FAQ
DHPro Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Membership Questions
1.) What member benefits are available?
An unbelievable unbeatable value!
- Access to free live webinars on interesting topics to the dental hygiene community,
- A growing catalogue of webinars available for replay when it suits your schedule,
- Canadian dental hygienist professional liability insurance and other Canadian discounted insurance programs as well as
- A dental hygiene newsfeed, and a weekly newsletter.
2.) Is the organization new?
DHPro was formed in the spring of 2010 by people with over ten years of experience serving the needs of Canadian dental hygienists.
3.) What is its purpose?
DHPro exists to provide dental hygienists online continuing education and professional development experiences from the comfort of their home or office. Canadian dental hygienists also have the opportunity to purchase affordable professional liability insurance through DHPro’s group purchasing power.
4.) What’s the total cost of a membership?
DHPro's membership fee $62.00 annually.
5.) How can you afford to be much cheaper than the alternatives?
DHPro using the knowledge, experience, and relationships of its founders, focuses on seeking out the most cost efficient products for dental hygienists while not sacrificing quality. Our staff component is small and our dedication is large. We are not an institution draped in red tape.
6.) What are the payment methods?
Payments are made by credit card. We use PayPal as our secure credit card processor. In exceptional circumstances cheques or money orders can be accepted please contact us for details.
7.) How do I set up my profile?
When to click on the join button you will be taken to PayPal and there you will give your name, email address and credit card information. Once your transaction is processed, you will receive an email telling you your logon name, password. You are asked to go back to the website and complete your registration by giving your address, registration number etc. It is important to fully complete your registration in order to assist us properly pay taxes on your membership to the respective governments. We also request your registration number to ensure our community participants are who they say they are and to properly qualify them for professional liability insurance.
8.) How do I create a username and password?
You username will be your firstname.lastname (please note the dot between the first and last names). Your initial password will be provided in your welcome email. You can change your password after your initial registration if you like.
9.) Can I use my receipt for Income tax purposes?
DHProa cannot give tax advice – the PayPal receipt you receive when registering is your receipt but it will be up to your tax adviser to indicate if it meets income tax requirements.
10.) How are the receipts issued?
PayPal will issue you a receipt when you are registering.
11.) Do I receive a membership card?
No, DHPro only issues login information for the members website.
12.) Do I have to be a member with any additional organizations in other provinces?
You do not have to be a member of any other organizations to be a member of DHPro.
13.) Are there different prices for different provinces?
Membership fees are the same regardless of province.
14.) Do you have a French version of the website?
Not at this time.
15.) What is your contact information?
Please contact through our contact form http://www.dhpro.ca/info-center/contact/
- or call 1-800-451-2818
16.) Do you have a Facebook page or Twitter feed available?
For Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/dhpro.ca
For Twitter:
17.) Are there any job postings anywhere on your site?
Not at this time.
Professional Liability Insurance Frequently Asked Questions
18.) What is Professional Liability insurance?
Professional Liability Insurance protects you against covered claims arising from real or alleged errors or omissions, including negligence, in the course of your professional duties. This insurance covers not only any settlement costs against you but also the legal defense costs which occur regardless of whether you are found guilty or innocent.
19.) What is the DHPro policy coverage?
This insurance plan is specifically designed to offer the highest level of protection for Canadian dental hygienists. Here are just a few of the many valuable benefits you receive when you sign up:
- Up to $3 million in coverage.
- Quality protection 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
- The policy travels with you, no matter where you work.
- Covers investigative and defense costs regardless of actual fault.
20.) Is this insurance recognized as meeting the requirements of my regulatory body?
The liability insurance offered through DHPro has been reviewed by the Colleges in Manitoba, Ontario, and British Columbia and confirmed as meeting their requirements. The coverage does meet the policy requirements of other Canadian Provinces however other factors such as mandatory membership in other organizations may affect your coverage decisions.
21.) How are the confirmations sent to the regulatory body?
Confirmation of liability insurance is sent via email to the regulatory bodies on a regular basis.
22.) How long would I be insured for?
The insurance year as well as the membership year runs from January 1st to December 31st of each year.
23.) Can I start my insurance year on a date other than Jan 1st?
You can purchase insurance at any point in the year and that policy will continue until January 1 of the next year. All policies must be renewed for January 1 for coverage to be in place. Having only one policy renewal date keeps administration expenses down and premiums low.
24.) Can I get a receipt and certificate of insurance?
