Tips for employees to curb dental costs

Insurance Companies in Canada each year talk about ‘Trend’ in benefit programs. For each of the last 10 years, insurers have requested dental trend increases in excess of 5%. Most employers cannot sustain that level of increase.

Read: Threats to clients’ dental plans

Share the following strategies with your clients’ employees to help ensure the ongoing maintenance of their dental plans:

• Ensure that bills are accurate and contains only services performed.
• Encourage clients to ask for a ‘pre-determination’ quote for any procedure over $500.
• Encourage clients to ask for a second opinion from another dentist on large claims.
• Educate employees on prices. For example, fillings do not generally need to be replaced unless cracked or there is extensive decay or breakdown. There was a scare about ‘mercury’ in fillings but this was more myth than reality; consult with your dentist. And, a crown (inlay or onlay) which typically replaces a filling, is an expensive procedure. Tell employees to ask questions to their dentist before going forward with replacement of fillings by crowns.
• Fee guides are set by provincial dental associations. Tell employees to ask if their dentist follows them.
  • Access the associations here:
    • BC Dental Association
    • Alberta Dental Associaton and College
    • The College of Dental Surgeons of Saskatchewan
    • Manitoba Dental Association
    • Ontario Dental Association
    • The New Brunswick Dental Society
    • Nova Scotia Dental Association
    • Dental Association of Prince Edward Island

Read: Take a bite out of runaway dental costs

This was first published on TRG’s Group Benefits Blog.

Read more on how to control costs in your clients’ benefit plans:

• Is a tiered formulary right for your clients?
• 5 ways to slash drug costs
• Consumer-minded members can save employers money
• Wellness equals lower groups insurance premiums