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Creating an Inclusive Workplace: Accommodation Requests in Dental Offices

TempStars

A practical guide for dental office owners and managers in Ontario

 

Overview

Accommodation requests are a normal part of running a dental practice—from ergonomic needs to medical appointments to environmental sensitivities. When you respond quickly and fairly, you protect your team, your patients, and your practice.

This guide will help you understand your legal obligations and provide practical steps for handling accommodation requests professionally and consistently.

What is a Workplace Accommodation?

A workplace accommodation is a change to the workplace or job that helps a person participate at work because of a Code-protected need (most commonly disability). In a dental setting, accommodations can include changes to:

  • Scheduling
  • Duties
  • Equipment
  • Physical environment
  • Workplace policies

Common Examples in Dental Offices

Environmental or scent sensitivities: Adjusting products, ventilation, or work location

Physical or ergonomic needs: Saddle stools, magnification changes, anti-fatigue mats, modified lifting requirements

Medical needs: Brief breaks, modified duties during recovery, time for treatment appointments

Your Legal Duty to Accommodate (Ontario)

In Ontario, employers have a legal duty to accommodate disability-related needs to the point of undue hardship. This includes:

  • Process duty: Engage in meaningful dialogue and investigate options
  • Outcome duty: Implement reasonable measures when possible

Understanding "Undue Hardship"

"Undue hardship" is a high threshold. In Ontario, only these factors can justify undue hardship:

  • Cost (relative to your resources)
  • Outside sources of funding
  • Health and safety risks

What doesn't count: Inconvenience, staff morale, or customer preference are not valid reasons to deny accommodation.

Important Note About Policies

Even if you disclosed a policy during hiring (for example, "we are not scent-free"), employers cannot contract out of human-rights protections. You still need to assess requests and explore options in good faith.

Step-by-Step Response Process

1. Acknowledge Quickly

Respond promptly with a calm, neutral approach:

"Thanks for letting me know. Let's talk through what you need and what options we can put in place."

2. Clarify the Functional Need (Not the Diagnosis)

Focus your questions on:

  • What triggers the issue?
  • What tasks or situations are impacted?
  • What has worked in other workplaces?

Medical documentation: If needed, request information about functional limitations and accommodation requirements—not broad medical history or diagnosis.

3. Explore Options Together

  • Brainstorm practical solutions
  • Prioritize low-cost and low-disruption measures
  • Test changes for a defined trial period

4. Document the Process

Keep written records of:

  • The request received
  • What you discussed
  • Options explored
  • What you tried
  • The outcome

Good documentation protects both parties and demonstrates good faith.

5. Implement and Follow Up

Check in after a few shifts or weeks:

"Is this working? Do we need to adjust anything?"

Handling Scent Sensitivities

Fragrance and chemical sensitivities can range from mild to severe. The goal is to match the accommodation to the level of need while keeping your office safe and functional.

Low-Cost Measures to Start With

  • Switch to unscented or low-scent cleaning products where feasible
  • Ask staff to avoid heavy fragrances on days the person is working
  • Improve ventilation in a specific operatory or assign a work area with better airflow
  • Provide advance notice about construction, strong disinfectants, or product changes

Communicating With Your Team

Frame accommodations as health and safety support. Explain:

  • What's changing
  • Why it matters
  • What's expected

Keep individual details confidential.

Patient Messaging (Optional)

Some offices use signage or appointment reminders:

"To support the health of our patients and team, we kindly ask visitors to minimize the use of scented products (perfume/cologne) when coming to the clinic. Thank you."

When Accommodation May Not Be Feasible

Sometimes an accommodation truly isn't possible—but you'll need to demonstrate your process.

Document:

  • All options you explored
  • Why each option didn't work
  • The specific hardship (cost relative to resources, health and safety risks, or lack of funding)

Consider expert input for complex situations: ventilation contractors, occupational health specialists, or legal counsel.

Working With Temporary Professionals

A consistent accommodation process should apply to everyone working in your office—including temporary or contract workers through TempStars.

Best Practices

  • Pre-shift question: "Any accommodation needs we should know about for this shift?"
  • Shift-prep note: Share relevant information about products used, ventilation, PPE expectations, or any construction/maintenance
  • If a request comes in late: Pause before cancelling. Explore quick alternatives (different operatory, ventilation adjustments, product swap) and document the conversation

High-Risk Moves to Avoid

❌ Cancelling shifts immediately after a request without discussion or documentation

❌ Refusing without exploring alternatives ("we can't accommodate")

❌ Using pretext explanations (citing scheduling issues but reposting the shift)

❌ Sharing personal details beyond what's necessary to implement the accommodation

❌ Retaliating or treating someone differently for raising a health-related need

Medical Documentation: What You Can Ask For

If medical information is needed to assess the request, keep it narrow and practical.

✅ Ask For:

  • Functional limitations
  • Workplace restrictions
  • Expected duration (if known)
  • General type of accommodation required

❌ Avoid:

  • Broad medical history
  • Unrelated medical details
  • Specific diagnosis

Ready-to-Use Scripts

Responding to a Request

"Thanks for letting me know. Let's talk through what you need for this role/shift and what options we can put in place. If it helps, share any triggers and what has worked well in other clinics."

Requesting Clarification

"To make sure we get this right, can you share the key triggers and the functional limits (for example, which products/situations cause symptoms)? If medical documentation is needed, we'll focus on restrictions and accommodation needs—not diagnosis."

Team Communication (Keep It Non-Personal)

"Reminder: we're minimizing strong fragrances in the clinic to support health needs for staff and patients. Please avoid perfumes/colognes and use scent-reduced products where possible. Thank you for helping keep the clinic comfortable for everyone."

Patient Sign or Reminder Text

"To support the health of our patients and team, we kindly ask visitors to minimize the use of scented products (perfume/cologne) when coming to the clinic. Thank you."

Follow-Up Check-In

"Quick check-in: how is the accommodation working so far? Anything we should tweak for next week's shifts?"

Quick Response Checklist

Print this and keep it with your office management materials:

  • I acknowledged the request promptly and scheduled a conversation
  • I asked about functional limitations and workplace triggers (not unnecessary medical details)
  • I explored at least 2-3 accommodation options with the person
  • I considered health and safety implications for patients and staff
  • I documented what we discussed, what we tried, and the outcome
  • I set a follow-up date to review how the accommodation is working

Accommodation Log Template

Use this to document your accommodation process:

Name/Role: _________________________________

Date Request Received: _________________________________

Nature of Request (functional need):

Information Provided (keep confidential):

Options Discussed:

Accommodation Implemented:

Start Date/Trial Period: _________________________________

Follow-Up Date & Outcome:

Additional Resources

For more detailed information, consult these resources:

Need Help?

If you have questions about handling an accommodation request or need guidance on a specific situation, contact TempStars Support at help@tempstars.com.

Disclaimer: This document is for general educational purposes and does not replace legal advice for your specific situation. For Ontario workplaces; requirements vary by jurisdiction.

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