Cigna UK research reveals interest in employer arranged dental plans exceeds current provision

Cigna UK has found that only 18% of the UK working population are offered access to a dental plan through their employer. Yet almost a third of those who aren’t offered this valuable employee benefit would like to be. The research, carried out in conjunction with YouGov also found that over 70% of the population visited the dentist in the past 12 months.

The key priority for dental treatment in the coming year is to protect teeth with treatments such as check ups and hygienist visits. More importantly the findings show a direct link between dental plan membership and dentist attendance – good news for employers looking to prevent unplanned absences.

The research also revealed employees’ motivations when choosing dental benefits. These include offering value for money, making treatment costs more affordable and being able to use it regularly. These are all benefits which are easy for employers to communicate – helping them make the most of their benefits package and demonstrate that all important return on investment.

The release of the research findings coincides with National Smile Month 2012 – the UK’s biggest oral health campaign taking place between May 20 and June 20.

Kirsty Jagielko, head of product management at Cigna says, “We’re pleased to find such a high level of dentist attendance. The interest in treatments to protect teeth shows that the all important preventative message is resonating with people. With household budgets now tighter than ever a dental plan is the ideal way to help employees manage their treatment costs and encourage regular visits to the dentist. National Smile Month is the perfect time for employers to think about helping employees access affordable dental care through a company or salary paid dental plan, like those available from Cigna.”