Why Dental and Vision Benefits are Key to Improving Employee Health

How to help employees make the most of preventive dental and vision benefits

When employees think about preventive care, they often think about their yearly physical. And while a physical is an important tool in improving health and wellness, other preventive care—such as dental and vision—gets overlooked. However, preventive dental and vision care equals better employee health and wellness.

For years, Delta Dental of Rhode Island has worked with employers of all sizes to build unique dental benefit programs for their employees that balance affordability and value. Delta Dental of Rhode Island takes a proactive, preventive approach to dental and vision benefits, providing employers with the information they need to keep their employees informed.

Yet Dental and Vision Benefits are Underused

Preventive dental and vision care has a direct impact on employee health and wellness. In addition to cavities and gum disease, dental health is also linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. A vision exam can uncover eye diseases including macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. And as remote work increases the amount of time employees spend in virtual meetings, employees are experiencing increased vision strain, headaches, and blurry vision that require vision correction.

The State of Healthcare 2023 research conducted by Arizent/Employee Benefit News uncovered some unsettling findings: Although the link between preventive dental and vision care and overall health is well understood by the medical community, employees don't take full advantage of these benefits.

The research found that 91% of employers offer dental benefits yet only 35% of employees used their maximum benefits.

It's a similar story with vision: 88% of employers offer vision benefits, yet only 29% of employees used their maximum benefits.

Since preventive dental and vision care has a direct impact on employee health and wellness, improving employee dental and vision benefit usage can translate into more productive, happy, and motivated employees.

An Innovative Approach to Preventive Dental and Vision Care

Delta Dental of Rhode Island, along with its subsidiaries, provides access to affordable dental and vision care for all Rhode Islanders.

Here are just a few of the solutions Delta Dental of Rhode Island provides to its more than 660,000 members:

• Smart Smiles provides members with access to a variety of online resources about oral health and wellness no matter their stage in life, from birth through late adulthood.
• Teledentistry, an approach that enables dentists to have virtual live consultations with patients through videoconferencing or phone applications, makes it even more convenient for members to get dental care. Check your plan coverage for details on what teledentistry services are included.
• DeltaVision^®, in partnership with VSP^® Vision Care, provides affordable, comprehensive vision plans with features that go beyond standard eye care. DeltaVision provides access to the nation's largest network of independent eye doctors in addition to popular retailers and a convenient online shopping option.

Preventive dental and vision care can have a significant impact on employees' overall health and wellness. But it's not a matter of 'build it and they will come.' Employers have a critical role to play in increasing benefits usage by not only educating employees on the importance of maximizing their dental and vision benefits but by partnering with a benefits provider like Delta Dental of Rhode Island that is committed to offering robust plans with easy access to care at affordable rates.
About Delta Dental of Rhode Island

Provided by Delta Dental of Rhode Island.