Adding Bite to Benefits Nov 07

There is general public concern about the provision of NHS dentistry. One in five now pay for private dentistry, while a similar proportion put their oral health at risk by never visiting the dentist at all. Recently it was reported that an alarming number of people are actually trying to performing dentistry on themselves using dental kits and household products such as polyfilla! 

NHS services are likely to get worse rather than better. In 2008, current funding for primary care trusts to support local dental services is likely to fall. At that point, the number of NHS dentists may fall even further, further driving demand.

Some dentists have now stopped offering NHS services to children and as NHS dentists become as rarer people are discovering the high price of going private.

The changes in the provision of NHS treatment did not immediately lead to a demand in for dental plans. Most people only visit their dentist every six months or so and so the reaction was delayed. However, people are beginning to see the changes in NHS dentistry and how expensive it is to pay for private treatment.

Employers are taking note. Dental insurance now ranks among the top three benefits that companies are likely to introduce, according to the annual 2007 survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Employers are increasing under pressure to show that benefits packages offer value for money, and dental benefit is a potential solution.

Employees often undervalue life cover or income protection, because they believe that it will happen to them, but everybody goes to the dentist. Every employee and their family has teeth and a dental plan is a benefit that they can regularly make use of. Whether an employee is treated privately or on the NHS a dental plan will help with the costs.

Dental benefits encourage staff to adopt preventive dental care, having regular check-ups and visiting the oral hygienist. They pay from their own pocket, then claim the money back. Unlike, say, private medical insurance, where they never part with any money, they see a tangible cash benefit. So companies are offering something that staff really appreciate.

In the corporate market, most plans are dental insurance, where patients can use any dentist for treatment and get their costs reimbursed, anything between 50% and 100%, according to the plan. This makes them more similar to health cash plans and capitation schemes.

With a private plan the premium depends on your oral health which is usually assessed by the dentist. Corporate dental plans are quite different; all members are charged at the same rate irrespective of oral health and all pre-existing conditions are covered. As the amount of care will differ from member to member and pre-existing conditions are covered benefits are capped at a set amount for the year so that every member can be charged at the same rate.  

The benefits of a dental plan are simple and easily understood meaning employees can quickly see their value their value. Most insurers offer three levels of cover – basic, mid range and comprehensive and are flexible so as to allow members to have different levels of cover within the one scheme. This allows people to choose their level of benefit based on their own requirements. For instance somebody with access to NHS dentistry is free to choose a different level of benefits to somebody who has to pay for all their treatment privately.

Employers who cannot afford the full cost of a dental plan can part-fund instead, allowing the individual employee to upgrade to a higher level of cover at their own cost.