What to put in a dental employee handbook: a section list

This post is general information from published sources. It is not legal advice. Employment law differs by state and by office size, so have an employment attorney review any handbook before you issue it.

What is a dental employee handbook?

A dental employee handbook is a written guide to how your office treats its team and what it expects from them. It turns day-to-day habits into policies that everyone can read. It also gives new hires a reference during onboarding. See the glossary entry for employee handbook.

A handbook does not replace a job description or an employment agreement. It sets office-wide rules, while the other documents cover a single role.

What sections does a handbook usually include?

Most handbooks cover the same ground. The table lists common sections, what each one does, and where a published source applies. The list is a starting point built from the sources below. It is not a complete or required list.

What does the EEOC say about harassment and accommodation?

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says it is illegal to harass an employee because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. Its page also says it is illegal to harass someone for complaining about discrimination or taking part in an investigation.

The EEOC page says harassment can include slurs, offensive comments, and other verbal or physical conduct. It adds that the harasser can be a supervisor, co-worker, or someone who is not an employee, such as a client or customer. For a dental office, that last point matters for patients and vendors.

The EEOC page also says employers must provide reasonable accommodation to a qualified employee or job applicant with a disability, unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense. A similar rule covers known limitations related to pregnancy and childbirth. A handbook can name a contact person and explain how to ask. Coverage depends on factors such as employer size, so ask your attorney how the laws apply to you.

What does the handbook say about pay and overtime?

Put the pay rules in plain words and match them to how you actually pay. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) says the Fair Labor Standards Act applies on a workweek basis. Unless exempt, covered employees must receive overtime pay for hours over 40 in a workweek at not less than time and one-half their regular rate.

Several points follow from the DOL page:

• A workweek is a fixed, recurring period of 168 hours.
• It need not match the calendar week.
• Averaging hours across two or more weeks is not permitted.

Whether a role is exempt is a legal question. Do not guess from a job title. Ask an employment attorney or your payroll provider. See the dental assistant and dental hygienist entries for common roles on a team.

What about leave and benefits?

State your leave and benefit terms exactly as the office offers them. The ADA’s managing-teams page lists a topic page on the Family and Medical Leave Act and paid leave policies by state. That page is a starting place to read, not a policy to copy.

For context on benefits, the ADA Health Policy Institute surveyed dental assistants, hygienists, and dentists in 2022. It reports that most assistants and hygienists receive dental benefits, paid holidays, paid vacation, and retirement savings. It also reports that health insurance, paid sick time, paid leave, and continuing education funds are rare overall. HPI says benefits matter for recruitment and retention. This is a 2022 survey, so check current conditions in your area.

What should a conduct section include?

Keep conduct rules short, job-related, and applied the same way to everyone. The EEOC page says an employer generally may set a dress code for all employees or job categories. It also says a dress code must not treat some employees less favorably because of national origin, and that religion or disability may require an exception unless that would cause undue hardship.

The same page says an employer may not make decisions on discipline or discharge because of a protected characteristic. A discipline section should therefore describe steps in neutral terms and promise consistent treatment. Your attorney can add the right at-will or progressive language for your state.

How do you write and roll out the handbook?

A short process helps:

1. List the policies you already follow in practice.
2. Draft each section in plain words, in short sentences.
3. Have an employment attorney review it for your state.
4. Share it with the team and answer questions.
5. Collect a signed acknowledgment of receipt, if your attorney advises it.
6. Review it again when laws, pay practices, or roles change.

Plain language matters. A policy no one can read does not help the team or the office. Link the handbook to your standard operating procedures so daily work and written policy match.

For related reading, see dental interview questions, dental team meeting agenda, OSHA requirements for dental offices, and HIPAA for dental offices.

Next step

For the full picture of hiring, onboarding, and keeping a team, read hire and keep a dental team. To ask about team policy topics, Contact Dr. Copeland about consulting.