What is a associate dentist agreement?
Most associate disputes are about money that was never defined. Is the percentage of fees billed or fees collected? Are lab bills taken off first? What happens to money that comes in after the associate has gone? This agreement answers each of those in writing.
It records the practice, the associate and their licence number, start date, and whether the associate is a self-employed contractor or an employee. It sets the working days and the surgery, chair and nursing support the practice provides. Pay is a percentage of net collections, defined as money actually received for the associate's own treatment less refunds and redos, paid on your schedule in your currency with a statement, and an optional guaranteed daily minimum. You choose how laboratory fees are split and who holds indemnity or malpractice insurance. The agreement keeps clinical decisions with the associate, confirms that patients and records belong to the practice, and covers notice, handing over treatment, collections paid after leaving and an optional patient and staff non-solicitation period.
- Best for
- General dental practices taking on an associate
- Signed by
- The practice owner and the associate dentist
- Pay
- Percentage of net collections, optional daily minimum
- Length
- 3 pages, initialled on each page
When to use a associate dentist agreement
- A practice owner bringing in a newly qualified associate with a daily guarantee
- An experienced associate joining for three days a week
- Replacing a verbal arrangement with a written split and lab fee rule
- A practice being sold that needs its associate terms on paper
- An associate who is an employee rather than a contractor
What you fill in
19 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: practice, associate.
1 The parties
- Practice (legal name)*
- Practice address*
- Associate dentist's full name*
- Associate's address
- Associate's licence or registration number*
2 The role
- Start date*
- The associate is engaged as* a self-employed independent contractor · an employee of the Practice
- Working days and hours*
- Surgery, chair and support*
3 Pay
- Associate's share of net collections (%)*
- Laboratory fees* shared in the same proportions as collections · paid entirely by the Associate · paid entirely by the Practice
- Guaranteed minimum per working day (optional)
- Currency*
- Pay calculated and paid* weekly · every two weeks · twice a month · monthly
4 Licence and insurance
- Professional indemnity or malpractice insurance* the Associate holds and pays for their own cover · the Practice provides cover for the Associate
5 Leaving
- Collections paid after leaving for (days)*
- Notice to end the agreement (days)*
- Patient and staff non-solicitation (months)
- Governing law*
6 Who signs
- Practice signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The practice owner or someone authorised to sign for the practice.
- Associate signature and date, initials on every page · The associate dentist.
What the associate dentist agreement covers
- Status
- Days, surgery and support
- Pay
- Laboratory fees
- Licence and insurance
- Clinical standards
- Patients and records
- Leaving the Practice
- General
Using the associate dentist agreement, step by step
1 Practice and associate
Your practice name fills in from your account. Add its address, the associate's name, address and licence number, and the start date.
2 Status, days and surgery
Choose contractor or employee, enter the working days and hours, and describe the surgery and support provided.
3 Pay and lab fees
Enter the associate's percentage of net collections, any daily minimum, the currency and pay frequency, and choose how lab fees are shared.
4 Insurance and leaving
Choose who holds indemnity cover, set the notice period, how long collections are paid after leaving and any non-solicitation period, then send for signature.
Tips before you send it
- Check that the way the relationship really works matches the status you choose; regulators and tax authorities look at the facts.
- Give the associate a sample pay statement before signing so the collections definition is clear.
- Non-solicitation clauses are restricted or unenforceable in some places. Check local law before relying on one.
- Keep a copy of the associate's licence and indemnity certificate with the signed agreement.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
Associate dentist agreement: frequently asked questions
Is pay based on fees billed or fees collected?
Collected. Pay is a percentage of money the practice actually receives for the associate's own treatment, less refunds, chargebacks and fees returned for redone work.
How are lab fees handled?
You choose: shared in the same proportions as collections, paid entirely by the associate, or paid entirely by the practice.
Does the agreement include a non-compete?
No. It has an optional non-solicitation clause covering the practice's patients and staff for the months you set. It does not stop patients choosing to follow the associate, emergency treatment or general advertising.
Who owns the patient records?
The practice. The associate can have reasonable access after leaving to respond to a complaint, claim or regulator.