Two dental professionals in masks and gloves treating a patient in a bright clinic

For practice owners & associate dentists · Licensed in 20 U.S. states

Health insurance
for dentists.

Coverage for you and your family when you own a practice, are buying into one, or work as an associate paid on production without a benefits package.

Private & Secure
Fast Response
No Spam Calls

Photo: Pexels photo 3881296 by Andrea Piacquadio, used under the Pexels License. Cropped, resized, and converted to WebP. Modified from the original.

Chairside and at the front desk

You treat patients all day.
Who covers you?

Owning or joining a dental practice changes where your own health coverage comes from. Three things dentists bring up with us:

I am buying a practice this year.

Loan payments, new equipment, and a slower first year can make your income look nothing like your associate years. Base the estimate on what you expect the practice to pay you this year, not on last year's W-2.

I work as an associate on production.

Associates paid a share of production or collections are sometimes 1099 contractors with no office plan. If that is you, a personal or family plan is usually the place to start.

My own teeth are not the question.

Dental coverage is not an essential health benefit for adults, so health plans do not have to include it for grown-ups. Your health plan is about doctors, hospitals, and prescriptions. In the Marketplace, dental coverage for children 18 and under must be available, either in a health plan or as a separate dental plan.

Empty modern dental treatment room with a patient chair, cabinets, and a desk — Photo: Pexels photo 6812453 by Pavel Danilyuk, used under the Pexels License. Cropped, resized, and converted to WebP. Modified from the original.

How dental practice income works

Production, collections, and draws.

The Marketplace bases tax credits on your household income for the year you are covered.

Associates paid a percentage of production or collections: count what you expect to receive this year. If you are on a 1099, use the amount left after business costs.
Practice owners: use what you expect to net after business expenses such as staff, lab fees, and supplies. Ask your tax pro what counts.
In a year you buy or start a practice, income can dip and then climb. If the year turns out differently, update your Marketplace application.

Dentists in numbers

About one in eight
dentists is self-employed.

19,600

Self-employed dentists in the U.S. in 2025.

12%

of all dentists were counted as self-employed (2025).

18,700

Self-employed dentists BLS projects for 2035.

Source: BLS Employment Projections, self-employed workers by occupation (2025 and projected 2035). U.S. group figures only.

Paul DanielsLicensed health advisor · NPN 20986580

Working with Paul

A broker who knows
practice-owner questions.

Daniels Health Advisors is the independent brokerage Paul Daniels founded, licensed in 20 U.S. states. We help dentists who are leaving a corporate or group office, closing on a practice, or going solo. Marketplace plans with possible tax credits are often where we start. If you want a wider network, or a strong year may put tax credits out of reach, we can also walk through private PPO options. Some private plans ask health questions, and approval is not guaranteed. Some may not cover care for health problems you had before you enrolled.

Dental associations sometimes promote member benefit programs. We have no tie to any association. If an offer reached your inbox, forward it and we will compare it with individual and family coverage.

Quick calls between hygiene checks
Licensed in 20 U.S. states · Paul Daniels, NPN 20986580 · FL license G065122
You do not pay us for our help. We are paid by the insurance companies when you enroll. Your price for a plan is the same whether you use us or sign up on your own. Commissions can differ by company.

Your first call

Dentist coverage in three steps.

Share your pay setup

Associate production pay, owner draws, or a W-2 from your own practice, plus when your current plan ends.

We forecast your income

Uneven collections become one household number for the Marketplace application.

Pick a network that fits

We check the doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies your family uses near home and the office.

Book a 15-minute call

Recommended on Facebook

What people say
about working with us.

“I’ve know Paul for years and definitely trust him in the health advisor dept! Working with small business owners he has been a great partner with explain options and provide solutions!”

Sandra D.
Facebook recommendation

“Paul was very helpful in my search for business group insurance. He was able to explain my options and answer all the questions I had before signing up. Highly recommend working with him!”

Adil J.
Facebook recommendation

Before you sign the lease

A plan settled
before opening day.

If production beats your estimate, any advance tax credit you used may be too large, and the extra is repaid on your return. Under current law, starting with 2026 taxes, there is no cap on that payback. Ahead of enrollment, we look up your family's doctors in each network. Expect to walk away with:

A yearly income number drawn from production pay, draws, or salary
A list of practice expenses to confirm with your accountant
Network results for your family's doctors and medications
A note on when small-group coverage for staff may make sense

A checklist for

Dentists buying or opening a practice.

Find out from your current office the last day its plan covers you.
Track collections by month during the purchase year, not only production.
Before your first hygienist or assistant starts, ask whether a small-group plan fits.
Paying through an S corporation? Read our S-corp owner health insurance guide and talk with your tax pro.

Dentist questions

Dentist health insurance FAQ.

I am an associate dentist with no office plan. What are my options?

If your office does not offer you a plan, you can compare personal and family plans, including Marketplace plans and private plans. If you are paid on a 1099, use your pay after business costs for your income estimate.

Does a health plan cover my own dental work?

It may not. Dental coverage is not an essential health benefit for adults, so health plans do not have to include adult dental. You can buy a separate dental plan. Separate dental plans can have waiting periods before they cover some services for adults.

I just bought a practice and have staff. Can I get a group plan?

You may. To use the SHOP small-business program, you need at least one full-time-equivalent employee who is not an owner, a partner, an owner's spouse, or a family member. Other small-group plans set their own rules. See our small business health insurance in Florida guide.

My practice is an S corporation. Does that change anything?

It can change how premiums are paid and deducted. The IRS has rules for more-than-2% S corporation shareholders. Your tax pro should set that up. We focus on finding the plan itself.

Can I write off my health insurance?

Maybe. If you are self-employed and your business makes a profit, your premiums may be deductible on IRS Form 7206. You can't take it for any month you could get a subsidized job plan, including through a spouse. Ask your tax pro.

Do I have to wait for open enrollment?

For a private plan (not from the Marketplace), you can often apply any time of year. Some private plans ask health questions, and approval is not guaranteed. Some may not cover care for health problems you had before you enrolled. Marketplace plans, and other plans that follow ACA rules, work differently. As of October 21, 2026, under current law, open enrollment for 2027 plans runs from November 1, 2026, to January 15, 2027. As of October 21, 2026, a federal appeal about these dates is pending (City of Columbus v. Kennedy, 4th Cir. No. 26-1938), with oral argument set for October 30, 2026. Confirm the dates before you enroll. To start coverage January 1, pick a plan by December 15 (the deadline under current law). Outside those dates, you may need a special enrollment period. Losing job-based coverage is one example.

Get covered before
your next patient.

Book a free 15-minute call between appointments, or start a quote online.

Book a 15-minute call Get a quote online

By Paul Daniels, licensed insurance agent (NPN 20986580).

Disclaimer

Daniels Health Advisors LLC is an independent brokerage, not a carrier, HealthCare.gov, or CMS. Agent: Paul Daniels, NPN 20986580, Florida license G065122. This page is about personal and family health insurance. It is not malpractice, disability, or business insurance. We do not represent any professional association. Job numbers are from public government data and describe groups of workers, not you. Tax credits, plans, networks, and prices depend on your state, zip code, income, and household. We never guarantee approval, a doctor, or a price. Not medical, legal, or tax advice.

Health insurancefor dentists.

You treat patients all day.Who covers you?