Dental care benefits for employees

The latest survey from the CIPD states that dental insurance is becoming one of the quickest growing benefits for staff. But is it a real benefit?

It has been getting harder and harder in recent years to register with an NHS dentist, meaning that patients are finding it difficult even to go for a basic check-up. This has led to a sharp rise in the number who are forced to use private dental care. However, as many as 43% of the population are still put off from visiting the dentist altogether because of the cost.

A recent survey, covered out by Simplyhealth, has shown that 71% of companies believe that they are responsible for the oral health of their employees. One of the main benefits of companies offering this is that they can avoid disruption caused by employees finding a dental appointment.

Corporate sales manager of Denplan, Pam Whelan, is encouraging people to make use of this cover not just in emergencies, but also as a preventative measure.

General manager of Bupa Dental, Ivan Kennedy, states that dental insurance is a tangible benefit for employees. Even if the employee needs to pay part of the cost, there is still peace of mind in knowing they won’t be hit with large dental bills.

One company implanting this benefit is The Health Store. Its personnel manager states that the benefit helps individuals in finding an NHS dentist, and ensures they will be able to get treatment.