---
title: "What Is Employment agreement? Dental Practice Glossary"
description: "The written contract between a practice and an employee dentist that sets pay, duties, term, termination rights and limits on later competition or patient..."
url: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/employment-agreement
publisher: Copeland Consulting Services
email: drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com
contact: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact
---

Ownership and transitions

# Employment agreement

The written contract between a practice and an employee dentist that sets pay, duties, term, termination rights and limits on later competition or patient contact.

An employment agreement is the written contract that sets the terms of a dentist's job. The ADA publishes a guide to key legal provisions in dentist employment agreements. Common parts include pay method, duties, term, notice for ending the job, and covenants that apply after the job ends.

An [associate dentist](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/associate-dentist) usually signs this kind of contract. Pay terms may follow [collections-based pay](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/collections-based-pay) or another method. Post-employment limits often appear as a [restrictive covenant](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/restrictive-covenant).

Contract law differs by state. Readers who face a real contract should ask an attorney who knows dental employment to review it. This entry gives a general definition only.

[Next stepPractice consulting with Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact?topic=consulting)

## Related terms

-   [Associate dentist](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/associate-dentist)
-   [Restrictive covenant](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/restrictive-covenant)
-   [Non-compete clause](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/non-compete-clause)
-   [Associate compensation](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/associate-compensation)

## Sources

1.  [ADA, Dentist Employment Agreements: A Guide to Key Legal Provisions](https://www.ada.org/-/media/project/ada-organization/ada/ada-org/files/resources/coronavirus/covid-19-frequently-asked-questions/dentist_employment_agreements.pdf)
2.  [ADA, Dentist compensation: what every dental associate should know](https://www.ada.org/resources/careers/dentist-compensation)

## Talk with Dr. Copeland

[Contact Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact)[Email](mailto:drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com)