Why employers should make dental care part of wellbeing coverage

The importance of mental, physical and financial health to overall employee wellbeing has been highlighted in numerous studies and surveys in recent years. A new study from Cigna Healthcare adds dental health to that list.

Oral health problems such as tooth decay, dental pain, gum disease and tooth loss have long been connected to mental health as a collateral effect often attributed to diminished overall self-care or a lack of interest in health or appearance. Patients with severe mental illness are 2.7 times more likely to lose all of their teeth than the general population, the report found.

Research increasingly shows a more direct link between oral and mental health. Chronic inflammation associated with periodontitis, for example, can pass through the gums and supporting bone and enter the bloodstream, leading to elevated stress hormones that impact mental health.

Amid a growing consensus around the connection between oral health and overall wellbeing, dentists and dental carriers are beginning to include dental care as part of whole-person health strategies while working to lower barriers to access for optimal oral care. Employers should consider the positive impacts of quality dental care on overall wellbeing, healthcare costs and employee productivity, the report said.

“Dental benefits are often treated as optional, but the data tells a different story,” says Dr. Cary Sun, Cigna Healthcare’s chief dental officer. “Oral health is deeply connected to chronic disease, mental health and even ER utilization. For employers looking to build a truly comprehensive health strategy, dental care must be part of the equation.”

Related: Dental insurance sticker shock? Some employers may face big premium hikes

Barriers to consistent dental care

About one-third of people recently surveyed reported not having had a dentist appointment in more than a year. There are several barriers to care, including a racial bias in dental care delivery, scarcity of dental providers, data exchange limitations between carriers and providers, and the high cost of dental services, according to the Cigna Healthcare report.

New tools are helping extend care to patients who might otherwise have difficulty accessing dental services, many of which are supported by dental insurers, the report noted. These include teledentistry to triage oral health issues, recommend next steps and provide prescriptions or medications. This availability helps the patient determine whether follow-up care with a dentist is needed and can be an essential step in diverting a patient from a potentially expensive and time-consuming ER trips, the report said.

See also: Want to boost employees’ perception of HR? Look at your benefits strategies

Other developments include at-home oral screenings that leverage smartphones, artificial intelligence and licensed dentists, and mobile dentistry, which brings the dentist to worksites to make primary oral care—such as X-rays, check-ups and fillings—convenient for patients without the need to miss work.

Emphasizing oral health through incentives

Employers are in a unique position to help improve employees’ oral and overall health through incentives for preventive dental visits, said the report. Organizations can also team up with carriers to offer employees access to home oral care tools, such as power toothbrushes and electric flossers, at a negotiated discount.

“Access to dental care is one of the most overlooked equity issues in health care,” says Sun. “By investing in tools like mobile dentistry, teledentistry and culturally competent care, employers can help close critical gaps—especially for employees in rural areas or underserved communities.”

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This article was originally published on BenefitsPRO, a sister site of HR Executive. For more content like this delivered to your inbox, sign up for BenefitsPRO newsletters here.