Dental health: Prevention vs cure

clock

Pam Whelan explains what intermediaries should know about the wider benefits of promoting good dental health.

A popular benefit

According to a recent survey, 62% of employees without a dental plan would consider one if their employer offered it and 31% of people would be attracted to a new employer by a dental plan.

Employees prioritise cost and value for money as the key deciding factors when considering benefits, but there is a strong second tier of factors including the potential to cover emergencies (75%) and how often they use the benefit (75%).

It seems that employees are not alone in the demand for dental benefits either, with 46% of companies reviewing their benefits considering adding dental. Furthermore, not only do 83% of employers recognise that dental plans enhance employee wellbeing, but 68% believe that a dental plan helps to manage staff absences and time taken off for sickness.

The research suggests that there is not only significant demand for dental as a benefit among employees and employers alike, but there is also a clear need for increasing dental care access in the wider public health agenda.

Why is it then that dental benefits continue to be treated as a separate entity to healthcare benefits? The evidence so strongly shows that dental healthcare can be a key indicator in the detection and early diagnosis of many more serious illnesses. Surely it is time to recognise that dental benefits should be used as a key preventive healthcare benefit, rather than a bolt-on for PMI. 

Placing dental at heart of employee benefits

One of the most important things for intermediaries to ensure is that the providers they recommend to their clients have the same dedication to customer service as they do, as well as being expertly placed to offer advice and assistance.

We believe intermediaries thinking of recommending dental as part of a company benefit scheme should talk to expert dental companies rather than general insurance providers. This ensures that any advice given to employees will reflect the latest developments in the dental industry and any products are specifically tailored to promote preventive dental care.

A company with a focus on a wellbeing strategy will want to ensure their employee benefits deliver healthy outcomes. For intermediaries the challenge is finding the most company-friendly, cost effective and useable benefits for their clients. Dental benefits can not only be a viable option, but one which will help look after the general wellbeing of a wider range of people, as well as their teeth.

Pam Whelan is head of corporate at Denplan 

More on Employee Benefits

Spectrum.Life partners with Duality Healthcare

Spectrum.Life partners with Duality Healthcare

Advancing mental healthcare accessibility

Jaskeet Briah
clock 28 March 2024 • 1 min read
Two in five workers would take a pay cut for better benefits

Two in five workers would take a pay cut for better benefits

MetLife research shows

Jaskeet Briah
clock 27 March 2024 • 1 min read
Poor mental health cost UK economy £102b in 2023: AXA UK

Poor mental health cost UK economy £102b in 2023: AXA UK

£26b lost from workers taking sick days

Jaskeet Briah
clock 19 March 2024 • 2 min read

Highlights

COVER Survey: Advisers damning of protection insurer service levels

COVER Survey: Advisers damning of protection insurer service levels

"It takes longer than ever to get underwriting terms"

John Brazier
clock 12 October 2023 • 5 min read
Online reviews trump price for young people selecting life and health cover

Online reviews trump price for young people selecting life and health cover

According to latest ReMark report

John Brazier
clock 11 October 2023 • 2 min read
ABI members with staff neurodiversity policy nearly doubles

ABI members with staff neurodiversity policy nearly doubles

Women within executive teams have grown to 32%

Jaskeet Briah
clock 10 October 2023 • 3 min read