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The Legal Risks That Can Kill Your Dental Startup

The Legal Risks That Can Kill Your Dental Startup
2025-06-26  • 51 min
The Legal Risks That Can Kill Your Dental Startup
The Startup Dentist
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If you’re a dentist dreaming of ownership, the fastest way to stall that dream might be buried in the fine print of your current associate contract.

In a recent episode of The Startup Dentist Podcast, I sat down with one of the most trusted legal minds in dentistry—Rob Montgomery—to unpack the legal risks most associates don’t realize they’re taking.

Because here’s the reality: too many doctors think, “It’s just a job,” and sign contracts that quietly kill their startup dreams before they even begin.

Here’s What You’ll Learn in This Episode

  • Non-Competes: Yes, they’re enforceable in most states—and even if you “win,” you’ll lose time, money, and possibly your dream location.
  • Lease Language That Lingers: Some lease clauses can block you from selling your practice… or leave you liable even after you’ve sold it.
  • The Buy-In Trap: Some equity deals look like ownership, but they function like golden handcuffs. Know the difference.
  • Termination Clauses That Box You In: We’re talking six-month notices, unfinished ortho cases, and needing to find your own replacement.
  • How to Evaluate a Job Offer Based on Your 5-Year Vision: If ownership is in your future, you need to think beyond salary and schedule.

Rob and I walk through these issues with clarity—and plenty of real-world examples—so you can protect your future before you sign anything.

Want to Plan Smarter for Ownership?
 If your goal is to own your own dental practice, don’t let a job today block the practice you want to build tomorrow.

At Ideal Practices, we’ve helped over 900 dentists navigate startup planning—from legal structure to real estate to associate contract strategy. If you’re in this for the long haul, make sure you’re protected from the start.

Ready to talk through your ownership goals?
 Book a free consultation call here

Or explore more startup strategies on the Ideal Practices blog and hear stories from other doctors here.

Protect your dream. Then build it with confidence.