Washington Dental Service, claims administrators for the SPU Self-funded PPO Dental Program, provides identification cards to all covered employees. This is a Preferred Provider (PPO) plan, with the higher level of benefits paid when a patient uses a dentist within the Washington Dental Service network. Charges billed by out-of-network dentists will be subject to Usual, Reasonable and Customary (URC) limits. Out-of-network dentists will bill patients for the balance in excess of charges deemed URC by the Washington Dental Service network. Information for accessing dental care.

The University pays the full premium for regular full-time employees' coverage (subject to change each year, based on renewal of program contracts).

For regular part-time employees (.5 FTE and above), the University pays a prorated portion of the premium for employee coverage, based on the the employee's FTE. Employees pay the remainder of the employee premium via payroll deduction.

Employees who elect dependent coverage pay for the entire cost of their dependents' premiums by payroll deduction.

All dental insurance premiums deducted from employee earnings are taken on a pretax basis.

Shown below are the monthly premium costs beginning July 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008.