Dental Insurance for Employees and So Much More
Friday, October 2, 2020, 6:00 AM | Leave Comment
According to the Oral Health Foundation, more than 2 million people have taken days off work due to oral health problems.
Employee absences reduce productivity and can affect your business’ bottom line.
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Dental Insurance for Employees
Dental insurance offers employee’s access to dental treatments that they may otherwise postpone due to financial constraints. It also encourages workers to get regular dental checkups and cleaning, allowing dentists to identify small problems before they become serious, costly, and time-consuming to fix.
Different providers have varying levels of coverage, but all include a range of essential benefits and a variety of additional benefits depending on your needs and budget.
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Core Benefits to Employees
Dental insurance consists of core benefits and clear cut benefits. Core benefits from the baseline of available treatment and cover many basic procedures.
These often include access to unlimited:
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Examinations
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Dental X-rays
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Periodontal treatments
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Scale and polishes
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Fluoride treatments
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Sealants
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Amalgam restorations
Most core benefits are preventative treatments which can help minimise the need for more extensive dental procedures. When choosing an insurance provider for your company, ensure they offer a simple claims process that encourages employees to use basic dental services.
For a higher premium, insurance companies offer policies which also cover major dental procedures including tooth extractions, restorative treatments such as dentures and bridges, accident and emergency treatment, and orthodontic procedures.
To find a policy that suits your business, assess the needs of your employees, taking into consideration treatments they will use frequently.
Consult a dentist in Baker Street to learn more about the most common dental procedures.
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Clear Cut Benefits to Employees
Dental insurance is not only financially beneficial for your company long-term, but it also offers several clear cut benefits for employees with many insurance providers offering:
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No mandatory dental exams before joining
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An unlimited annual maximum benefit
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A wide choice of dental practices
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Full coverage for routine procedures
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No pre-authorization necessary before receiving treatment
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Pros and Cons of Dental Insurance
Dental insurance makes sense for your business and offers numerous advantages.
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You receive help from the dental insurer
Regardless of whether you receive dental treatment through the NHS or privately, your dental insurer will ensure your treatment cost is addressed. With the NHS, your money is typically paid back in its entirety; if you choose a private option, your treatment will be partially paid through insurance.
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You choose when you pay
Dental insurance comes with a monthly or annual option, so depending on your situation and budget, you can choose a method of payment which suits you.
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You have more options
When your employees are covered by dental insurance, they automatically have more treatment options at their disposal.
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Emergencies are covered through most dental insurers
When the unexpected happens, most insurance companies will cover the cost of emergency treatment. Such cover can make a huge difference as many people do not have savings available for costly emergency dental work.
While dental insurance offers employees substantial benefits, there are also some drawbacks that are important to consider before implementing an insurance plan for your company.
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You cannot use your insurance as soon as you apply
Many policies require you to wait an average of 3-6 months before you make a claim. Employees must be aware of the waiting period to minimise their out-of-pocket costs.
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There may be financial limits
There is often an annual limit on the amount you can claim for dental treatments. Any procedure exceeding the maximum benefit limit must be paid for by the employee.
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Insurance won’t cover all procedures
Specific treatments such as cosmetic treatments, or major dental surgeries, aren’t covered by insurance.
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May be unnecessary
Not everyone requires extensive or frequent treatment. If this is the case, you may be spending more on insurance than your employees would on periodic dental maintenance.
Conclusion
Dental insurance comes with several benefits, so if your employees require regular dental treatment or want the reassurance that an insurance policy can provide, then offering dental insurance is a smart business smart choice.
Regardless of the policy, you choose almost all of them to cover general procedures, and should you need a procedure not fully covered through your policy you’ll still have the benefit of partial payment.
