Handling business disputes

All dental colleagues who run a practice together with a view to make a profit are, technically speaking, in a partnership. Dentists who are in a partnership without a legally binding agreement in place are leaving themselves open to a potentially expensive and stressful experience, should there be a disagreement between business partners. No documentation is required to create a partnership, so caution should be exercised in your dealings with peers so as to avoid forming a partnership inadvertently.

When a partnership is formed, it is often the case that each individual involved is so busy with treating patients, dealing with staff and other administrative tasks that important legal safety nets, such as partnership agreements, can fall by the wayside. Some dentists may erroneously believe that a dispute between partners will never occur, and that the relatively little time and effort spent drafting a suitable legal document is unnecessary. This could be a costly mistake.