What is the best group dental insurance in 2024?
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In the ever-evolving landscape of Canadian group dental insurance, the key to finding the best one is understanding the diverse options available.
Group dental insurance isn't just a cost-effective solution for employers; it's a gateway to brighter, healthier smiles for employees. But finding the right one can be challenging, especially when you have so many options to choose from.
Let’s delve into the specifics of leading providers like GreenShield Canada, Sun Life, GMS, and Canada Life to see what makes them a good choice. Don't forget to compare the plans and get free quotes using our comparator so you can decide on a plan that suits you best.
Best Group Dental Insurance Canada Plans
- GreenShield Canada (GSC): Easy-to-use benefits
- Sun Life dental insurance: PHI plans with varying coverage levels
- GMS Group Advantage Dental Plans: Orthodontic services for children under 18
- Canada Life dental insurance for employees: Ease of customization
Before we jump into the best plans and what they offer, let's take a look at the basics of group dental insurance.
What is group dental insurance?
It is a type of dental insurance coverage that is typically offered to a group of people, such as employees of a company or members of an organization.
It is different from individual dental insurance, where a person purchases a dental plan directly from an insurance provider. Also, it’s a way for employers to provide their employees with access to affordable dental care.
Group dental insurance plans are typically negotiated by the employer with a company offering dental coverage, and the employer may pay a portion of the premium for the plan.
- Group dental insurance plans can vary in terms of the coverage they offer.
- Most plans cover preventive care, such as cleanings and checkups, as well as restorative care, such as fillings and crowns.
- Some plans may also cover orthodontic care and other specialized services.
Good to know
Group dental insurance can be a valuable benefit for employees, as it can help them to save money on dental care. Employees who have such insurance typically pay lower out-of-pocket costs for dental services than those who do not have insurance.
When considering a group dental insurance plan, it's essential to evaluate factors like cost, coverage, provider networks, and the needs of the insured individuals. You can use our comparator to get quotes from 20+ health and dental insurance companies in Canada and make an informed decision.
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How does group dental insurance work in Canada?
Here are 4 easy points to understand group dental insurance plans in Canada.
- Employers negotiate a plan with a dental insurance company, and employees can choose to enroll in the plan.
- The employer may pay a portion of the premium, and the employee pays the rest.
- Employees can typically access dental care through a network of participating dentists.
- This means that they may have lower out-of-pocket costs for dental services than if they went to a dentist outside of the network.
To use group dental insurance in Canada, employees should first find out if their employer offers a plan. If they do, employees should contact the employer's human resources department to learn more about the plan and how to enroll.
What is the cost of group dental insurance in Canada?
The cost of group dental insurance in Canada varies depending on a number of factors, such as the size of the group, the plan chosen, and the age and health of the employees.
- Size of the group: Employers with larger groups typically pay lower premiums than employers with smaller groups.
- Plan chosen: The cost will vary depending on the plan that the employer chooses. Plans that offer more comprehensive coverage will typically be more expensive than plans that offer less comprehensive coverage.
- Age and health of the employees: The age and health of the employees in the group can also affect the cost. Employers with a younger and healthier workforce will typically pay lower premiums than employers with an older and less healthy workforce.
Your location may play a role in deciding the cost, too. Provinces like Ontario and British Columbia might have higher prices.
Here are some cost estimates for group dental insurance plans in Canada for a group of 10 people:
| Plan | Cost per employee per month |
|---|---|
| GreenShield Canada (GSC) | $20-$30 |
| Sun Life's PHI Plans with dental coverage | $25-$35 |
| GMS Group Advantage Dental Plans | $22-$32 |
| Canada Life's dental insurance for employees | $23-$33 |
These are just estimates, and the actual cost of your plan will vary depending on the above factors. To get a more accurate quote from leading group dental insurance providers in Canada, use our comparator. It's free to use and gives you results in no time.
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What are the best group dental insurance plans in Canada?
Green Shield Canada: Easy-to-use benefits
Honeybee Select, offered by GSC, is a simplified and innovative group health benefits solution for small businesses (25 employees and under) new to workplace benefits.
It is a product provided by Benecaid and is now powered by GreenShield Canada. Honeybee Select offers digital, easy-to-use benefits, with employers positioned to choose the standardized plan that best fits their needs.
