5 Strategies for Brokers to Combat Rising Dental Insurance Costs

Rising dental costs put a strain on both employers and employees. What can brokers do about it?

Dental insurance has become a staple of top employee benefits, with more and more companies recognizing its importance in attracting and retaining talented workers. Yet many insurance brokers have noticed the steady rise of dental premiums.

This trend is not only concerning for employers who want to manage their benefits budget, but also for employees who face increasing out-of-pocket costs.

In this challenging landscape, brokers play an essential role in helping their clients navigate dental expenses. But before we dive into ways brokers can help their clients, let’s understand why dental costs are on the rise. Several factors contribute to this employee benefits trend 2024:

• Increased usage: People are becoming more aware of the importance of oral health and are seeking dental care more frequently.
• Advances in healthcare: Even though it’s beneficial, new dental technologies and procedures could come with higher price tags.
• Inflation: The rising cost of goods and services impacts the dental industry just like any other.

Rising dental costs put a strain on both employers and employees. Employers are forced to allocate more of their budget to employer health benefits, which can impact their bottom line. Employees face higher premiums, deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, making it difficult to afford necessary dental care. This can lead to delayed or avoided treatment, which can ultimately result in more serious and costly health problems down the road.

Because employer group health insurance with dental coverage can be expensive, many companies don’t offer it to employees. But insurance brokers can bring their clients a different solution: a dental savings plan. A dental savings plan provides a cost-effective way to access dental care. It can be offered as a supplement or alternative to dental insurance, and can be a great way for small businesses to provide small business medical benefits.

With Altogether Dental, employees will enjoy discounts of 15-50% on all dental procedures and don’t have to worry about waiting periods, deductibles or claims. Plus, Altogether Dental’s partnership with Aetna gives employees 260,000+ choices of in-network general and specialty care dentists.

Here’s why insurance brokers enjoy partnering with us: 

1. Boost your bottom line: Earn competitive commissions on every Altogether Dental plan you sell, opening up a new revenue stream.
2. It’s simple: Dental insurance ties up brokers and their clients with claims and paperwork. What makes Altogether Dental different is that employees pay their dentist directly; saving the broker and their client time on administrative tasks.
3. Expand your offerings: Offer a simple, in-demand product that fills the gap left by complex, expensive insurance. Stand out in a competitive benefits market.
4. Attract new clients: Tap into a market of employers seeking budget-friendly, yet comprehensive dental benefits options. A dental savings plan is a great fit for employers who are dependent on part-time, seasonal or 1099 employees.

5. Easy to get started: Employees can enroll at anytime — not just during Open Enrollment. Once enrolled, employees have access and discounts to all dental services (orthodontia, dentures and cosmetics).