services not customary for a practicing Dental Assistant
• deliberate, dishonest or fraudulent acts
• any occurrence covered by other valid and collectible insurance. In some cases, policy-holders are covered under an employer’s insurance policy (our policy would apply only if coverage under the other policy is insufficient)
• any additional liability assumed under contract
• property damage to property in the care, custody, and control of a dental assistant

If you think a claim may be made against you, you must contact Paul at Prolink immediately at 1-800-663-6828. Identify yourself as a registrant of the College of Alberta Dental Assistants and be prepared to describe what happened. He will assist you with any next steps.

You could be denied coverage if you do not report the possibility of a claim to the insurer as soon as you are aware of that possibility.

You must report any findings of negligence to the Registrar.

Insurance Certificate

If you need us to provide you with written verification of your professional liability insurance coverage, submit a Malpractice Insurance Certificate Request in our portal.

*December 1, 2022, and After

As of December 1, 2022, dental assistants must have their own PLI. The policy we hold ends on November 30, 2022. To renew their Practice Permit, or to qualify for new registration for December 1, 2022, dental assistants must arrange their own PLI for their professional practice.

These resources will help you learn more:

• read College to Discontinue PLI Policy if you want to know why we’re making this change
• these PLI Questions & Answers will help answer your questions about PLI