Dental benefits after retirement

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October 9th, 2017



Happy elderly man sitting in an examination room waiting for dentist

For many people, planning for retirement means decades of tucking money away in retirement accounts and scheduling vacations. But many of these same people forget to plan for one thing – dental benefits!

Most retirees lose employer-sponsored dental coverage when they leave the workforce. While some Medicare Advantage plans offer dental benefits, not all seniors have the dental coverage through their Medicare plan.

Unfortunately, when retirees have to pay for dental services out of their own pockets, they sometimes decide to forego dental visits entirely: In fact, nearly 40 percent of seniors did not see a dentist in 2014. Visiting the dentist less in advanced age is often harmful to older adults’ oral health, as they often have to contend with dental issues related to aging, medications, and other systemic health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease.

But retirees do have options other than paying out-of-pocket. For as little as $24.95 per month, Delta Dental of Minnesota offers dental plans designed to meet the unique oral health needs of people of all ages. Visit DeltaDentalMN.org/shop to learn more about our individual dental plan options.