Protecting Dentists and Their Practices, Jack McKinney, TDIC (Dental Business Radio, Episode 61)
Patrick O’Rourke welcomes Jack McKinney, Vice President of Sales and Service for The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC) and TDIC Insurance Solutions, for a practical conversation about how dentists can protect their livelihoods before problems strike.
Jack explains how TDIC’s carrier and agency work together to give dentists comprehensive protection, from professional liability and property coverage to cyber, disability, and long-term-care plans. He also shares why dentists should never treat insurance like a one-time purchase, how business model changes such as teledentistry can affect coverage, and why TDIC’s peer-review process for nonrenewals is so unusual in the industry.
This episode is a reminder that running a successful practice isn’t just about clinical skill. It’s about understanding risk, staying proactive, and partnering with advisors who know the dental world as well as you do.
Dental Business Radio is underwritten and presented by Practice Quotient: PPO Negotiations & Analysis and produced by John Ray and the North Fulton affiliate of Business RadioX®.
Key Takeaways in This Episode
- By dentists, for dentists: The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC) was created by the California Dental Association to address rising malpractice costs and now provides a full range of coverage options.
- Two entities, one purpose: TDIC is the carrier, while TDIC Insurance Solutions acts as the agency distributing TDIC and other carriers’ products to ensure dentists have the right fit for their practice.
- Comprehensive protection matters: Beyond professional liability, practices should consider property, cyber, EPLI, workers’ comp, disability, and long-term care coverage to fully protect their business and income.
- Be proactive, not reactive: Dentists should schedule regular insurance reviews, especially before acquisitions, relocations, or business model changes like teledentistry.
- Unique peer review process: TDIC’s nonrenewal appeals are reviewed by a board of dentists, allowing for real-world context and fairness that’s rare in the insurance industry.
Topics Discussed in this Episode
00:00 Introduction to Dental Business Radio
01:11 Meet Jack McKinney: Insurance Industry Veteran
03:13 Understanding TDIC and Its Services
10:27 Insurance Needs for New Dentists
13:03 The Importance of Disability and Life Insurance
19:01 Buy-Sell Agreements and Other Insurance Considerations
21:33 Understanding Insurance Ownership and Risks
21:56 When to Revisit Your Insurance Policies
22:33 Teledentistry and Insurance Implications
25:34 The Role of Underwriters and Actuaries
26:45 Unique Appeals Process for Non-Renewals
27:41 The Rapid Evolution of Healthcare and Insurance
29:42 Cyber Insurance: Costs and Necessity
33:41 Long-Term Care Insurance: What You Need to Know
39:25 The Importance of Regular Insurance Checkups
41:26 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Jack McKinney and The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC)
Jack McKinney is Vice President of Sales and Service for The Dentists Insurance Company (TDIC) and TDIC Insurance Solutions, where he leads teams that help dentists protect their practices through comprehensive risk management and coverage solutions. With more than 35 years of experience on both the agency and carrier sides of the insurance industry, Jack is known for his expertise in professional liability, property, and casualty insurance, as well as his commitment to educating dental professionals on proactive protection for their businesses. Based in Sacramento, he continues to advance TDIC’s mission of serving the dental community with integrity and practical insight.
TDIC is a specialized insurance company founded in 1980 by a group of dentists to provide professional liability insurance and related coverage tailored specifically for dentists. It focuses exclusively on protecting dentists and their practices with comprehensive insurance products, including professional liability, employment practice liability, commercial property, workers’ compensation, and cyber liability, among others. TDIC serves a community of more than 24,000 dentists across 15 states, has earned an A (Excellent) rating from AM Best for over 30 years, and holds endorsements from several state dental associations.
The company emphasizes personalized service delivered by experts who understand the dental profession and offers risk management resources, continuing education, and claims support designed specifically for dentists. TDIC also provides online account management to simplify policy handling and bill payments. The company aims to offer exceptional protection at a fair price, backed by its longstanding history and commitment to the dental community.
Website | LinkedIn | Jack’s LinkedIn
About Dental Business Radio
Dental Business Radio covers the business side of dentistry. Host Patrick O’Rourke and his guests cover industry trends, insights, success stories, and more in this wide-ranging show. The show’s guests include successful doctors across the spectrum of dental practice providers, as well as trusted advisors and noted industry participants.
Dental Business Radio is underwritten and presented by Practice Quotient and produced by John Ray and North Fulton Business Radio, LLC, an affiliate of Business RadioX®. You can find the show on all major podcast apps and access the complete show archive here.
Practice Quotient
Practice Quotient is the sponsor of Dental Business Radio. Practice Quotient, Inc. serves as a bridge between the payor and provider communities. Their clients include general dentists and dental specialty practices across the nation of all sizes, from completely fee-for-service-only to active network participation with every dental plan possible. They work with independent practices, emerging multi-practice entities, and various large ownership entities in the dental space. Their PPO negotiations and analysis projects evaluate the merits of the various in-network participation contract options specific to your practice’s patient acquisition strategy. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.
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