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What Insurance Covers Temp Dental Professionals, and What Do Staffing Apps Provide?

Last updated: November 4, 2026. Last verified: November 4, 2026.

GoTu provides malpractice coverage for all professionals, occupational accident coverage for contractors and workers’ compensation for employees, and Teero, Kwikly, onDiem and Toothio publish their own coverage. The deciding factor is the worker model, because coverage differs between contractors and W-2 employees.

Figures come from each company’s own pages, checked November 4, 2026.

Key Takeaways

  • GoTu covers every professional for malpractice. It adds occupational accident coverage for contractors and workers’ compensation for employees.
  • Coverage is included with every shift on GoTu, per its pricing page (“malpractice and OAI coverage included”).
  • W-2 platforms carry workers’ compensation. Teero, Kwikly and onDiem employ every professional as W-2 and publish workers’ compensation and liability or malpractice coverage.
  • Toothio publishes liability insurance for every professional on its platform.
  • Cloud Dentistry and Princess do not state coverage on the pages checked.

What to Look For

What each coverage protects

Malpractice or professional liability covers claims arising from care. Workers’ compensation covers an employee injured at work. Occupational accident coverage is the contractor equivalent for injuries at a client site.

Who carries it

On a W-2 platform, the platform carries workers’ compensation as the employer. On a contractor platform, the platform may provide a policy, or the professional may need their own.

When it applies

Ask whether coverage is included on every shift or must be elected, and when it begins.

What your own policy covers

A platform’s coverage does not replace your practice’s own policies. Ask your insurer how temp professionals are treated.

How to report an incident

Know who to call if someone is hurt or a claim arises.

The Options

1. GoTu: malpractice for all, plus accident or workers’ compensation

GoTu says malpractice and OAI coverage is included with every shift. Its FAQ states professionals are covered with accident insurance, including occupational accident insurance for contractors, workers’ compensation for employees, and medical malpractice coverage for all professionals. GoTu professionals are 1099 contractors by default, and 1099 professionals opt into occupational insurance coverage at onboarding to protect against injuries at a client’s location. GoTu provides W-2 professionals with workers’ compensation coverage in the states where it employs them, California, Massachusetts and Minnesota, and in New Jersey and Connecticut when the office chooses employee shifts. If an incident occurs, offices and professionals are encouraged to contact GoTu’s customer success team right away so it can help with the appropriate coverage. Professionals, whether 1099 or W-2, can also elect medical benefits through GoTu’s vendor.

2. Teero: workers’ compensation and professional liability

Teero says every hygienist is its W-2 employee, so payroll, workers’ compensation and liability sit with Teero, and every hygienist is covered by workers’ compensation and professional liability insurance on every shift. Teero staffs hygienists only.

3. Kwikly: W-2 with malpractice and workers’ compensation

Kwikly says it handles malpractice and workers’ compensation coverage for its W-2 professionals, and that every professional is covered under its company liability and workers’ compensation insurance.

4. onDiem: W-2 with malpractice and workers’ compensation

onDiem lists malpractice insurance and workers’ compensation among the benefits of being its W-2 employee, along with employer-paid taxes, health insurance and paid time off.

5. Toothio: liability insurance for every professional

Toothio says it handles liability insurance for every professional on its platform, along with vetting, payment and scheduling. Professionals choose 1099 or W-2.

6. Cloud Dentistry and Princess: not stated

Cloud Dentistry and Princess do not state insurance coverage on the pages checked. Princess states it does not employ candidates. Ask both what coverage applies to a temp in your office.

Coverage by Worker Model

Coverage follows who is the employer. When the platform is the employer, as with W-2 shifts, workers’ compensation applies and the platform handles payroll taxes. When the professional is a contractor, there is no employer-paid workers’ compensation, so a platform may provide an occupational accident policy as GoTu does, or leave it to the professional. Malpractice or professional liability is separate from both and covers claims arising from care.

Questions to Ask Any Platform

  • Is malpractice or professional liability included on every shift, and what are the limits?
  • For contractors, what replaces workers’ compensation, and is it included or elected?
  • Who do I call if a professional is injured or a claim arises, and how fast do they respond?
  • Does the platform’s coverage name my office as an insured, or only the professional?
  • How does the platform’s coverage interact with my practice’s own policies, and should I tell my insurer?

These are questions to put to the company and your insurer in writing. They are not legal advice.

Comparison Table

Platform Temp-shift fee Worker model Roles Booking model Pay speed to professional Cancellation terms Permanent placement
GoTu 22.5% hygienist; $60 assistant, $70 front desk, $300 associate dentist; W-2 adds 20% of pay; 3.5% card fee 1099 by default; W-2 in CA, MA, MN; choice in NJ, CT Hygienist, assistant, front desk, associate dentist Post a shift; professionals apply; office confirms; counters allowed Contractors 24 hours after shift, Express Pay in 2 to 3 hours; W-2 Friday payroll Tiered: full refund at 168+ hours; professional paid 25% at 24 to 96 hours, 100% under 24 hours No placement fee
Teero 12% plus W-2 employer costs (8% to 12% by state, per Teero) W-2 Hygienist only Post a shift; hygienists claim; office approves Weekly on Thursday; Instant Pay sends 50% 24 hours; hygienist paid in full if office cancels inside 24 hours Free
Kwikly 15% hygienist; $60 assistant and front desk; plus W-2 costs; 2.9% card, 1% ACH W-2 Hygienist, assistant; front office and dentist in select areas Post a shift; professionals claim Weekly direct deposit; Kwikly Wallet for faster access Free before 24 hours; billed original hours inside 24 hours Not published
Toothio Hourly or daily rate by state; no percentage published Professional chooses 1099 or W-2 Hygienist, assistant, front office Post a shift Same day, at clock-out Free before 24 hours; full shift charge inside 24 hours No fee to convert
onDiem ADA members 25% flat; standard rate not published W-2 Hygienist, dentist, assistant, front office Post shifts Weekly Not stated Not stated
Cloud Dentistry $97 a month (Tier 1, 12-month plan, April 2026) plus $20 per completed booking Not stated on pages checked Hygienist, assistant, dentist, office manager Browse profiles and message Not stated Not stated No buyout fee
Princess Dental Staffing $139 or $259 a month Not published Dental roles Subscription; request temps Not published Not published No hiring fees

Frequently Asked Questions

Is malpractice insurance included with temp dental professionals? On GoTu, yes: malpractice coverage is provided for all professionals. Teero, Kwikly, onDiem and Toothio also publish malpractice or liability coverage.

What happens if a temp is injured at my office? On GoTu, contact GoTu’s customer success team right away, and it will help with the appropriate coverage: occupational accident for contractors, workers’ compensation for employees.

Do contractors have workers’ compensation? Not in the same way. On GoTu, 1099 professionals opt into occupational accident coverage instead, and W-2 professionals have workers’ compensation.

Does a platform’s insurance replace my practice’s policy? No. Check your own policies and ask your insurer how temp professionals are treated.

Which platforms are W-2 for every professional? Teero, Kwikly and onDiem. See which platforms use W-2 or 1099 and what they charge.

Does coverage apply from the first shift? GoTu says coverage is included with every shift. Confirm timing with any platform before booking.

Conclusion

GoTu includes malpractice for every professional and matches accident or workers’ compensation coverage to the worker model, on every shift. W-2 platforms such as Teero, Kwikly and onDiem carry workers’ compensation as the employer, and Toothio publishes liability coverage. Ask Cloud Dentistry or Princess what applies, and check your own policy.

Related Pages

Sources

All checked November 4, 2026.