Because dental benefits have the potential to improve both oral and overall health, it’s important that employees make the most of their coverage. These simple steps can help encourage employees to leverage their dental benefits as effectively as possible:
Education
Ensure that employees are aware of the value their dental coverage provides.
- Minimizing costs. Save the most out-of-pocket costs by visiting in-network dentists. When employees choose a network dentist, they help ensure lower claims costs, which also benefits employers. This offers immediate financial benefits for a self-insured group and can lead to more stable premiums in the long run for fully insured groups. Moreover, make sure your employees know that dentists outside your plan’s network may be able to balance bill. This is what happens when a dentist’s fee for a certain service exceeds the plans’ allowed amount, and the dentist bills the difference.
- Preventing dental disease. Most dental disease is preventable, and many dental plans cover the cost of preventive care at 100 percent. Regular exams and cleanings are key to keeping mouths healthy and catching dental diseases early, before they become costly problems.
- Maintaining overall health. Signs of over 120 diseases may be detected in the mouth including diabetes and heart diseases. During regular appointments, dentists will look for these conditions and will screen for oral cancer with the goal of early detection. This can help lower medical costs by increasing treatment options and improving outcomes.
Frequent communication
Clear communication can mean the difference between confidence and confusion.
- Reminders. Continue to remind employees of the benefits of good oral health and encourage them to utilize preventive care, typically at little to no out-of-pocket cost.
- Updates on changes. If your plan is updated, provide comprehensive information to employees to ensure they fully understand the changes.
- Check-ins during open enrollment. Employees can make updates at open enrollment, so make sure those who want to make changes don’t miss their chance. This is also a good time to remind employees why they should take advantage of dental benefits.
- Ask for feedback. Encourage employees to articulate the positives and negatives of their experiences using their dental coverage. Ask them to provide information that helps prioritize coverage options. And always be open to suggestions.
Resources
Make sure employees have the materials they need to maximize their benefits.
- Cost savings worksheet. Send a cost savings worksheet to illustrate the financial differences between using an in-network dentist versus an out-of-network dentist.
- Provider tools. Speak with your dental benefits provider about any communication tools they may offer to make it easier for employees to understand and use their benefits.
