For many employers, the desire to attract and retain the best employees motivates them to provide extra insurance options such as a dental care plan. But a group dental care plan can do a lot more than make your employees happy; it can even help your bottom line.

In particular, we’re talking about preventive dental care. Guardian Life Insurance Company of America found that when employers provide their workers with preventive dental care benefits, they can lower their cost of group insurance policies.

The company researched this issue from 2011 to 2017, dividing employers into two study groups: Those with high utilization of preventive benefits, and those with low utilization. Groupings were decided by the frequency at which employees accessed and used the preventive dental care benefits.

Over six years, the high-utilization businesses spent an average of 39 percent more on preventive care, but 86 percent less on major and restorative dental services! Overall, this equalled out to a 16 percent savings on dental care, when compared to the group of low-utilization businesses.

Interestingly, more than 90 percent of systemic diseases will cause signs or symptoms to present orally or dentally. That’s why many serious illnesses are often first detected at a routine dental visit. Dental health even helps to maintain healthy pregnancies.

Preventive dental care can do much more than ward off dental problems; it can help your employees learn of serious conditions like heart disease and diabetes much earlier than they otherwise would. Early detection and treatment often results in better management or even reversal of disease, meaning preventive dental care can even save money on medical care. As an employer, you can imagine how that savings translates via workplace issues related to illness and sick days.

All of these issues combine to paint an overall picture: First, make sure that you, as an employer, understand the full scope of your dental care plan’s preventive offerings. Then, make sure you encourage your employees to regularly access those benefits. Many companies remind employees via regular bulletins, newsletters, or emails. Some even provide incentives to encourage workers to take advantage of preventive care.

Give us a call if you have any questions about your group dental care plan, or if you wish to discuss adding such a policy to your menu of workplace benefits.