Plan Benefits
Dental insurance makes it easy to go to the dentist by minimizing out-of-pocket costs for routine dental check-ups, expensive procedures and most things in between.
Dental Insurance
Active Employee Coverage
To be eligible for the dental plan, you must be in an eligible employee classification, and regularly work at least 17.5 hours a week or have a minimum annual salary of at least $15,000. Your spouse/domestic partner, and children under age 26 are eligible for coverage. Children may be covered through the end of the month in which they turn 26. Please go to HARVie for more details on eligibility.
Retired Employee Coverage
You must meet Harvard’s post-retirement health eligibility and:
Enroll in the retiree dental coverage at the time of retirement, or
At the time you first enrolled in the Harvard-sponsored retiree medical coverage, if you deferred medical coverage when you retired
Enrollment
You can enroll or make changes to your coverage:
Within 30 days of your date of hire/date you become eligible. Coverage will be effective as of your date of hire/date you become eligible
Within 30 days of qualified life event (e.g., marriage, birth of a child, loss of other coverage, etc). Changes must be consistent with the life event and will be effective as of the date of the life event
During the annual Open Enrollment period which typically takes place in October/November. Changes made during OE are effective January 1 of the upcoming year
Effective Date of Coverage: Changes made during Open Enrollment will be effective January 1. Outside of Open Enrollment, your benefits will become effective on the first day of the pay period after your date of hire or qualifying event (e.g., marriage, divorce). If your date of hire or qualifying event is the first day of the pay period, your effective date is the date of your hire/qualifying event.
Provider Flexibility: MetLife’s Preferred Dentist Program is a Dental PPO program. Each plan member is free to visit any licensed dentist, in or out-of-network, and receive benefits. In addition, family members do not need to see the same provider.
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY NON-UNION | DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY UNION |
DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY OPEN RETIREE |
DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY CLOSED RETIREE |
Documents
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY OPEN RETIREE SPANISH | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY CLOSED RETIREE SPANISH | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY UNION PLAN SPANISH | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY NON-UNION SPANISH | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY OPEN RETIREE PORTUGUESE | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY CLOSED RETIREE PORTUGUESE | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY UNION PLAN PORTUGUESE | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY NON-UNION PORTUGUESE | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY OPEN RETIREE HAITIAN-CREOLE | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY CLOSED RETIREE HAITIAN-CREOLE | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY UNION PLAN HAITIAN-CREOLE | Download |
| DENTAL SUMMARY HARVARD UNIVERSITY NON-UNION PLAN HAITIAN-CREOLE | Download |
| CERTIFICATE: UNION | Download |
| CERTIFICATE: NON UNION | Download |
| CERTIFICATE: RETIRED BEFORE 01-01-00 TO 01-01-23 | Download |
| CERTIFICATE: RETIRED ON OR AFTER 01-01-00 TO 01-01-23 | Download |
In-network Savings Example
MetLife negotiates discounts with participating network providers. Your out-of-pocket costs will be lower when you visit a network provider. Following is an example comparing in-network and out-of-network costs for a Filling (resin – one surface anterior) performed in Boston with an average charge of $220.
| In-Network | Out-of-Network | |
|---|---|---|
| Filling: resin one surface average cost | $220.00 | |
| MetLife negotiated fee | $101.00 | NA |
| MetLife pays 75% coinsurance | $75.75 | $165.00 |
| You pay 25% coinsurance | $25.25 | $55.00 |
| Approximate savings from visiting a participating dentist: $29.75 Your savings is the difference between the in-network out-of-pocket cost and the out-of-network out-of-pocket cost |
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Harvard new hires, or those experiencing a qualifying life event such as marriage, divorce or birth, have 30 days from their date of hire or qualifying event to enroll or make changes in coverage. All other faculty and staff can enroll or make changes to their coverage during the Open Enrollment held in the fall for coverage effective the following January 1.
Group dental insurance policies featuring the Preferred Dentist Program are underwritten by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, NY 10166.
Like most group benefit programs, benefit programs offered by MetLife and its affiliates contain certain exclusions, exceptions, reductions, limitations, waiting periods and terms for keeping them in force. Please contact MetLife or your plan administrator for costs and complete details.