Two-thirds of employers with dental plans said they still prefer the reimbursement claims process for treatment costs, research has found.
Denplan's poll of over 100 companies found that the current claims process of paying for treatment and claiming for reimbursement "helps to enhance the visibility and reinforce the value of a dental plan."
Among the remaining third of companies who disagreed, the overwhelming majority acknowledged they would not be willing to accept a higher premium to access direct settlement of claims.
Pam Whelan, head of corporate at Denplan said: "Direct settlement appeared to be gaining interest with some intermediaries and yet it's interesting that our clients place such high value on the current reimbursement process.
She added: "The feedback from the survey was clear that companies still place high value on the service they receive to ensure the claim process is not a barrier to employees joining and remaining on a dental plan."
Under reimbursement dental plans, an individual visits the dentist of their choice, pays the treatment costs, provides proof of payment to the insurer and gets reimbursed for their dental claim by the insurer. With direct settlement plans, the individual has an appointment and the dental claim is handled directly between the dental practice and insurer.
Robert Rutland, principal dentist of Berkshire-based practice Broadway Lifesmiles said: "The goal of any dental practice is to spend as much time as possible with patients and make sure each appointment is of value to them.
"Although it initially sounds like a convenient idea for patients, a direct settlement scheme would add administration time to an already busy practice and detract from the time that dental teams like to give to patients.
He added:"Also, because the patient would leave the practice straight after an appointment without thinking about the costs, they could begin to devalue the worth of their dental plan and the treatment they have received."
