There are quite a few things that keep employees awake at night- cash flow, client acquisition, the next big deal, but mention dental care, and the room gets a lot quieter. It’s the can that gets kicked down the road when dealing with more pressing issues- until it becomes the most pressing issue.
We understand the dilemma. Medical insurance is hard enough to afford and administer. Dental benefits are often considered ‘nice to have’ but unnecessary, and they are typically skipped entirely or offered with very limited coverage.
However, dental problems can be just as serious as any other health concern, leading to time taken off work, and they can even impact the heart, becoming potentially fatal.
So, what’s the best solution? Healthcare payment plans can help. They spread medical payments over time, making them more affordable, and many are interest-free for a limited time.
The Dental Coverage Gap in Small Businesses
With many employers skipping dental insurance or offering limited coverage, employees often have no dental insurance at all, or have plans with low annual maximums and high out-of-pocket costs. As a result, they skip cleanings, x-rays, and exams, because they are afraid of what they’ll end up owing.
However, it isn’t long before small problems can develop into bigger ones. They can lead to missed work and lower productivity. Poor oral health is also linked to heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, impacting workers and companies on a much higher level.
The Real Cost of Getting Sick
Business owners may hold off on purchasing dental insurance for themselves and their employees, but at what cost? Here are some things to consider:
- Loss of Productivity: According to Avidon Health, sick days and presenteeism (working while sick) cost companies $3,350 per employee per year in lost productivity. While both sick days and presenteeism are present in any company, they are more likely to be problematic in an organization without full healthcare. Rather than seeking care, workers defer treatments, allowing their conditions to worsen, leading to more sick days and more severe illness overall.
- Founder Risk is an Existential Risk: Workers getting sick is problematic, but what happens when the founder needs to take time off to deal with a dental problem? The entire company could shut down.
- Challenges to Recruiting and Retention: With healthcare costs rising by 6.5% in 2026, offering competitive benefits has become increasingly difficult. Yet, it is key in attracting and retaining top talent.
Why Dental Healthcare Is Often Overlooked
While there is no doubt that dental healthcare offers value and even ROI, many business owners omit it from their benefit offerings for the following reasons:
- Unpredictable, Tight Cash Flow: Many businesses, especially startups, have limited budgets and unpredictable cash flow, making recurring costs feel risky.
- Small Teams Don’t Get Great Pricing: Small startups may not get the price breaks big businesses do, leading to higher premiums and limited plan options.
- Administrative Complexity: A dental plan can add administrative burdens, including comparing carriers and setting up payroll deductions, which cost additional time and money.
- Misperception That Dental Isn’t Essential: Since dental isn’t typically ‘life or death’, business owners may overlook its importance, not realizing the link between oral and overall health and how pain and infections can interfere with work performance.
- Fear of Low Utilization/Wasted Spend: Some employers may feel a dental plan is a waste of money, especially if they have a young team that doesn’t need advanced dental care. Additionally, with annual maximum and coverage details getting confusing, some employees may not even know what’s available.
How Dental Payment Plans Help
Payment plans could be a solution for companies struggling to afford dental coverage for employees. They work like a credit card, covering the initial cost of care, and spreading payments out over time. But unlike a credit card, many offer limited-time interest-free payments to prevent costs from compounding.
While payment plans don’t exactly reduce the cost of healthcare, they reduce the stress of dealing with costs, making employees feel less alone. Here’s how you can present it as a perk in your business model:
Frame It As Support
Acknowledge that medical bills are stressful and that your company doesn’t want anyone to skip a dental visit due to costs.
Explain the Basics
Outline how they can use a payment plan. Here are some key points to include:
- How It Works: Allows you to spread payments over time, making dental care more affordable, and often accepting interest-free, limited-time payments.
- What It Covers: Almost any dental procedure, and can even be used with insurance to cover out-of-pocket costs; must be accepted by the employee’s provider.
- How to Start: Ask your dentist about payment plans they partner with. They will send you an enrollment link. Applying often doesn’t require a hard credit check, so it won’t damage financial standing.
Recommend a Provider
Finding the best payment plan can be tricky, but you can guide your employees’ journey by recommending a few providers with low/no fees, interest-free payments, great customer service, and a transparent approach. Top ones to mention include Cherry Financing and Alphaeon.
Use Multiple Channels
Make a payment plan part of the company culture by spreading awareness through multiple channels, such as:
- Onboarding: Include a recommendation to dental payment plans in your onboarding package.
- Team Meetings: Take a few minutes during team meetings to mention dental payment plans and how they work.
- Written Resources: These can include a simple FAQ on your shared files or a printable one-page PDF.
- Reminders: Continue mentioning payment plans as an option for employees.
Conclusion
Dental coverage is often overlooked in the workplace due to cost and complexity. Business owners who wish to support employees without the steep money and time investment may recommend payment plans instead. They spread payments over time, making them easier to manage, and many are low or no-interest for a limited time.
How will you make them a part of your business culture?
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