December 2, 1999 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Dental care benefits in medium and large private establishments

In 1997, about 59 percent of all full-time employees in medium and large private establishments were offered some type of dental care benefit from their employers.

[Chart data—TXT]

The percentage of full-time employees offered dental care benefits was higher for professional, technical, and related employees (64 percent) than it was for either clerical and sales employees (59 percent) or blue-collar and service employees (56 percent).

Among those with dental care benefits, 81 percent received care from traditional fee for service plans, 11 percent from preferred provider organizations, and 8 percent from health maintenance organizations.

Irrespective of the type of plan under which employees receive dental care, the following procedures are covered in 98 percent or more of plans: exams, x-rays, surgery, fillings, periodontal care, endodontics, crowns, and prosthetics. For each of those procedures, more than three-quarters of those covered received a percentage of the usual, customary and reasonable charge for the procedure as the benefit.

These data are a product of the BLS Employee Benefits Survey program. Find out more in "Employee Benefits in Medium and Large Private Establishments, 1997," Bulletin 2517 (PDF 804 K).