Affordable Dental Insurance Plans for Small Businesses

Affordable Dental Insurance Plans for Small Businesses: Keep Your Team Smiling

Providing dental insurance may not be the first thing that enters your mind when creating a small business benefits package, but it’s one of the most appreciated benefits among employees. For small businesses vying for top talent or simply to keep great employees, dental insurance is both sensible and cost-effective.

Let’s take a look at why small business dental insurance is important, what kinds of plans are out there, and how to pick the right one for your crew.

Why Dental Insurance Is Important for Small Businesses

Employees appreciate dental insurance more than you may anticipate. A healthy smile is more than a pretty face—routine dental care can help prevent major health problems, such as gum disease and infection that can affect overall well-being. With dental insurance, small businesses not only promote employee health but also:

Improve morale and retention
Reduce productivity lost due to dental emergencies
Compete more effectively in hiring
Demonstrate commitment to employee wellness

For businesses, the expense of offering dental insurance is fairly minimal in comparison to health insurance, but it has a high perceived value among employees.

Types of Dental Insurance Plans

When selecting a dental insurance plan for your small business, there are a few primary types to look at:

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Plans

These programs provide a network of dentists but permit employees to visit providers outside the network, typically at a higher fee. PPOs are most popular due to their flexibility and coverage levels.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plans

HMO dental programs generally have lower costs but mandate members see network dentists. These programs may lack deductibles and have reduced premiums, making them best for cost-conscious companies.

Dental Indemnity Plans

Also referred to as fee-for-service plans, these provide the greatest provider freedom. Workers pay out-of-pocket and are reimbursed a percentage of the cost afterwards. These plans are less prevalent and typically more costly.

Discount Dental Plans

Not really insurance in the classical sense, these provide discounted rates for dental care through a network of providers. They’re inexpensive and easy to administer but don’t feature traditional insurance coverage.

Selecting the Best Plan

The following is a consideration for small business owners when choosing a dental plan:

Budget: Identify how much the company should contribute to premiums. You have the option to pay all, a certain portion, or none of the cost.

Employee Needs: Take a quick survey or feedback session and discover what type of coverage is most important to your employees.

Plan Flexibility: PPO plans are a good compromise, providing both network advantages and some out-of-network flexibility.

Provider Networks: Make sure dentists in your region are part of the plan’s network.

Waiting Periods and Coverage Limits: Examine carefully what’s covered and when. Some plans have waiting periods for major work.

Top Dental Insurance Providers for Small Businesses

Some of the most well-known and most dependable dental insurance companies for small businesses are:

Delta Dental
Guardian
MetLife
UnitedHealthcare
Cigna
Humana

These companies provide a variety of customizable plans for businesses with 2–10 employees.

Tax Benefits of Offering Dental Insurance

In most situations, employer-paid dental insurance premiums are tax-deductible as a business expense. Employees can also pay their share of premiums with pre-tax dollars through payroll deductions, which decreases their taxable income.

Final Thoughts

Dental insurance may appear to be a little perk, but to workers, it’s an indication that their company is interested in their overall health. And to small businesses, it’s a cost-effective, high-value product that can enhance retention, morale, and hiring.

There are so many options to choose from, you can locate a dental plan that works for your staff and your budget. When your workers are smiling, your company is healthier—and that’s something you should be willing to spend money on.