
Management Benefits Fund dental insurance plans and benefits are designed to help employees and their families maintain good oral health. This type of insurance provides essential coverage for dental care.
With a Management Benefits Fund dental insurance plan, you can expect to pay a portion of the premium costs, which can be deducted from your paycheck on a pre-tax basis. This can help reduce your taxable income.
A typical Management Benefits Fund dental insurance plan covers routine cleanings, fillings, and other essential procedures. You can also expect to pay a copayment for these services, which can range from $20 to $50 per visit.
In addition to routine care, Management Benefits Fund dental insurance plans often cover major procedures such as crowns, root canals, and extractions. These procedures can be costly, but with insurance, you can expect to pay a smaller portion of the total cost.
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What's Covered
All eligible members, eligible dependents, and eligible retirees are covered for dental benefits.
Coverage includes a wide range of dental care, but there are some exclusions to be aware of. Treatment exclusions often involve technical matters.
Dental benefits are available to those defined in the General Information section of the Green or Red Apple guide.
This means you can get the care you need, but it's essential to understand what's covered and what's not to avoid any surprises.
How to File a Claim
Filing a claim with your Management Benefits Fund dental insurance is a straightforward process. Claim forms are available on the Forms page or from participating providers.
You can also get claim forms by mail from Guardian or through the Guardian Website. Guardian Forms have the mailing address on them.
To submit your claim, send it to Guardian Group Dental Claims at P.O. Box 981572 in El Paso, TX 79998-1572.
Make sure to follow the instructions carefully and include all necessary information to ensure a smooth claims process.
Additional reading: Insurance Claim Management
Plan Details
The UFT Welfare Fund offers two dental benefit programs: the Scheduled Benefit Plan and Dentcare, a no-cost dental HMO.
You can choose between a panel dentist through SIDS or the Florida PPO Panel with little or no out-of-pocket cost for covered services, or select any dentist and submit for reimbursement according to the UFT Welfare Fund Schedule of Covered Dental Expenses.
The Scheduled Benefit Plan offers a panel dentist option with minimal out-of-pocket costs, or the flexibility to choose any dentist and receive reimbursement according to the UFT Welfare Fund's Schedule of Covered Dental Expenses.
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Pre-Treatment Review
Pre-treatment review is a must for plan participants. It's essential to be informed about the total cost, plan reimbursement, and out-of-pocket costs associated with a course of dental treatment.
Forms for pre-treatment review are available at participating dentist offices or from Guardian. You can also get them at your dentist's office.
Pre-treatment review is recommended to ensure you understand the costs involved and can make informed decisions about your treatment.
Plans

The UFT Welfare Fund offers two dental programs: the Scheduled Benefit Plan and Dentcare, a no-cost dental HMO. You can choose between these two options to get the coverage that suits your needs.
Through the Scheduled Benefit Plan, you can see a panel dentist with little or no out-of-pocket cost for covered services, or choose any dentist and submit for reimbursement according to the UFT Welfare Fund Schedule of Covered Dental Expenses.
The Management Benefits Fund (MBF) has also made some changes to its dental plan, effective January 1, 2023. Now, you'll have access to the ASO network and the Careington Network, which has over 250,000 locations.
Here are the key changes to the MBF dental plan:
Remember to verify the participation status of your dentist, even if they practice at a participating location, to ensure you get the coverage you need.
Filing and Payment
Claim forms for out-of-network dental claims are available on the Forms page, from participating providers, or by mail from Guardian. These forms can also be found through the Guardian Website.
To submit a claim, send it to Guardian Group Dental Claims P.O. Box 981572 El Paso, TX 79998-1572. The address is printed on the Guardian Forms.
Filing an Out-of-Network Claim
Filing an out-of-network claim can be a bit of a process, but don't worry, I've got you covered. Claim forms are available on the Forms page or from participating providers, by mail from Guardian and through the Guardian Website.
If you need to get your hands on a claim form, you can find them on the Forms page or ask your participating provider for one. Guardian Forms have the mailing address on them.
To submit your claim form, send it to Guardian Group Dental Claims at P.O. Box 981572 in El Paso, TX 79998-1572.
Optional Fee Payments
Optional Fee Payments are procedures that may exceed an accepted norm of service. Delta dental considers these procedures as non-standard, but may be necessary for certain patients.
Color-matched fillings on molars are an example of an optional fee payment. This is because color-matched fillings are standard practice on front teeth, but not typically on molars.
Members who choose to have color-matched fillings on molars will pay a higher fee, which is in accordance with the profile of each dentist maintained by Delta dental.
Insurance Programs
The UFT Welfare Fund offers two types of dental programs: a "fee-for-service" plan and a Dental HMO plan.
The "fee-for-service" plan allows members to see any non-participating dentist with little to no out-of-pocket costs for covered services. This plan is known as the UFT Welfare Fund Scheduled Benefit Plan.
