Dental is one of the most-used and most-appreciated benefits—nearly everyone visits a dentist, so employees feel dental coverage directly. That makes it a surprisingly important part of a competitive package, even though it's a fraction of medical's cost.
This guide covers what to benchmark in dental, how it differs from medical benchmarking, and the plan-design details that decide whether your dental offering is competitive.
See it in action: explore dental benchmarks by location and industry in our free data hub.
How Dental Benchmarking Differs from Medical
Dental follows its own conventions. A few differences shape how you benchmark it:
Lower Cost, Lower (Sometimes Voluntary) Contribution
Dental premiums are a small fraction of medical, so employer contribution strategy varies widely—some fully fund it, many share cost, and others offer it as a voluntary (employee-paid) benefit. Benchmark whether peers contribute at all, and how much.
Annual Maximums, Not Out-of-Pocket Maximums
Dental plans cap what the plan pays per year (an annual maximum), the opposite of medical's cap on what the member pays. A low annual max can make a plan feel thin even if the premium looks fine.
Tiered Coverage by Service Type
Dental typically splits coverage into preventive, basic, and major services—often funded at different levels (for example, 100% / 80% / 50%). The coverage split is a core benchmark.
Key Metrics to Benchmark
When benchmarking dental benefits, focus on these:
Employer Contribution
Do peers fund dental, and at what share for single vs. family? This is the first thing to benchmark—whether dental is an employer-paid benefit or a voluntary buy-up differs a lot by industry and size.
Plan Type (PPO vs. DHMO)
Dental PPOs offer broad provider choice and are the most common; DHMOs trade choice for lower cost. Benchmark which plan types peers offer and whether they provide a choice.
Annual Maximum
The per-person yearly cap on what the plan pays. Benchmark where your max lands—too low and major work isn't meaningfully covered; a higher max is a visible upgrade.
Orthodontia Coverage
Ortho is often a separate benefit with its own lifetime maximum, and frequently limited to children. For employees with families, it's a standout differentiator—benchmark whether peers include it.
Waiting Periods
Some plans impose waiting periods before covering basic or major services. Waiting periods are a quiet competitiveness factor—many strong employers waive them.
Variation by Industry & Region
Dental generosity tracks broader benefits norms. Benchmark against your actual peer group rather than a blended average:
By Industry
Sectors that fund rich medical benefits—like technology—tend to offer stronger dental too, including higher annual maximums and ortho. Compare within your sub-sector.
By Region
Dental premiums and provider networks vary geographically. Benchmark dental for the states where you hire—for example, Texas or California.
Benchmarking Tips for Dental
Benchmark Design, Not Just Premium
A low premium with a $1,000 annual max and no ortho isn't the same as a richer plan. Compare annual max, coverage split, and ortho alongside cost.
Check Whether Peers Even Contribute
Because dental is sometimes voluntary, "do peers fund it?" is a real question. If most of your peer group contributes and you don't, that's a visible gap.
Don't Overlook Waiting Periods
Waiting periods are easy to miss but affect real-world value. Waiving them is a low-cost way to stand out against peers.
See Dental Benchmarking Data
Explore real dental benchmarks—contribution, plan type, and annual maximums—filtered by industry, size, and region.