Choosing the best dental plan for employees
Experts, including Mark Vitale, D.M.D., a spokesperson at the ADA, detailed the importance of ensuring that employees have adequate dental insurance plans to protect their oral health and workplace productivity.
If dental diseases are neglected, they can result in systemic issues such as inflammation of organs like the heart. Dr. Vitale explained that dental care is most affordable when oral health issues are identified and treated early. Certain dental treatments can even improve cardiovascular and metabolic health.
Dental issues may cost employees more than 164 million work hours per year, according to an article from WorldatWork. However, recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that just 30%, 50% and 70% of employees at small, medium and large companies, respectively, may have access to dental benefits. Meanwhile, a majority of surveyed employees considered dental insurance a needed benefit.
Dr. Vitale emphasized that investing in employees’ oral health can have positive effects on their well-being and productivity. Nonetheless, selecting the most beneficial dental plan can be challenging. Employers were advised to ensure that coverage and reimbursement are aligned with clinical guidelines to encourage employees to take advantage of regular dental care, provide access to preventive dental treatments, eliminate treatment delays and minimize overutilization. The experts indicated that employers should understand how dental benefits will be used, assess network access and evaluate the quality of the insurance provider’s dental practitioner network so they can make the most appropriate decision for their employees and communicate how to effectively utilize the dental plan.
Read more: WorldatWork
The article presented here is intended to inform you about the broader media perspective on dentistry, regardless of its alignment with the ADA's stance. It is important to note that publication of an article does not imply the ADA's endorsement, agreement, or promotion of its content.