Brushing Up on Preventive Dental Benefits

Quick look: Dental benefits remain one of the most valued employee benefit offerings, yet affordability is still a barrier to care, with dental services consistently leading the list of most delayed or skipped forms of medical appointments in the U.S. This presents an opportunity for brokers to help clients evaluate their dental benefit strategy and increase preventive care utilization while reinforcing the value of a well-rounded benefits program.

With open enrollment on the horizon, it’s a natural time for brokers to ask clients if their dental benefits are serving their workforce as well as they could be. For small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), especially, refreshing plan design can drive improvements in employee health, cost efficiency, and competitiveness.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) 2025 Employee Benefits Survey, 99% of employers currently offer dental insurance. However, there’s a difference between simply offering a plan and thoughtfully designing and communicating one that encourages employees to affordably use it. Helping clients bridge that gap is where brokers can continue to deliver strategic value.

How preventive dental care impacts more than just oral health

When most people think about preventive dental care, they imagine routine cleanings, X-rays, and fluoride treatments. But the ripple effects of seeking (or skipping) this care are vast.

National dental expenditures reached $189 billion in 2024, or 3.6% of total U.S. healthcare spending, and untreated oral disease costs employers nearly $46 billion in lost productivity each year.

Preventive dental services can also reduce spending on other health issues. According to the American Heart Association, gum disease is associated with an increased risk of heart attack, stroke, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure.

The long-term impact begins early as well. For instance, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry found that school-age children who experience delayed dental care are significantly more likely to require costly, complex procedures later in life.

The dental knowledge gap

Another trend recent research stresses is the need for deeper dental benefit education.

According to KFF, 25% of adults with dental insurance report that cost is a barrier to care. This signals that many employees may not understand their plan’s coverage, or that routine cleanings could be available at little or no out-of-pocket cost. Further, 18% of adults skipped treatment due to cost in 2025 alone, and dental care is the most frequently foregone form of medical care in the country.

There is good news, though. Per a 2025 analysis from Delta Dental, preventive and diagnostic dental visits have largely rebounded to pre-pandemic levels, and 84% of dental visits were preventive in 2024.

4 ways to help clients strengthen their dental benefit strategy

Here are four tips for brokers to guide clients toward a more effective and affordable dental benefit approach:

1. Cover preventive services on a first-dollar basis

Eliminating cost-sharing for preventive visits decreases the chance that someone may need to decide between paying for a cleaning and paying their other bills. For some clients, this may include covering at least two cleanings per year with no out-of-pocket cost, while others may consider extending that to three visits for higher-risk employees (e.g., those managing diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, or other chronic health issues).

2. Rethink coverage tiers for high-frequency users

The standard “two visits at 100%” model works well for many people, but may not fully support individuals who require more frequent care.

One idea worth presenting to clients is to cover four visits at 80%, rather than two at 100%. This structure makes recurring appointments more accessible for those who need them most.

Another option is pairing dental coverage with a flexible savings account (FSA) or a health savings account (HSA), allowing employees to apply pre-tax dollars toward treatments.

3. Redefine “preventive”

For employees, affordability frequently depends on how their plan defines “preventive.” Clients who waive deductibles on preventive services and exclude those visits from the plan’s annual maximum can help staff preserve more coverage for any dental needs that arise later in the year.

These types of adjustments can make preventive care more accessible while improving employees’ overall perception of their benefits package.

4. Close the communication loop

Even the best dental plan fails if employees are unclear on how their benefits work. Helping clients simplify and modernize communication can be equally impactful as an updated plan design.

Clients should aim to send regular, plain-language updates that:

• Explain what’s covered
• Share how much (if anything) preventive visits cost
• Discuss where to find in-network providers
• Educate employees on the connection between oral health and overall well-being

These communications should be hosted in places where employees are already active. This could be the company intranet, an HRIS platform, a collaboration tool like Microsoft Teams, or an email reminder before open enrollment.

Regardless of where they’re shared, it’s critical that these messages are clear and concise; no one wants their dental plan details to be a mouthful.

How a PEO takes the bite out of dental benefit complexity

As clients continue looking for competitive benefits strategies that balance employee experience with cost management, many brokers are expanding the range of solutions they bring to the table.

When it comes to dental benefits, a professional employer organization (PEO) can complement a broker’s existing toolkit by helping SMB clients access broader benefits offerings and administrative support that may otherwise be difficult to secure independently.

A PEO like ExtensisHR operates with a broker-friendly model and provides access to Fortune 500-level benefit packages, backed by dedicated in-house benefit administration and management experts who support both brokers and their clients throughout the process.

In addition to comprehensive dental options, ExtensisHR offers:

• Medical and vision insurance with FSA and HSA options
• 401(k) retirement plans
• Family-building support
• Pet insurance
• Student loan repayment
• Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
• And more