Benefits for dental practices that have to hire and keep a clinical team

Ares Benefit Group works with dental offices of about 2 to 50 employees. We compare a group plan, an ICHRA, and a QSEHRA for the people on the payroll.

How dental practices actually staff

• Hygienists, assistants, and front office are usually W-2 employees. They are the census we design first. Part-time hygienists are common; treat part-time eligibility as a conscious choice.
• Associate dentists. Some associates are employees. Some are contracted. Classification follows IRS rules, not the informal title "associate." Only employees go on the group plan or into an HRA.
• The owner-dentist. A self-employed owner or that owner's spouse is not the intended ICHRA participant. In some entities the owner is an employee of the professional corporation; we will look at the actual structure rather than assume.
• One or more locations. A second office is still often well under 50 employees. Work location is a permitted ICHRA class. Related practices may be aggregated for applicable large employer status.

Structures we compare for a team this size

For most offices this size, a local group plan and a defined-contribution ICHRA or QSEHRA are the two structures we put next to each other first, then we add disability, life, and Section 125.

• SHOP and other group coverage, when you want one employer-sponsored medical plan and you can meet eligibility and participation rules.
• A level-funded arrangement, when a carrier offers one for your census. We compare it with fully insured group coverage and do not treat either as automatically better.
• An ICHRA, when you want a set contribution and employees choose individual coverage. Permitted classes include full-time, part-time, hourly or salaried, work location, and a waiting period. It is for employees, not for a self-employed owner.
• A QSEHRA, when you are not an applicable large employer and you are not offering a group health plan. See ICHRA vs QSEHRA if both are on the table.
• Section 125 for pre-tax employee premium contributions on a group plan. A QSEHRA cannot be funded by salary reduction.
• Group life and disability and voluntary benefits.

A company under 50 full-time employees, including full-time equivalents, is generally not required by federal law to offer health coverage. If you have fewer than 25 full-time equivalents and you meet the wage, contribution, and SHOP rules, look at the Small Business Health Care Tax Credit.

Recruiting and keeping a clinical team

If you are hiring a hygienist or an assistant against a larger group that already contributes to coverage, be specific about your contribution, waiting period, and who is eligible. We will help you write that offer. We will not invent wage or vacancy figures for dental offices.

What to send us

A roster with roles, hours, locations, and how associates and the owner are engaged by the entity.

Tell us about your dental practice

Our agents are licensed in all 50 states.