Understanding Your DCDS Endorsed Insurance Resource: R.K. Tongue

R.K. Tongue Co., Inc. is the officially endorsed insurance and risk management agency of the District of Columbia Dental Society. The relationship has been in place for several years and gives DCDS members a dedicated resource for insurance questions that extend well beyond professional liability coverage.

Most dentists are familiar with their malpractice policy. Fewer have had a chance to step back and look at how the rest of their coverage fits together, especially as a practice grows.

Why Insurance Coverage Tends to Get Fragmented

A typical practice doesn't set out to spread its insurance across several unrelated providers. It happens gradually. Malpractice coverage comes first. Then a practice hires staff and needs a benefits plan. Then it buys equipment, opens a second location, or adopts new technology that introduces cyber exposure. Each of those steps often gets handled separately, by whoever happened to be available at the time.

None of that is a mistake. But it does mean that, over time, a practice can end up with coverage that no longer reflects how it actually operates, gaps that went unnoticed, or overlapping policies that cost more than they need to.

Areas DCDS Members Commonly Review With R.K. Tongue

Employee Benefits

Health insurance, retirement plans, and dental or vision coverage all factor into whether a practice can attract and keep good team members. Many practices reassess their benefits package as staffing needs and budgets shift.

Disability and Life Insurance

A dentist's ability to practice is usually their most valuable financial asset, and it's rarely insured to the extent it should be. Disability income protection and life insurance are two of the most commonly underinsured areas among practice owners.

Business Insurance

Property, equipment, business interruption, and cyber liability coverage all become more relevant as a practice grows and takes on more digital infrastructure and patient data.

Personal Insurance

Home, auto, and umbrella coverage carry different considerations for a business owner than for an employee, particularly around liability exposure tied to owning a practice.

What the DCDS Endorsement Means for Members

An association endorsement isn't a marketing arrangement so much as a starting point. It gives members a place to bring insurance questions to an agency that already understands the realities of running a dental practice in D.C., rather than starting from scratch with an unfamiliar broker.

That familiarity matters. Coverage decisions for a dental practice look different than they do for most small businesses, and an agency that works with dental practices regularly is more likely to catch a gap or an overlap that a generalist might miss.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the D.C. Dental Society’s endorsed insurance agency?

R.K. Tongue Co., Inc. is the DCDS's endorsed insurance and risk management agency. The agency works with dental practices across the district on coverage ranging from employee benefits to business and personal insurance.

Does the DCDS endorsement only cover malpractice insurance?

No. While many members first know R.K. Tongue through malpractice coverage, the endorsement covers the full range of insurance and risk management needs a practice may have, including employee benefits, disability and life insurance, business insurance, and personal insurance.

How can a DCDS member start a coverage review?

A brief conversation with R.K. Tongue can help a practice owner see where coverage overlaps, where gaps may exist, and whether the current insurance program still fits how the practice operates today. There's no cost or obligation to have that conversation.

How do DCDS members reach R.K. Tongue?

DCDS members can reach out to our DC representative Michael Fitzpatrick via email (fmfitzpatrick@rktongue.com) or by texting or calling (410) 752-3154.