When an individual enrolls or renews, a insurance certificate is emailed out that day (to maintain a green approach to all that DHPro does, email is used over regular mail). Your PayPal receipt is our official receipt.
25.) I am just now starting to practice - do you have a prorated membership and insurance fee?
No, membership and insurance fees cannot be prorated.
26.) What does coverage for defence costs in disciplinary hearings mean?
You may be called to respond to a disciplinary investigative order or proceeding commenced by a professional organization or corporation which regulates dental hygienists (as defined by federal, provincial or territorial legislation). In the event of this occurring there may be significant costs including consulting with professionals in preparing your defence. The regulatory body will expect that you are the one they are dealing with and not an insurance company. Therefore, you will be responsible to prepare for and execute your own defence. The Insurance Company, however, will reimburse you for up to $50,000 in costs that you incur as a result. There is no deductible for this coverage.
27.) What does Criminal Defence Costs mean?
Criminal Defence Costs are the reasonable costs, charges and fees it would take to defend you against criminal allegations. These costs can include (but are not limited to) legal fees and expert’s fees. In the event that you are charged as a result of an action taken in your professional capacity and then successful in your defence the insurance company will repay you for your Defence Costs up to $100,000 per incident or $150,000 per year. Being successful in this case means that you are either found not guilty or that all charges are dropped.
28.) Doesn’t my employer provide me with Professional Liability coverage?
While many employers (not all) will provide some professional liability coverage, chances are that coverage may have some serious gaps, including:
- Policy limits may not be high enough to protect you and all of your co-workers.
- You may not be provided with coverage for lost wage reimbursement, licensing board hearing reimbursement, and defense costs.
- You may not be covered outside of the workplace, such as when you engage in volunteer or part-time work as a Dental Hygienist.
- You may not be covered for suits filed after you have terminated your employment.
What would having a personal Professional Liability Insurance Plan give me?
In the event of a lawsuit, your own Professional Liability Insurance policy would:
- Provide you with your own attorney
- Pay all reasonable legal and other costs incurred in the defense or investigation of a covered claim
- Pay you up to $150 per day for lost wages
- Provide reimbursement if licensing board issues were involved
- Provide coverage for damages and claims expenses resulting from a claim against your spouse or Domestic Partner (due to your professional actions) including action against marital property
29.) Why should I consider an individual Professional Liability Insurance Plan from DHPro?
All the plans offered by DHPro have been tailored specifically for the Dental Hygienist profession to meet your unique needs.
The Plan is underwritten by the Trisura Guarantee Insurance Company. Trisura is a Canadian owned and operated company with made in Canada solutions, exceptional service, and expertise from experienced, disciplined underwriters — in combination, these attributes provide Trisura with an innovative edge in the Canadian marketplace. Trisura is also backed by Brookfield Asset Management Inc. who has over $1 Billion in global assets under management.
30.) How do I apply?
You have to be a member of DHPro to be able to purchase the insurance. Once you are a member we just need some professional information and your payment which can all be done online.
31.) Why should I buy professional liability insurance from DHpro if I am already covered by the dental office where I work?
If you are already covered by the dentist or dental office where you work, here are some of the more prominent points you should consider:
- Have you seen your policy?
- Are its limits separate for each dental professional, and not shared among all employees?
- Do you work for more than one dentist, or at more than one location? Are you covered at each of your places of employment?
- If a claim arose regarding your performance while on the job, but you’ve since left the dental office in question, are you still covered?
- If a claim arose regarding your performance while on the job, but the dental office in question has since closed, are you still covered?
With insurance coverage from DHpro, the answer to all these questions is “Yes!” When you own your policy, you control your policy, your claims, and the impact on your career.
The DHpro policy protects your needs, not your employer’s.
32.) If I cancel my policy at a future date, will I still be covered for events that happened while the policy was in force?
If you are still working as a dental hygienist then you are not covered for claims that are discovered after your policy was cancelled regardless of when they happened. If you have retired or moved to another country and surrendered your license in Canada then you would continue to be covered for your past events even after the policy has been cancelled. Similarly, if you are unable to work as a dental hygienist due to sickness or injury then you would still be covered for past events.
33.) If I receive a claim for something that happened when I worked at a prior employer but I just found out about it now, am I covered?
Yes, you are covered for any claims that you first become aware of while your policy is in force regardless of when they occurred.
34.) Does the DHPro policy cover me if I practice outside of the geographical boundaries of Canada?
No the DHPro policy is bounded by Canadian geographic boundaries.