Financial Benefits of Utilizing Preventive Dental Care Benefits

Guardian Life Insurance Company of America’s recent analysis of claims indicates employers and employees who invest in and utilize their preventive dental care benefits receive dividends down the road. But many people still are not using regular preventive dental care services, and it is costing them.

• No preventive care = More money spent: Individuals who didn’t visit the dentist for preventive care two years in a row experienced an average increase of $720 in claim costs in the third year.
• Utilizing preventive care = Money saved: Those who utilized their annual preventive dental care had a $90 decrease in claim costs by the third year.
• Employers significantly save when employees use preventive dental care: When employees utilize their preventive dental care more, employers experience an 86% reduction over a six-year period in major dental service claims—equaling a net savings of 16% for companies.
• Preventive care has a positive impact for seniors: Plan members 55 and older who had annual dental exams/cleanings decreased their use of major dental services, and had 3% lower out-of-pocket costs. In contrast, those 55 and older who did not receive use their annual preventive care had a 15% increase in out-of-pocket costs.

Guardian’s recent analysis of claims data also shows that plan members who utilize their annual preventive care are more likely to avoid serious oral health problems that require more costly treatment down the road.

Read the research brief at guardiananytime.com