Career guide · Application and interview
Understanding your employment contract in a dental clinic
An employment contract protects both parties, provided you read it. Here is each clause explained simply, what is normal, what is negotiable and what should alert you.
Is a written contract mandatory?
No: a verbal contract is valid in Quebec, but labour standards apply in all cases. A written contract is strongly recommended to set pay, schedule, benefits and commitments. Refuse to start on verbal promises; ask at least for an offer by email.
Which clauses are essential?
Job title and duties, hourly rate or salary, guaranteed hours and typical schedule, start date, probation, vacation and leave, benefits (insurance, RRSP, dental care, uniforms), training, confidentiality, non-competition and non-solicitation, notice of termination. Each must be clear and dated.
What should you check about pay and hours?
The rate, the review date, guaranteed hours per week, the overtime premium (at least 50% beyond 40 hours), any premiums and the payment method. A clause « according to the clinic’s needs » without minimum hours is a risk.
Can probation be long?
Three months is customary, six months the reasonable maximum. During probation, standards apply; after three months, notice of termination becomes mandatory. An indefinitely renewable probation period is a warning sign.
What does the confidentiality clause say?
It requires you to protect patient and clinic information, during and after employment, in accordance with Law 25 and professional secrecy. It is normal and expected; make sure it does not prohibit discussing your working conditions, which the law allows.
Is the non-competition clause acceptable?
Only if it is limited in time (often 6 to 12 months), territory (a few kilometres) and type of activity, as article 2089 of the Civil Code requires, and it does not apply if the employer dismisses you without a serious reason. An excessive clause is often unenforceable; see our guide Non-competition clauses.
What should you do with a training repayment clause?
Accept it only if it covers costly, non-mandatory training, with a declining amount over a reasonable period, and never for training required by the position. Have the amount and schedule specified.
Must benefits be in writing?
Yes, all of them: employer share of insurance, RRSP contribution, weeks of vacation, paid sick days, uniforms, dental care, paid training. What is not written depends on goodwill; what is written can be claimed.
Is a percentage dentist’s contract different?
Yes: it is an associate or services contract, not an employment contract. It specifies the percentage and its basis (production or collected), shared costs, minimum schedule, insurance, non-competition and often the path to ownership. Have a lawyer read it; the Canadian Dental Association publishes guidance.
What if the contract differs from what was said at the interview?
Point it out in writing, courteously, before signing, and ask for the correction. A serious clinic corrects without a problem; a clinic that refuses to write what it promised tells you about what comes next. At Go Dentiste, conditions discussed at the interview are confirmed in writing.
Go further
- Non-competition and non-solicitation clauses
- End of employment, notice and probation
- Dental career guide: the 1,000 questions
- All positions at Go Dentiste
Sources and references
- CNESST — Labour standards in Quebec (brochure)
- Civil Code of Québec, article 2089 (non-competition clause)
- Canadian Dental Association — Career options: key questions on associateships
Content prepared by the Go Dentiste team (Dr Dominic Morel-Maynard, general dentist and owner). Last updated: September 25, 2026. General information for guidance only: only an in-clinic exam can establish a diagnosis and a treatment plan suited to your situation.