There seems to be a fear that is associated with the discovery of costs associated with dental insurance.

Would it surprise you to learn that dental visits account for roughly five percent of our total health care needs in any given year? Since this is true, most insurance carriers will provide attractive rates associated with dental insurance.

For the business owner there are several avenues to consider when seeking to provide employees with dental insurance.

One of the key components to their deliberation will center on overall costs. However, inexpensive coverage does not always equal a good plan.

Here are a few general types of coverage and what to expect:

- PPO Plans provide patients with a group of dentists who’ve agreed to provide care to patients within the group at a discounted fee. In essence the dentist is willing to receive less for the prospect of additional patients.

- Self Insurance is an attractive option for businesses due to the fact that there is a strong potential for cost savings if services aren’t utilized in any given year. The difficulty with this plan is the administrative headache that often accompanies it.

- Direct Reimbursement is similar to self-insurance. Employees are welcome to choose their own dentist. The patient pays the dentist and is reimbursed by their employer. This approach is attractive to the employer because research shows that over 40% of employees may not require dental work in a given year providing a potential savings to the employer.

- Closed Panel plans are one of the most limiting in that they restrict the number of available providers. The patient doesn’t get to choose his or her own dentist.

- Indemnity Programs are much like many health insurance plans that allow a choice in dentist. They also provide a limit on total coverage and co-pay options. The employer who monitors overall costs for the employee group generally determines these.

- Capitulation provides a contract for service arrangement that pays a specific provider a specified amount each month to cover all treatment. That fee is paid even if no services are rendered.

Dental insurance can be affordable and a perk that will be appreciated by employees, but private coverage can also be obtained through a local broker or online. It will cost less than major medical coverage and can provide the peace of mind knowing your families dental needs can and will be taken care of.