Employee benefits for dental practices,made easy.
94% of U.S. dental practices have fewer than 20 employees.
You want great benefits for your team. You don’t have the time or the resources to get them.
That isn’t on you. For decades, the benefits industry has been built for big companies, and small businesses have been left to figure it out alone. Cakewalk was built for you.
How it works
You run your business. We handle the benefits.
Tell us about your business.
Start with your business name. We fill in what we can find. Connect payroll and your team comes with it.
Hundreds of options. One tailored package.
We compare hundreds of plans for your team. You get one package, priced and ready to adjust.
We get your team covered.
We invite your team. You see who has started. Each person gets help choosing. Everyone is covered.
Benefits admin. Off your plate.
New hires and departures sync from payroll. Each employee gets a benefits wallet. Their questions come to us, not you.
Your benefits team. On the house.
You pay for coverage. Insurance carriers pay us a commission, so we can handle everything from building your package to supporting your team year round, at no cost to you.
Dental practices at a glance
Offering benefits at a dental practice
Most dental practices are small teams competing for the same hygienists and assistants. Here’s what shapes a benefits plan for a practice like yours.
- of U.S. dental practices have fewer than 20 employees
- 94%
- of dentists recruiting a hygienist call it very or extremely challenging
- 91%
- average weekly hours at dental offices in 2025, just under the 30-hour full-time line
- 28.4
Source: BLS Current Employment Statistics: offices of dentists, 2025
Part-time staff and the 30-hour line
Many hygienists work part time, some for more than one practice. Federal rules treat an employee who averages 30 or more hours a week as full time, and a SHOP marketplace plan has to be offered to every full-time employee, but not to part-time staff.
Sources: IRS: identifying full-time employees; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: dental hygienists; HealthCare.gov: who qualifies for SHOP
Hiring is competitive
Dental hygienist jobs are projected to grow 8% from 2025 to 2035, with about 15,000 openings a year, and dental assistants about 53,000 a year. Benefits are part of the offer candidates compare.
Sources: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: dental hygienists; BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: dental assistants
Cost is the usual reason practices hold back
In a 2022 ADA survey, 47% of dentists offered health insurance to their team, and 83% of those who didn’t pointed to cost. That’s why we start from your budget and the contribution you want to make.
Source: ADA News, August 2022
Benefits are your choice under 50
Employers with fewer than 50 full-time employees, counting full-time equivalents, aren’t subject to the federal requirement to offer coverage. Offering benefits is a decision you make for your team, not a mandate.
Source: IRS: applicable large employers
If you own the business through an S corporation
Premiums for an owner with more than 2% of an S corporation are deductible by the company and reported as wages on the owner’s W-2, but they aren’t subject to Social Security or Medicare tax. The owner may then be able to deduct them personally.
Source: IRS: S corporation compensation and medical insurance
The small business tax credit
The federal credit can cover up to 50% of premiums for employers with fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees and average wages under $68,200 in 2026, if you pay at least half of employee-only premiums and buy through the SHOP marketplace. Owners and their families don’t count toward the totals. SHOP plans aren’t offered everywhere, so check your state’s guide.
The whole benefits package.
Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and income protection. Built around your business and the people who power it.
Start with your team’s needs and your business’s budget. Explore medical coverage online, or work with a benefits advisor to understand your options and choose your next step.
Questions practice owners ask.
Not under federal law if you have fewer than 50 full-time employees, counting full-time equivalents. Offering benefits is your choice, and it’s often a deciding factor for the people you want to hire and keep.
Tell us about your practice.
We’ll follow up to learn about your business and walk you through your options. There’s no cost to work with us.
Prefer to start on your own?