September 29, 1998 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Fewer medium and large private employers provide dental care for employees

In 1995, 57 percent of full-time employees in medium and large private establishments received dental care benefits from their employers. That participation rate was down from a high of 77 percent in 1984, and similar to the 56-percent rate reported in 1980.

[Chart data—TXT]

One factor that could be influencing the reduced employee participation in employer-provided dental care benefits is the rising percentage of employees asked to contribute to the cost of the dental care. In 1988, only 34 percent of participating employees were required to share a portion of the cost of dental care with their employers; by 1993, 54 percent of participating employees had cost-sharing arrangements.

Of those employees receiving dental care benefits, 85 percent are covered by a fee-for-service type plan. Only 8 percent of employees are covered by a dental health maintenance organization (HMO) and 6 percent are covered by a dental health preferred provider organization (PPO).

These data are a product of the BLS Employee Benefits Survey. For additional information, see "Dental Care Benefits, 1995" (PDF 282K), Compensation and Working Conditions, Summer 1998.