Career guide · Schedules and working conditions
Vacation and leave in dental clinics: what the law says
Vacation is often the first benefit negotiated after pay. Here is the legal minimum, common practices in dental clinics and the questions to ask.
How many weeks of vacation am I entitled to in a dental clinic?
Under labour standards: one day per month of service (maximum two weeks) during the first year, two continuous weeks after one year, three continuous weeks after three years of service. The indemnity is 4% of gross pay (under three years) or 6% (three years and more).
Do dental clinics offer more than the minimum?
Many do, especially during shortages: three weeks from hiring, four after five years, or extra floating days. It is negotiable. Ask for the written policy and compare: one extra week is worth about 2% of annual pay.
Can I choose my vacation dates?
The employer sets the period after considering your preferences; it must inform you of your dates at least four weeks in advance. In clinics, peak periods (summer, holidays) are often allocated by seniority or rotation; ask about the rule.
Does the clinic close during the holidays or summer?
Some close for one or two weeks and impose vacation then (allowed if you are notified in advance). Clinics open 7 days, like the Valleyfield clinic of Go Dentiste, generally stay open and spread time off, which leaves each person more choice.
Can I split my vacation?
Yes, at your request, one week can be split; the employer may also propose it but cannot impose splitting into periods of less than a week without your agreement. Floating days offered by the clinic are usually taken one at a time.
Is unused vacation lost?
The indemnity is always owed, but carrying over the leave itself is only possible with the employer’s agreement (or automatically in case of illness, accident or parental leave at the end of the reference year). A good clinic encourages taking vacation rather than banking it.
How is vacation pay calculated part-time or with bonuses?
On gross pay earned during the reference year (often May 1 to April 30), bonuses and overtime included: 4% or 6%. A part-time employee therefore receives a proportional amount, but the same length of leave.
What happens to my vacation if I change clinics?
The former employer pays the accumulated indemnity with the last pay. With the new employer the counter restarts for the length, unless agreed otherwise: you can negotiate recognition of your seniority (three weeks from the start) if you have experience.
Do percentage dentists get paid vacation?
No: self-employed workers receive no vacation indemnity; their income stops when they are away. It is something to factor into the comparison with a salaried position. The associate contract often specifies the number of weeks of absence allowed.
Which questions should you ask about vacation at the interview?
Weeks at hiring and after five years, floating days, allocation rule for summer and the holidays, any clinic closure, possibility of recognizing seniority, unpaid leave. Have the answer written into the offer. See positions at Go Dentiste.
Go further
- Statutory holidays, sick days and family obligations
- Comparing two job offers
- Dental career guide: the 1,000 questions
- All positions at Go Dentiste
Sources and references
- CNESST — Labour standards in Quebec (brochure)
- CNESST — Labour standards, pay equity, health and safety
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.