Members can also opt for the Dental HMO plan, known as Dentcare, which covers comprehensive dental services with no out-of-pocket expenses.
Here are the two types of dental programs available through the UFT Welfare Fund:
- "Fee-for-service" plan (UFT Welfare Fund Scheduled Benefit Plan)
- Dental HMO plan (Dentcare)
Available Programs
There are two types of dental programs available through the UFT Welfare Fund: a "fee-for-service" plan and a Dental HMO plan.
The "fee-for-service" plan, known as the UFT Welfare Fund Scheduled Benefit Plan, allows members to see any non-participating dentist with little or no out-of-pocket costs for covered services.
Members can also opt for the Dental HMO plan, known as Dentcare, which provides comprehensive dental services with no out-of-pocket expenses.
Here's a brief overview of the two plans:
The UFT Welfare Fund determines necessity and appropriateness of dental services based on the total current oral condition of the patient.
Guardian Program by Frequency or Age
The Guardian Dental Program has some specific rules when it comes to the frequency and age of certain procedures.
You're allowed to have three Prophylaxes or Periodontal Maintenance Treatments per calendar year.
If you're under 14, you can get two Fluoride Treatments per calendar year.
Unilateral Space Maintainers are limited to under 16 and replacing lost/extracted deciduous teeth, with one per arch per lifetime.
Bilateral Space Maintainers are also limited to under 16 and replacing lost/extracted deciduous teeth, with one per arch per lifetime.
You can have one Emergency Paliative Treatment in any 6-month period.
A Full-Mouth Series or Panoramic Film is allowed once every 60 consecutive months.
The following procedures are limited by age and frequency:
- Replacement of Amalgam Restoration: 12 months for under 19, 36 months for 19 and older
- Replacement of Resin Restoration: 12 months for under 19, 36 months for 19 and older
- Crown: one per tooth in any 24 consecutive month period
- Recement Bridge: only after 12 or more months since initial insertion
- Denture Rebase: one per 24 consecutive month period and only 12 or more months after insertion
- Denture Reline: one per 24 consecutive month period and only 12 or more months after insertion
- Denture Adjustment: one in any 24 consecutive month period
- Tissue Conditioning: one per arch per 12 consecutive month period and only 12 or more months after denture insertion
Some procedures have specific timing requirements:
- Periodontal Root Planing: one per quadrant in any 24 consecutive month period
- Periodontal Scaling: one per quadrant in any 36 consecutive month period
- Distal or Proximal Wedge: one per quadrant per 36 consecutive month period
- Gingivectomy or Crown Lengthen: one every 12 consecutive months
- Soft Tissue Graft or Subepithelial Connective Tissue Graft: one per quadrant in any 36 consecutive month period
- Bone Graft or Guided Tissue Regeneration: one per tooth or area in a lifetime period
- Two visits for Occlusal Adjustment: one in any 6-month period after scaling / root planing / osseous surgery.
Here is a summary of the procedures and their frequency limits:
Care USA

DeltaCare USA is a dental Health Maintenance Organization that assigns a primary care dentist for members upon enrollment.
That dentist will be responsible for all dental care, including referral to specialists as necessary.
Members will pay for dental services in accordance with a copay schedule that Delta has negotiated with the dentists.
The patient fee is set for each service, eliminating the need for claims or reimbursement.
Unlike traditional insurance, there are no annual or lifetime limits on services, providing greater peace of mind.
Enrollment in the Delta program is available each year and coincides with the City-wide open enrollment period.
The HMO program is sponsored by Delta Dental and called DeltaCare USA.
It is administered by PMI Dental Health Plan, located at 12898 Towne Center Drive, Cerritos, CA 90703-8579.
Information on participating dentists is available from Delta on their website or by phone at 1-800-422-4234.
Most participating Delta dentists are located in New York and New Jersey, but availability outside those areas can be found by contacting Delta or checking their website.
Guardian Guard Preferred
The Guardian Guard Preferred plan is a "preferred provider" (PPO) program with two main components. This program offers access to a panel of dental providers who charge reduced fees.
One of the key benefits of this program is that it has no annual or lifetime maximum payment limitations. This means that plan participants can receive most standard dental procedures without worrying about reaching a cap on coverage.
To get the most out of this program, make sure to use a participating dentist. Participating dentists are eligible for a higher Welfare Fund rate, which can greatly enhance your savings.
You can find a list of participating dentists on the Guardian website or by calling 1-800-848-4567.
Here's a quick rundown of the frequency limits for standard prophylactic care: it's covered once every four months.
Not Covered
Purely cosmetic treatment is not covered by your dental insurance plan.
Some examples of cosmetic treatments include procedures to alter the appearance of your teeth or gums, such as whitening or reshaping. These types of treatments are not considered medically necessary and are therefore excluded from coverage.
