Group Dental

Dental insurance is one of the most popular employee benefit programs offered by employers. It is a fairly expensive benefit plan so it is important that employers evaluate the need for such a plan. Items to consider include:

• Long term costs of the plan
• Should the plan be fully insured or self insured
• Is the plan necessary to attract and retain employees
• Are other employers in your industry offering the benefit

Rather than purchase an insured dental plan many employers determine how much they are willing to pay for a dental benefit and contribute that amount to the Health Care Account of their cafeteria plan. This approach is very effective in controlling plan costs. The table below provides a summary of typical dental plan provisions.

Typical Plan Design Provision

Group Size	5 or more employees for full coverage Preventive only plans start with 2 or more employees
Benefits	80% to 100% Preventive Care 60% to 85% for minor restorative care 40% to 60% for major restorative care 50% for orthodontia is usually optional by plan
Benefits Amounts	Annual benefit maximum per employee ranges from $500 to $2000 with $1000 being the most common amount. An annual deductible or $25 or $50 usually applies to the restorative areas.
Rate Guarantees	1 year
Plan Types	Traditional or Voluntary