All core benefits are provided by GSC, including health, dental, and travel (while optional pooled benefits are provided by leading insurers).
- Allowance Account + Health Account plan: Offers dental coverage as an add-on,
- Allowance Account + Health Account + Insurance plan: Has dental coverage already included.
These plans will be offered by your employer, who will have the freedom to design your benefits plans — and the dental coverage will vary based on the same. In general, Honeybee's dental coverage includes a variety of services, including:
- Preventive care: cleanings, checkups, X-rays, fluoride treatments
- Basic care: fillings, crowns, bridges, root canals
- Major care: dentures, implants, orthodontics
<strong>Is Guardian group dental insurance available in Canada?</strong>
Guardian is a well-known dental insurance provider, primarily operating in the United States. While they do offer dental insurance plans to individuals, families, and employer groups in the U.S., they may not provide dental insurance in Canada, and they may not be licensed to offer insurance coverage in the Canadian market.
Sun Life dental insurance: PHI plans with varying coverage levels
Sun Life offers a variety of Personal Health Insurance (PHI) plans in Canada. These plans can help to cover the cost of unexpected medical expenses that are not covered by provincial health insurance plans. Sun Life's PHI plans are available to individuals and groups (families) alike.
Here is a summary of the different types of Sun Life PHI plans:
- Basic Plan: This plan offers coverage for a variety of common medical expenses, such as prescription drugs, dental care, and vision care. It also offers coverage for emergency travel medical expenses.
- Standard Plan: This plan offers all of the coverage of the Basic Plan, plus coverage for semi-private hospital stays, ambulance services, and certain types of preventive care.
- Enhanced Plan: This plan offers all of the coverage of the Standard Plan, plus coverage for private hospital stays, certain types of major medical expenses, and certain types of preventive care.
Depending on your plan, the dental coverage can range from cleanings to orthodontics — partially or fully.
For example
For instance, the Basic plan offers 60% reimbursement for preventative dental care, while the Standard and Enhanced plans offer 70% and 80% respectively.
To know more about the specific dental coverage of each plan, head to our review of Sun Life dental insurance.
And if you want to get personalized dental insurance quotes from Sun Life and other leading companies in Canada, you can use our comparator and do so in minutes right here.
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GMS Group Advantage Dental Plans: Orthodontic services for children under 18
GMS offers a wide range of health and dental insurance plans for both individuals and groups. It specifically offers three different types of dental insurance for employees (known as GMS Group Advantage Dental Plans), with varying levels of coverage.
Here’s a quick breakdown of each plan:
| Plan | Preventative Services | Basic Services | Major Services | Orthodontic Services (for children under 18) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver | 80% Cleaning Polishing Topical fluoride treatment And more | 80% Exams and x-rays Root canals Denture repair And more | ||
| Gold | 100% Cleaning Polishing Topical fluoride treatment And more | 100% Exams and x-rays Root canals Denture repair And more | 50% Bridges Crowns Full/partial dentures Inlay and onlays And more | |
| Platinum | 100% Cleaning Polishing Topical fluoride treatment And more | 100% Exams and x-rays Root canals Denture repair And more | 80% Bridges Crowns Full/partial dentures Inlay and onlays And more | 50% $1,500 lifetime maximum |
Canada Life dental insurance for employees: Ease of customization
Canada Life offers a variety of dental insurance plans for employers to choose from. These plans can be tailored to meet the specific needs of the employer and the employees.
Canada Life's dental insurance plans cover a wide range of dental services, including:
- Preventive care: cleanings, checkups, X-rays, fluoride treatments
- Restorative care: fillings, crowns, bridges, root canals
- Periodontal care: treatment for gum disease
- Orthodontic care: braces and other devices to correct crooked teeth or misaligned jaws
- Prosthodontic care: dentures and other artificial teeth
Canada Life offers a wide range of resources and tools to help employers implement and manage their dental insurance plans — and help employees understand and use their dental insurance plans. This includes access to online tools, webinars, and training resources.
<strong>Can you get Ameritas Group dental insurance</strong>?
Ameritas Group dental insurance primarily operates in the United States. It is a provider of dental and vision insurance plans for individuals, families, and employer groups in the U.S. They may not offer dental insurance plans in Canada or be licensed to provide insurance coverage in Canada.