A fresh viewpoint: What Does Dental Insurance Not Cover
You can have more than one prophylactic visit every 4 months, but additional visits may not be covered. This means that if you need to visit the dentist more frequently than once every 4 months, you may be responsible for paying for those additional visits out of pocket.
The following services are not covered by your dental insurance plan:
- Purely cosmetic treatment
- More than one prophylactic visit every 4 months
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction
- Replacement of stolen or lost appliances
- Services that do not meet commonly acceptable dental standards
- Services covered under Basic Health Insurance
- Any service or supply not included on Guardians List of Covered Services
- Procedures related to or performed in conjunction with non-covered work
- Educational, instructional or counseling services
- Precision attachments, magnetic retention or overdenture attachments
- Replacement of a part of above
- Services related to overdentures e.g., root canal therapy on supporting teeth
- General anesthesia or sedation, except inhalation sedation related to periodontal surgery, surgical extractions, apicoectomies, root amputations or certain other oral surgical procedures
- Local anesthetic, except as part of procedure
- Restoration, procedure, appliance or device used solely to alter vertical dimension, restore or maintain occlusion, treat a condition resulting from attrition or abrasion or splint or stabilize teeth for periodontal reasons
- Cephalometric radiographs or oral/facial imaging
- Fabrication of spare appliances
- Prescription medication
- De-sensitizing medicaments or resins
- Pulp viability or caries susceptibility testing
- Bite registration or analysis
- Gingival curettage
- Localized delivery of chemotherapeutic agents
- Maxillofacial prosthetics
- Temporary dental prosthesis or appliances except interim partials to replace anterior teeth extracted while covered
- Replacing an existing appliance, except when it is over 10 years old and deemed unusable or it is damaged by injury while covered and not reparable.
- A fixed bridge replacing the extracted portion of a hemisected tooth
- Replacement of one or more unit of crown and/or bridge per tooth
- Replacement of extracted / missing third molars
- Treatment of congenital or developmental malformations
- Endodontic, periodontal, crown or bridge abutment procedure or appliance related to tooth with guarded or worse prognosis
- Treatment for work-related injury
- Treatment for which no charge is made
- Detailed or extensive oral evaluations
- Evaluations and consultations for non-covered services
What's Not Covered?
So, you're wondering what's not covered by your dental plan? Let's take a look.
Purely cosmetic treatment is not covered, so if you're looking to whiten your teeth or get a smile makeover, you'll need to pay out of pocket.
More than one prophylactic visit every 4 months is also not covered, so be sure to space out your cleanings.
Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction is another area that's not covered, so if you're experiencing pain or discomfort in your jaw, you may need to seek alternative treatment.
Lost, stolen, or broken orthodontic appliances are not covered, and re-treatment of orthodontic cases is also excluded.
Discover more: Do I Need Dental Insurance
Surgical procedures incidental to orthodontic treatment, myofunctional therapy, and surgical procedures related to cleft palate, micrognathia, or macrognathia are also not covered.
Here's a list of some other exclusions:
- Purely cosmetic treatment
- More than one prophylactic visit every 4 months
- Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) dysfunction
- Lost, stolen, or broken orthodontic appliances
- Re-treatment of orthodontic cases
- Surgical procedures incidental to orthodontic treatment
- Myofunctional therapy
- Surgical procedures which are medical in nature related to cleft palate, micrognathia, or macrognathia
- Treatment related to temporomandibular joint disturbances which are medical in nature
- Supplemental appliances not routinely utilized in typical comprehensive orthodontics
- Active treatment that extends more than 24 months from the point of banding dentition
- Restorative work caused by orthodontic treatment
- Phase I* orthodontics is an exclusion as well as activator appliances and minor treatment for tooth guidance and/or arch expansion
- Extractions solely for the purpose of orthodontics
- Treatment in progress at inception of eligibility
- Patient initiated transfer after bands have been placed
- Composite or ceramic brackets, lingual adaptation of orthodontic bands and other specialized or cosmetic alternatives to standard fixed and removable orthodontic appliances
Return
If you're facing a situation where your orthodontic treatment isn't covered, you might be wondering what happens next. If your coverage is canceled or terminated for any reason, you'll be solely responsible for payment for treatment provided after cancellation or termination.
You'll be responsible for paying the Contract Orthodontist's usual fee at the beginning of treatment, prorated over the number of months to completion of the treatment. This means you'll need to make payments based on an arrangement with the Contract Orthodontist.
Here's a breakdown of the costs you might incur:
If you're facing a situation where you need to pay out of pocket for orthodontic treatment, it's essential to understand the costs involved and negotiate a payment plan with the Contract Orthodontist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is employee dental insurance worth it?
Having dental insurance can save you money by preventing costly treatments for advanced dental issues. Consider it a smart investment in your oral health and wallet
Why is dental insurance an employer sponsored benefit?
Dental insurance is an employer-sponsored benefit because it promotes employee productivity and can lower medical care costs. By offering dental coverage, employers can invest in their employees' overall health and well-being.
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