The Value of Dental Benefits and Maintaining Oral Health
The Connection Between Dental Health and Overall Health
- Researchers continue to identify links between oral and overall health. Problems of the mouth can lead to harmful levels of bacteria that worsen medical conditions such as diabetes and heart disease if it enters the bloodstream.
- Gum disease has been linked to oral cancer, heart disease, diabetes, respiratory ailments, preterm birth, skin diseases, thyroid problems and leukemia.
- More than 90 percent of all systemic disease, including diabetes, leukemia, cancer, heart disease and kidney disease, has oral characteristics that can be detected by the dentist during an oral exam.
- Gum disease can actually make it harder for people who have diabetes to control their blood sugar.
- Dental care and good oral health mean much more than healthy teeth and a nice smile. They are essential to overall health and well-being. Poor oral health, a lack of dental care and untreated oral diseases can adversely affect an individual’s ability to speak, smile, kiss, chew, maintain proper nutrition, or go to work or school.
The Value of Dental Care
- Dental benefits eliminate the cost barrier to dental treatment.
- Studies show how preventive dental care can be associated with lower medical costs, fewer emergency room visits, in-patient hospital stays and more.
- Over 20 million workdays are lost each year due to dental illness.
- 51 million school hours are missed each year because of dental-related illnesses.
The Value of Dental Benefits
- By focusing on preventive services, your dentist can help catch problems early before they are more costly to repair. Proper oral health habits and preventive treatment can help mitigate the need for more extensive treatment such as root canals, periodontal services and crowns.
- Most dental plans cover preventive and diagnostic care, like cleanings, X-rays, and exams, at 100%.
- Dental plans offer out-of-pocket savings through participating provider networks.
- Dental premiums are approximately 1/12 of the cost of medical premiums.
- Dental benefits are tax deductible for employers and employees.
Dental Benefits Can Lead to Better Habits
- Those with dental benefits are more likely to go to the dentist, take their children to the dentist, receive restorative care and experience greater overall health.
- The NADP 2019 Consumer Survey reported 75% of people with dental benefits have seen a dentist in the past year compared to only 47% of those without dental benefits.
Dental is in Demand
- To recruit top talent, dental benefits are a must-have for employers.
- Dental is one of the top requested employee benefits after medical.
- 80% of Americans have a dental benefit.
- More than 90% of large employers (101 or more employees), 80% of medium sized employers (51-100 employees) and half of small employers (50 and fewer employees) offer dental benefits.
- In 2020, 97% of Medicare Advantage enrollees had access to some sort of dental coverage.
- The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that specific Essential Health Benefits (EHB) be covered under health plan offerings for individuals and small groups. Pediatric dental services, generally for those up to the age of 19, is an EHB.