3 ways to source dental insurance for UK employees

Group Dental Insurance has always been a popular workplace benefit, but today there seems to be an even greater need for it. The Great British Oral Health Report 2022 found that nearly 60% of people feel that it is harder to access an NHS dentist now than it was ten years ago.

Employers see the value of investing in dental care with 82% of employers offering a dental plan agreeing it enhances employee wellbeing.

The good news is that offering some form of dental insurance is one of the simplest ways to support the health and wellbeing of your staff and make a direct impact on their everyday lives.

This article takes a look at the three ways you can buy dental insurance for employees:

• As a standalone product tailored to fit your business needs
• As an add-on within a wider Business Health Insurance policy
• As part of a Health Cash Plan

Ready to get brushed up on all things dental insurance?

Need help finding the right health insurance policy for your business? Contact one of our friendly brokers on 01273 222805 or email [email protected].

Buying dental insurance as a standalone policy

Investing in a Group Dental Insurance policy gives your staff the opportunity to claim back the costs of any dental treatments and procedures, regardless if this is on the NHS or via a private dentist. Dental insurance for employees can be stretched to include cover for partners and dependants for a wide range of procedures, including:

• Check-ups
• Orthodontic treatments
• Crowns
• Mouth cancer
• Scale, polish, hygienist
• Bridges
• Implants
• X-rays
• Veneers
• Dental accidents
• Fillings
• Dentures
• Root canal

The usual claim process applies. Most insurers will need employees to pay their dentist directly, grab the receipt, and then submit this as a claim for reimbursement.

Buying dental insurance as part of a Group Health policy  

Dental insurance can also be included as part of an existing Business Health Insurance policy as an additional or extra value service. Most extra services added to a Group Health policy come at an additional cost, but it will cost less than buying a standalone dental policy. So, if you’ve already got a Group Health policy, it’s well worth seeing if they’ll be happy to add it on to the policy and whether it offers enough coverage for your needs.

When dental care is included in a Business Health plan, the dental services and procedures on offer aren’t usually as comprehensive and are limited to what the provider is offering. It typically functions as a low-level cash back scheme, but it can still make a meaningful difference to the everyday lives of your team and ensure they are getting the best treatment as quickly as possible.

 

The award-winning team at Hooray Health & Protection offer free one-to-one advice and support on employee benefits and health insurance, sourcing the best quotes and terms from all the providers in the UK market. Contact one of our friendly brokers on 01273 222805 or email [email protected].

 

Buying dental care within a Health Cash Plan

Group Health Cash Plans are another great low-cost way of getting access to dental insurance for employees, with dental and optical care being one of the most common benefits included in these plans. Health Cash Plans provide support for routine everyday health treatments and services, with no lengthy background health checks needed.

Alongside offering dental cover for staff, Health Cash Plans also provides other useful benefits including:

• Eyecare
• Physiotherapy
• Osteopathy
• Acupuncture
• Chiropractor
• Health checks
• Homeopathy
• Hearing
• Prescriptions
• Counselling services

Health Cash Plans, while limited in what they offer (compared to a regular health insurance plan), is a great option for businesses with a smaller budget. It provides everyday health support which every member of the team can benefit from, whatever their circumstances.

The importance of getting those pearly whites checked!

Believe it or not, a dentist can notice more than just ‘teeth-ing’ problems. Nearly 9 in 10 diseases cause symptoms in your mouth. So, picture your teeth and mouth as a window into your overall physical health and your dentist as the snooping detective picking up on potential warning signs of something more sinister than a bad toothache.

Attending regular check-ups will also pinpoint any areas that might need a bit of extra attention, whether that’s needing to brush teeth more or consume less sugary drinks. Either way, if employees are committing themselves to a positive and preventative dental regime, they are going to be saving themselves a lot of time, money and pain in the long run.

Symptoms that a dentist might look out for:

• Gum, tooth, jaw pain
• Bleeding gums
• Loose teeth
• Recurring bad breath
• Sores, irregular patches, lumps in the mouth

Serious issues they may flag up for further investigation include:

• Stress
• Gum disease
• Cardiovascular issues
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Sinus infections
• Lung infections
• Liver/kidney disease
• Oral cancer
• Gastrointestinal issues

Benefits of providing dental insurance for employees

Below we’ve detailed a few benefits of providing dental insurance for employees:

• Encourages staff to take regular check-ups and keep on top of their health and wellbeing
• Helps staff prevent future health problems
• Provides a lower cost way of supporting staff wellbeing
• Reduces absenteeism by lowering the likelihood of staff taking days off for emergency procedures
• Helps attract and retain talent
• Benefits every member of the workforce

 

Get a helping hand through an independent broker

Group Dental Insurance is usually just one part of a larger employee benefits scheme. Finding the right policies and perks at the right price is always a tough challenge for company bosses and HR teams.

Thankfully, there is an easy way to go about it – outsource the task for FREE to an employee benefits broker like Hooray. We’re always happy to take your questions and advise you on every aspect of the process. Based on your preferences, we will source a variety of quotes from across the market and present you with your options in plain English.

Contact one of our friendly advisors for one-to-one support at [email protected] or call 01273 222805.