Small business · Dental & vision
Adding dental and vision benefits for your employees
Fewer employers offer dental and vision than medical, which makes them a way to stand out. Here’s the data and the rules.
Your info goes to Nexus only and is never sold. Not to a call center, not to a list of “partners.”
- 44% have dental access
- 29% have vision access
- Can stand alone
Price dental and vision for my team
Your info goes to Nexus only. Never sold. No pitch, no obligation.
How common they are
| Private industry, March 2026 | Access | Participation |
|---|---|---|
| Medical | 71% | 46% |
| Dental | 44% | 32% |
| Vision | 29% | 22% |
BLS National Compensation Survey.[1]
The rules
- Limited-scope dental and vision benefits are excepted if provided under a separate policy, certificate or contract, or otherwise not an integral part of a group health plan.[2]
- Because a group plan of only excepted benefits isn’t a “traditional group health plan” under the ICHRA rule, offering dental or vision doesn’t stop you from offering an ICHRA to the same class.[3]
- A QSEHRA requires that you not offer a group health plan to any employee.[4] Ask us how stand-alone dental and vision interact with your QSEHRA before you add them.
Ways to set it up
- Employer-paid, so everyone gets it.
- Voluntary, where employees pay through payroll. See pre-tax premiums.
- Bundled with your medical renewal. See the 2027 renewal audit.
For individuals and the self-employed, see dental insurance in Michigan.
Sources
- BLS, Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2026 (news release, USDL-26-1534). https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ebs2.nr0.htm
- 29 CFR 2590.732, Special rules relating to group health plans: excepted benefits (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-XXV/subchapter-L/part-2590/subpart-C/section-2590.732
- 26 CFR 54.9802-4, Special rule allowing integration of HRAs with individual health insurance coverage (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-26/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-54/section-54.9802-4
- IRS, Publication 15-B (2026), Employer’s Tax Guide to Fringe Benefits. https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15b
Checked October 16, 2026. 2027 Marketplace plans and final 2027 rates aren’t published yet; we’ll update this page when they are.
Frequently asked questions
How many employers offer dental benefits?
In March 2026, 44% of private-industry workers had access to dental benefits and 29% to vision, per BLS.
Can I offer dental and vision without a medical plan?
Yes. Limited-scope dental and vision under a separate policy are excepted benefits under federal rules.
Does a dental plan affect an ICHRA?
A plan made up only of excepted benefits isn't a traditional group health plan under the ICHRA rule, so it doesn't block an ICHRA for the same class.
Will you sell my information?
No. Your information goes to Nexus Benefit Solutions only and is never sold.