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Dental plans operating in the growing number of states that offer marriage equality for same-gender and mixed-gender couples should check those states' existing benefits laws-and the new regulations written to implement the marriage equality laws-to determine when and how to extend dependent coverage. Plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) are exempt in those states, just as they are in states that still offer only traditional dental benefits. But other plans need to examine the subtleties of the new laws to make sure they take advantage of the potential for huge new markets.