Why does a dental arbitration agreement specifically require local attorney review before patient use?
Because arbitration law varies significantly between states and provinces, and an agreement that is binding in one jurisdiction may be unenforceable or partially invalid in another. The agreement’s purpose is to commit both the practice and the patient to resolving any future disputes through a defined arbitration process rather than through the court system, which saves the practice substantial time, cost, and reputational exposure. Template arbitration agreements exist and can be useful starting points. None of them are universally applicable without jurisdiction-specific tailoring. State-level requirements on disclosure, signing conditions, voluntary acknowledgement, severability clauses, and other technical elements vary enough that a generic template can fail when tested. Local attorney review confirms the agreement holds up under the specific laws governing the practice’s location. The review cost is small relative to the value of a working agreement. Skipping the review produces a document that looks protective but evaporates when actually needed. For arbitration agreements specifically, the legal review is non-negotiable. Build the agreement once, with local counsel, then use it confidently.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.