Survey: How many U.S. companies offer dental benefits?

You might guess that most of your patients obtain their dental insurance coverage through their work. Does the data confirm this belief? A new survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation asked what percentage of U.S. companies actually offer separate dental benefits and what percentage of the cost of this insurance do these companies cover? And does it matter what size company your patient works for?

You might guess that most of your patients obtain their dental insurance coverage through their work. Does the data confirm this belief? A new survey from the Kaiser Family Foundation asked what percentage of U.S. companies actually offer separate dental benefits and what percentage of the cost of this insurance do these companies cover? And does it matter what size company your patient works for?

The survey found that 68% of U.S. companies that offer healthcare benefits to their employees also offer dental benefits, according to the 2017 Employer Health Benefits Survey Report. Unlike previous years, companies were asked if they offered dental coverage benefits separate from other healthcare insurance coverage.

The survey includes results from more than 2,100 public and private companies in the U.S. Overall, the percentage of all U.S. companies offering any healthcare benefits was 53% in 2017, down from 56% in 2016. There has been a long-term decline in the number of firms that offer employer-provided coverage, particularly among smaller firms, the survey authors noted.

Focusing on dental benefits, when comparing company sizes, larger firms are more likely to offer these benefits and cover more of the costs. What does the data show? See the graphic below for more information.