Skip to main content
  • Find a dentist
  • Find a vision provider
  • Find a financial professional
  • Forms and claims
  • Contact us
Guardian Life Logo
login
Guardian Life Logo
      • Life insurance
      • Disability insurance
      • Dental insurance
      • Vision insurance
      • Accident insurance
      • Critical illness insurance
      • Hospital indemnity insurance
      • Group benefits
      • Absence management
      • Paid family & medical leave
      • Benefits technology
      • Enrollment
      • Mental wellness
      • Retirement
      • Annuities
      • Investment accounts
      • Find a financial professional
      • Learning Center
      • Forms and claims
      • Find a dentist
      • Find a vision provider
      • Find a financial professional
      • Retirement calculator
      • Life insurance quote
      • Disability insurance quote
      • Dental insurance quote
      • Vision insurance quote
      • Accident insurance quote
      • Research and insights
      • Reports
      • Webinars
      • Join as a broker
      • Find a sales office
    • About Guardian
    • Careers
    • Newsroom
    • Contact us
    • Investor relations
    • Social responsibility
    • Our diverse and inclusive culture
    • an individual or family
    • an employer
    • a broker
    • a dental provider
    • a financial professional
userLog in

Need help? Call us:

(888) 482-7342

Guardian Life Logo

Customer service

  • Contact Us
  • 1-888-Guardian (1-888-482-7342)
  • Submit a Claim

Resources

  • Forms & Claims
  • Find a dental or vision provider
  • Find a financial professional
  • Careers

Industry Professionals

  • Find a Guardian benefits sales office
  • Living Balance Sheet
  • facebook squareopens in a new window
  • instagram squareopens in a new window
  • linkedinopens in a new window
  • twitter squareopens in a new window
  • youtube squareopens in a new window

Legal Information

  • Terms & conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Disclosures
  • Individual products benefit disclosures
  • Cybersecurity
  • Accessibility
  • Language assistance
  • Telehealth
  • NY Reg. 200
  • Confidentiality for domestic violence victims
  • SEC Rule 606
  • Amendments to broker agreement
  • State disaster updates
  • IL consumer information
  • MDG TX notice to providers
  • TX consumer information
  • Artificial intelligence statement
  • Agreement to conduct business electronically
  • Report suspected fraud
  • Do not sell or share my personal information
Guardian® is a registered trademark of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY.

Copyright© 2026 The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. All rights reserved.

Dental market trends are shifting. Be ready to respond.

The dental insurance market is evolving quickly. Rising costs, higher utilization, and new benefit strategies (like medical carrier bundling) are changing how employers think about dental coverage and how brokers guide them. Employers and brokers who understand these trends can be better positioned to control costs, support employee well-being, and choose dental benefits with long-term value.

Last updated April 15, 2026

Guardian Life Insurance of America
Written by
Cheerful-Woman-Presenter

Ready to deliver smarter dental benefits that take on the trends?

Connect with your Guardian representative for next steps.

In the meantime, explore our plans

Broker /Agent use only. Not for use with, or distribution to, the general public.

1 Economic Outlook and Emerging Issues in Dentistry, American Dental Association (ADA) Health Policy Institute, 2024

2 ibid.

3 Guardian internal reporting, 2025

DentalGuard Insurance is underwritten and issued by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, New York, NY.  Products are not available in all states.

Turn insight into action

Understanding dental market shifts matters. Acting on them is what helps drive results. Learn how Guardian can help you respond with smarter strategies and long-term value.

Rising costs are reshaping dental benefits

  • What's happening

    Dental costs continue to increase due to inflation, higher wages, and rising operating expenses for dental practices. These increases are outpacing general inflation and putting pressure on employer benefit budgets.

    Between 2023 and 2024, dental costs rose by 5.5%.1 A dental service that cost $100 in 2020 cost about $118 in 2024.2

  • Why it matters

    Higher dental costs make it more expensive to offer competitive benefits and can lead to higher employee out-of-pocket costs if plans are not designed carefully.

  • Stand out with Guardian

    • Plans, like Guardian Choice and Guardian Value, are designed to encourage in-network care to help lower overall costs.

    • Thoughtful use of maximums, deductibles, and coinsurance promote better utilization and plan stability.

    • A strong dental network makes negotiating discounts for savings up to 44% possible.3

    • Ongoing member education and digital tools make it easier to find in-network dentists and use benefits.

Increased utilization that's driving higher claims

  • What's happening

    Dental utilization is increasing, not because people are visiting the dentist more often, but because more services are being performed during each visit. Diagnostic imaging, including intraoral periapical X-rays, are being used more frequently.

  • Why it matters

    More services per visit can drive higher claims costs, which may lead to higher premiums or less predictable renewals over time.

  • Stand out with Guardian

    • Continuous monitoring of utilization patterns helps ensure clinical review logic aligns with real-world member behavior.

    • Plans are designed to help manage unnecessary cost growth and preserve access to appropriate, high-quality care.

    • Ongoing analysis helps ensure coverage remains valuable for employees while supporting employer cost control.

Medical carrier bundling and the trade-offs

  • What's happening

    More employers are looking to medical carriers to bundle dental coverage with medical plans and reduce short-term costs. While this approach may seem attractive initially, it can limit plan flexibility, reduce access to strong dental networks, and introduce long-term unpredictability.

  • Why it matters

    Medical insurance is more volatile by nature. When dental coverage is tied to medical, it can be harder to deliver consistent pricing, stable renewals, and predictable outcomes year over year.

  • Stand out with Guardian

    • Decades of dental care coverage experience and knowledge makes us better equipped to adapt to changes in the market.

    • Current dental clinic guidelines guide our claims management.

    • Committed to dental innovation and customer needs for the long term.

    • Tools and engagement strategies provided help employees understand and maximize their benefits.