A PEO for a dental office with 25 employees

What pricing looks like at 25 employees

At 25 employees, small differences in a per-employee fee compound into a material annual amount, and benefit participation can support more meaningful plan comparisons. Normalize percentage pricing to PEPM using actual payroll and compare the plan designs as well as premiums.

Dental work presents sharps, bloodborne-pathogen, chemical, ergonomic, and radiation exposures. Class 8832 is generally lower hazard than field or manufacturing classes, but the quote should still show the assigned code, payroll, rate, and claims assumptions.

Your leverage

A complete census, loss information, and a documented request for proposal can create useful competition. Ask each finalist to model state unemployment and workers compensation explicitly and to state how benefits renewal notice works.

When a PEO is the wrong answer at this size

If an experienced internal operator already manages HR, benefits, payroll, and compliance, a PEO may duplicate part of that role. Compare the PEO with an ASO or payroll platform while keeping the existing insurance and internal expertise.

Worth pricing when benefits or recurring employment administration constrain recruiting. A direct health plan, payroll platform, and standalone workers compensation policy may be the better structure when the practice already has workable coverage and little HR workload.

What a dental office should ask every PEO

• Hygienists and associate dentists compare benefits across offices, and a solo practice cannot match DSO-grade health plans on its own.
• Front-desk turnover means constant onboarding, I-9s, and payroll changes that the office manager absorbs between patients.
• Practices bought or sold trigger payroll and benefits transitions that are easy to get wrong mid-year.
• HIPAA training and OSHA bloodborne pathogen requirements need documented, recurring compliance workflows.

Compare the actual medical carrier, network, plan design, employer contribution, and 401(k) terms with the offers used to recruit hygienists and associates. Do not assume a PEO-sponsored option is a large-group plan or that a practice of a particular size will qualify.

Common questions

Can a dental practice with 6 employees get a PEO?

Possibly. Eligibility and billing minimums vary by provider, benefit option, state, employee mix, and participation. Give each candidate the same 6-person census and ask which owners, part-time employees, and waived employees count toward both the minimum and the monthly fee.

Does a PEO help with HIPAA compliance?

Only partially. A PEO handles employment-side compliance (handbooks, harassment training, wage and hour). HIPAA privacy and security compliance for patient data stays with the practice, though some PEOs offer HIPAA training modules for staff.

Different team size?