3 Trends in Dental Benefits That Brokers Need to Know

The dental insurance landscape keeps evolving. Are you up-to-date?

As employee benefits trends 2024 continue to unfold, brokers need to stay informed about the current trends in employee benefits to best serve their clients. We recently spoke with Holden Houston, an Illinois-based health and life insurance broker, who shared  several key trends in employee benefits that his fellow brokers should be aware of.

“I’ve seen people change jobs just because of the dental benefits"

Increased focus on preventative care

One prominent employee benefits trends emphasizes preventative care in dental insurance. Many plans offer comprehensive coverage for preventative services, recognizing the long-term cost savings associated with early intervention. This aligns with the broader trends in employee benefits of promoting employee health and wellness programs.

“Most good plans offer 100% coverage for preventative care,” Houston says. “That’s because they’re seeing how much crowns, bridges and implants cost later on down the road.”

This trend presents an opportunity for brokers to highlight the value of preventative coverage to their clients. By emphasizing the peace of mind that comes with fully covered cleanings and check-ups, brokers can show how dental benefits help their clients. It's a clear example of how benefits are offered by employers to attract good employees and contribute to their overall well-being.

With Altogether Dental, members enjoy discounts of 15-50% on all dental procedures (cleanings, X-rays, orthodontia, fillings, crowns, root canals, bridges and more). Unlike traditional insurance, members don’t have to worry about waiting periods, deductibles or claims. Plus, there are no annual limits on benefits for them or their dependents. This kind of flexibility can be a powerful tool, particularly those looking to enhance their small business employee benefits.

Changing coverage for major services

While preventative care coverage is expanding, many plans are reducing coverage for major dental services. This shift represents a change in the dental insurance landscape that brokers need to be prepared to address with their clients.

“A lot of plans are excluding some of those major services, like crowns and bridges,” Houston says.

This trend underscores the importance of carefully reviewing plan details with clients and setting realistic expectations about coverage for more extensive dental work. Brokers should be prepared to discuss alternative options or supplemental coverage for clients requiring major dental services. They might also consider innovative employee perks or creative employee benefits to fill any gaps in coverage.

“I’ve seen people change jobs just because of the dental benefits,” Houston says. “I think dental savings plans, like Altogether Dental, are going to be the future because traditional dental insurance keeps going up and up in pricing. Such plans can be attractive as a small company benefits package.”

Shrinking provider networks

Another trend impacting dental insurance is the reduction in provider networks. This is pronounced in rural areas, where many smaller dental practices opt out of insurance networks due to low  reimbursement rates.

“A lot of the smaller dental offices are not contracting to be in-network with about 95% of the dental companies because of the reimbursement rates,” Houston says. “I have a couple of dentists as clients and they say that if they stay contracted in-network with some of these dental insurance companies, they would go out of business.”

This trend presents a significant challenge for brokers, especially those serving clients in less populated areas. Brokers need to have a thorough understanding of local provider networks and guide clients toward plans with adequate coverage in their area. Access to a broad network is often one of the top employee benefits that individuals consider when evaluating their company benefits and perks.

At Altogether Dental, our partnership with Aetna Dental Access offers 260,000+ choices of in-network general and specialty care dentists. We make it easy for people to search for dentists on our website. Plus, we offer a concierge service where people can call us directly (1-860-979-5658) and we can help them make an appointment. This streamlined approach aligns with the increasing demand for  employee benefits platform providers that simplify the benefits experience for both employers and employees.