Keep smiling

Access to affordable dental care in this country is becoming increasingly limited. In the UK, the number of dentists per capita is low, with over 3,000 patients per dentist. In the US and most other European countries, such as Scandinavia, Germany and France the figure is between 1,000 and 2,000 patients.

The NHS predominantly serviced UK dentistry until the early 1990s when fee cuts forced dentists to move to private practice in order to improve their income. As a result, the number of patients registered with NHS dentists has halved in the last 10 years to 45%. Two out of every five dentists now focus on private dentistry, which means they do not accept new NHS patients. This varies by region, with population per dentist varying considerably.

In 1999, the Government promised that within two years everyone would have access to an NHS dentist. A survey of health authorities by shadow health spokesman Simon Burns in 2001 identified wide variations in the number of adults registered with an NHS dentist. Other evidence shows that Government initiatives have targeted specific areas ' particularly inner cities ' and therefore do not lead to an overall increase in the supply of NHS dentistry. One example of this is the Government set-up of dental access treatment centres across the country. These aim to provide care for those not registered with a dentist. However, the centres do not offer continuity of care as they mainly offer emergency treatment and do not tend to do routine check ups.

Paying too much?

Private dentists' fees are non-regulated and even NHS patients have to pay 80% of the costs. Private sector dental fees vary considerably by region and from one dentist to the next.

The Consumers' Association states there is no price guide to let patients know whether they are paying over the odds, and it suspects that many are. Individuals do not know what costs they will be exposed to, therefore it is hard to judge if your dentist is good value for money.

This has become such a burning issue that the Office of Fair Trading is currently running an investigation into dental charges with the results expected early in 2003.

Individual demand for quality dental care is on the increase. This is partly driven by increased awareness of oral health and greater availability of quality dental care. People are becoming more conscious of oral health, with 96% of adults cleaning their teeth at least once a day. There has been increased use of dental consumable products such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, meaning sales of these items are valued at around £120m and £300m respectively. Also, interest in cosmetic dentistry such as implants is growing with the sales of implants by over 40% in the last three years.

In addition, patient satisfaction with the NHS is only around 50%. This would imply that the other 50% are not happy with some aspect of their treatment and has meant more people are looking for higher quality private care that is more readily available.

According to the British Dentistry Association (BDA), 15 million working days are lost each year through dental-related absence. Unlike other healthcare benefits, dental plans can be used by all employees, making them great value for money. Employer surveys indicate that around 38% offer some form of dental benefit and another 38% intend to offer it in the future. Research from Datamonitor has shown dental care is the most requested form of health insurance by employees.

According to the BDA's dental business trends survey 2001, up to two million people have private dental plans. Dental insurance is perceived by many, especially younger employees, as the only insured benefit of any practical use. This is why dental plans have become so important in business sectors with younger-than-average workforces, such as in IT and retail.

Staying healthy

A recent employee benefits survey by the BDA indicates that helping staff to stay healthy is a key objective for two thirds of employers. Employers should not underestimate the key role that dental insurance can play in improving and maintaining employee health. Oral health plays a big part in overall wellbeing with 85% of people feeling they look after their teeth well. A total of 68% say they attend the dentist at least once a year and almost half ' 48% ' go twice a year.

There are a number of ways an employer can provide dental benefits. First, it can be offered as part of an existing healthcare benefit plan such as a private medical insurance plan or a healthcare cash plan.

Second, it can be offered as a stand- alone dental plan where the employer has the option of offering either a dental insurance plan, available from traditional healthcare insurance providers or a dental capitation plan which is available from dentists participating in specific dental networks.

Finally, an employer can negotiate directly with dentists to provide private treatment to employees on a discounted fee basis either on site ' if the facilities are available ' or in a local surgery.

A comparison of the options is shown in the table opposite, indicating dental insurance plans can offer the most comprehensive cover for employers looking to offer a dental benefit.

Using other resources

In addition to providing dental plans and services as part of a benefits package, employers can also educate staff on oral health by tapping into available resources. There are a variety of resources with educational material such as the British Dental Health Foundation, whose website has a wealth of information on oral health topics including frequently asked questions and links to other dental resources.

Events such as 'Oral Cancer Awareness Week' held in November each year and 'National Smile Week,' held in May each year, help to raise awareness of oral health. Resources available from the BDA's website include factsheets on areas such as oral hygiene and gum disease, further information on dental treatments and how to find a dentist.

Advisers may be looking for an opportunity to deal in a broader portfolio of products, whether that is a wider range of healthcare products or moving into healthcare benefits for the first time. If this is the case then taking a serious look at dental insurance could open up sales opportunities. Dental insurance is an affordable benefit, a simple proposition that is easy to sell and install and it can add real value to the benefits package.

Insurance plan providers offer between 5% and 15% commission and you will find some of them will ensure you get off to a good start by helping you with training, sales tools and case studies.

According to Laing & Buisson, oral health is now one of the fastest growing private healthcare markets in the UK and is valued at around £1bn a year.

The popularity of dental insurance has been increasing in recent years with growth between 15%-30% pa. Over a third of employers now offer some form of dental benefit and with growing awareness, this figure should more than double over the next few years. Brokers stand to benefit from this sector, so now is the time to find out more about how dental plans can work for you.

Susan Thomson is marketing communications executive at CIGNA