Health Benefits
Can you offer dental benefits without health insurance?
Where dental and medical coverage separate for small employers.
Denta team · · 1 min read
Yes, a small employer can generally offer a dental benefit without offering medical insurance. Dental and medical benefits can be separate decisions. The exact rules for your arrangement and state still matter.
Where the separation shows up
HealthCare.gov says SHOP can offer health and/or dental insurance to eligible small businesses. See the SHOP eligibility rules and its dental plan information. In the individual Marketplace, adult dental is not an essential health benefit, so medical plans do not have to include it. HealthCare.gov explains adult and child dental coverage.
What to check before launch
Decide whether you want an insured dental policy or another employer-funded dental arrangement. Ask your broker or plan adviser how the dental benefit will be documented, who can enroll, and how claims and appeals will work. “Dental-only” does not mean the plan has no legal or administrative requirements. The Department of Labor discusses obligations for limited-scope dental plans.
If you also want to evaluate medical coverage, start with our health benefits for startups guide. Denta focuses on dental benefits; it does not replace a medical plan.