Dental Plans

You are eligible for dental plan coverage if any of the following apply:

• you are paid by MIT
• are appointed to work at MIT for at least three months, and work at least 50% of the normal full-time work schedule
• you have a visiting appointment
• you have a postdoctoral fellowship appointment of at least three months

Who is not eligible

• contractor
• affiliate
• teaching or research assistant (see graduate student benefits)
• honorary lecturer
• summer appointment
• international visiting student
• member of the armed services assigned to MIT
• family member who is not employed by MIT
• work-study student
• paid by MITemps

Members of collective bargaining units 

All the plan provisions are subject to the terms of your collective bargaining agreement.

When you select an MIT Dental Plan, you will also choose who will be covered by your plan.

• Choose Individual if you only need to cover yourself.
• Choose Employee + Spouse to cover yourself and your spouse or domestic partner.
• Choose Employee + Children to cover yourself and your children (if you are a single parent or your spouse/domestic partner is covered under another plan).
• Choose Family to cover yourself, your spouse/domestic partner, and your children.
• Dependent children may be covered through the end of the month that they turn age 26, regardless of marital status or tax dependency -- unless they are eligible for another employer-sponsored dental plan.
• If you have a dependent who is disabled, that dependent may be eligible for coverage.

You will enjoy greater benefits when you receive your dental care from a participating dentist in either the Delta Dental PPO or Delta Dental Premier networks.

• Both networks offer discounted fees and a no balance billing policy.
• You will receive good value from Delta Dental Premier network dentists who generally accept discounted fees.
• You will enjoy the greatest savings when visiting Delta Dental PPO network dentists due to even deeper discounts.
• If you choose to receive services from a non-participating dentist, you will have higher out-of-pocket costs as the Delta Dental contract rates and the no balance billing policy do not apply.

Please visit the Delta Dental website to find a participating dentist in your area.

Before accepting services from a dental practice, confirm that the office participates in your dental plan, and ask for an estimate of your out-of-pocket expenses for every procedure.

For detailed information on coverage under the Basic and Comprehensive dental plans refer to the plans' Subscriber Certificates below.

You and MIT share the cost of your dental plan. You pay your portion through deductions from your MIT pay each pay period. You are not taxed on the deductions that contribute to your dental plan.

As of January 1, 2024

Domestic partnership tax information

MIT's policy is the same for domestic partners as it is for married spouses and their eligible dependent children. You and MIT share the cost of coverage for your spouse/partner and/or any eligible dependent children. You should be aware, however, that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) imposes certain financial and tax regulations on health insurance costs in domestic partnerships.

Use Atlas to enroll in a dental plan within 31 days of your date of hire or appointment. When enrolling a spouse or dependent(s) in dental plan coverage, you must provide documentation (e.g., a marriage license or birth certificate) to MIT Benefits.

Enroll dependents

When you make your benefit elections as a new employee, you also have the opportunity to enroll eligible dependents in MIT’s dental plan. You will need to provide proof of eligibility when you add dependents to your benefits coverage. 

Shortly after you enroll a dependent in your benefits, you will receive a letter at your home address from MIT Benefits. This letter will ask you to submit specific documents demonstrating that your newly enrolled dependent(s) are eligible to receive benefits coverage under MIT's dental plan and will explain how to do so. The types of acceptable documents vary depending on your relationship to your dependent. A list of examples of required documentation is available.

Enroll during open enrollment

If you do not return your enrollment form within this 31-day period, you must wait until the next annual Open Enrollment period, which takes place in the fall.

Enroll as a result of a qualifying life event

If you experience a change in your life that has an impact on your benefits, you can enroll outside the Open Enrollment period. Learn more. 

To cancel or make a change to your MIT Dental Plan coverage, use Atlas during the annual Open Enrollment period.

If you experience a change in your life—marriage, partner's job loss, disability, new baby, change in Medicaid status or insurance coverage—you can make changes to your dental care benefits outside the annual Open Enrollment period.

When you make a change because of a qualifying life event

• your change must be consistent with your life event (such as adding coverage for a new spouse/domestic partner)
• you must return the Health/Dental/Vision Plan Change Form (below) to MIT Benefits within the specified period
• your change will be effective on the date of the qualifying event
• you must provide appropriate documentation (e.g., a marriage license or birth certificate)

Find out which life events qualify you to make changes to your benefits—and the time frame for making those changes.

Why is my period for making changes limited?

Most of the benefits plans offered through MIT are paid with pre-tax dollars. In exchange for this tax advantage, you are prohibited from enrolling in, canceling, or making changes to those plans outside the annual Open Enrollment period, unless you experience a qualifying change in your work or family life.