The average dental insurance carries a yearly maximum of $1,000 to $2500. Additionally, the average monthly premium for employer-sponsored dental coverage costs $35 per employee, or $145 per covered family, varying greatly by plan and company. For the majority, a deductible of $50 to $100 is standard, and benefit levels are 100 percent for preventive, 80 percent for restorative, and 50 percent for major work. Orthodontic coverage is included in some better plans.

On the Other: How to Lower Costs

Only 5 percent of employees tend to reach their yearly maximum. Reducing maximums save 5 percent to 15 percent, but reducing benefit percentages can decrease the premium by 25 percent to 35 percent. Employers can also make adjustments to what procedure is considered restorative, major or preventive services. Selecting a fee schedule that the particular plan is limited to paying will lower the monthly premiums further, but require a larger co-pay from employees when getting treatment.

Bottom Line

Employee want more coverage, but 67 percent of those surveyed by MetLife said they want more choices in employee-sponsored plans. Based on this study, it appears employees prefer to have an option between plans and how much their monthly portions will be, rather than merely wanting more coverage. Consulting with your insurance provider to offer adjusted PPO, Fee-For-Service and DHMO choices at varying levels may keep employee satisfaction higher overall.

Source:

ADA: Dental Benefits Plan

MetLife: Dental

Group Insurance Guide

Resource:

California Dental Association: Dental Benefits