WSDA Retro: Expert Workers' Compensation Support at No Cost to Members

WSDA Retro is a free program exclusively available to WSDA members offering employers free benefits and support on workers' compensation issues. WSDA Retro also provides WSDA with a significant source of non-dues revenue that the Association will use to lower our members' annual membership dues.

WSDA Retro is free and available to all members who own a dental practice, but you must complete the one-time application. Take 5 minutes to apply today!

Apply for WSDA Retro

Report an Incident

Retro enrolled offices can report a workplace injury at ernwest.com/incident-report.

Report an Incident

Free Workers' Compensation Support

As soon as you're enrolled in WSDA Retro, you'll have access to free, best-in-class support from the workers' compensation experts at Employer Resources Northwest (ERNwest). ERNwest can help you improve your workplace safety and maximize strategies to control the cost of the premiums you already pay to L&I. Plus, if you do experience a workers' compensation claim against your office, ERNwest will review it and manage the process on your behalf, potentially lowering or eliminating the claim.

Wage Reimbursement for Return to Work

Dental offices can get reimbursements from L&I for up to 50% of wages when bringing injured employees back to modified duty. WSDA Retro will match the 50%, so you can get up to 100% of injured employees' wages reimbursed.

What Members are Saying About WSDA Retro and ERNwest

“Without ERNwest, I never would have known there was a problem with the claim against my office. I would have either had to hire an independent advisor to help me, or more likely, I would have just accepted my fate and paid a bunch of money for a claim wrongfully assigned to me.

My representative at ERNwest was responsive, professional, and saved me a lot of money. Plus, it cost me nothing as a WSDA Retro participant.”

– Stephen Lee, DDS

“Since joining the WSDA Retro Program, I’ve had the opportunity to work with ERNwest. My ERNwest claims manager helped me navigate through some confusing and frustrating situations.

Their expertise and advocacy on my behalf to L&I saved me thousands of dollars in my future premiums and personally a lot of frustration and heartburn!”

– Nathan Russell, DDS

“After our employee filed a claim with L&I, our ERNwest representative helped us navigate each step in the process. The ERNwest team helped us provide required documentation to L&I, assisted us in writing a light duty job description, and helped us get the employee’s wages reimbursed through L&I’s Stay at Work Program and WSDA’s Match.

Our ERNwest Claims Manager was there for us every step of the way and made a very stressful experience much easier to deal with.”

– Christopher Herzog, DDS, MS

FAQs

Who qualifies for WSDA Retro?
Dental practices owned by WSDA member(s) with an industrial insurance account in good standing and who are committed to improving safety in their workplace.

If I enroll in WSDA Retro, do I need to change anything with how I pay premiums to L&I?
No. You keep reporting and paying premiums to L&I the same way you always have.

Is there a fee to join WSDA Retro? Is this program actually free?
There is no fee to enroll in WSDA Retro for WSDA members. The only thing you must do to stay enrolled is keep your WSDA membership active, which is a legal requirement by the state of Washington to participate in a Retro program. We are fortunate that Washington state allows for Retro programs — not every state does — and are taking advantage of this opportunity on your behalf.

What is the risk? Could I pay more if I sign up?
There is no risk to the individual. With WSDA Retro, the association assumes the risk for the group.

In fact, you put yourself at risk of paying more than you may need to if you are not enrolled. If you are faced with a workers’ compensation claim and are not a Retro participant, you may have to hire a consultant or attorney to manage the claim for you, and accept the impact that the claim costs will have on your future rates without knowing if they could have been lowered or eliminated.

Is this program too good to be true?
We get it — some of the benefits dentists get from WSDA Retro do sound “too good to be true,” but they are not. The success of the program requires members to control claim costs. Therefore, program benefits are designed to help you do just that. Two of WSDA Retro’s main benefits include offering you free support from ERNwest staff to resolve claims and offering you up to 100% wage reimbursement for bringing injured employees back to work on modified duty. These benefits may seem “too good to be true” to the individual dentist due to the cost savings you see from a free service, but in the long-term, your individual success immensely benefits our Retro program through increased premium refunds to lower our members' dues.

Do I need to re-enroll every year?
No, once enrolled, you will remain in WSDA Retro as long as you remain an active WSDA member.

Can non-member dentists enroll in WSDA Retro?
No. As a benefit of membership, participation in WSDA Retro is exclusively available to WSDA member dentists. Become a member today to enroll!