Dental Benefits for Employees: Why Companies Must Provide It
Company owners must be aware of the many advantages of providing dental benefits to their employees. While it is a boon for employees, it also benefits the company. This article will show you how.
Good Dental Health Increases Productivity
Employees who have to deal with tooth pain or other dental problems are often distracted and unable to focus on their work. In addition, they may also need to take more time off from work for dental treatment. Employee absenteeism results in lost productivity.
On the other hand, employees who have dental benefits will not hesitate to see their dentist regularly. They are more likely to get routine dental checkups and cleanings, which can help prevent major dental problems. This means that they are less likely to miss work due to dental issues and are more likely to be productive while they are at work.
Good Dental Health Impacts Customer Service
Studies have shown that poor dental health affects self-esteem and confidence in interacting with others. The Cigna Dental Report, based on a 2019 survey, showed that people with poor dental health had lower self-confidence compared to those with good dental health. A 2021 research published on the National Library of Medicine Bookshelf showed that dental appearance significantly influences self-perception and how others perceive the person.
If your employees have poor dental health, they will be more inhibited when dealing with customers. They will likely try to hide their teeth by not smiling. These employees will not exude the confidence needed to reassure customers that they are in good hands. Customers are also more likely to perceive employees with poor dental health negatively. All these may affect your company’s profitability. Hence, providing dental benefits can improve your customer-facing employees’ performance.
Dental Benefits Attract and Retain Top Talent
In today’s competitive job market, companies need to do everything they can to attract and retain top talent. Providing employees with dental benefits is one way to do this. Many people consider dental benefits to be an important employee perk.
In addition, companies that offer comprehensive benefits packages, including dental benefits, are more likely to attract and retain employees than those that do not. This is because employees view these companies as being more invested in their well-being.
Employees Do Not Pay Tax on Dental Benefits
If you give an employee a raise, the additional salary is taxable. From the remaining amount, the employee will have to pay for dental care out-of-pocket. If the family budget is tight, the employee will likely prioritize other family needs over dental care.
On the other hand, if you provide the employee with dental benefits in lieu of a raise, the employee does not have to pay taxes on them. Also, since the benefit is there at no cost, the employee will more likely make the most of it.
Dental Benefits Save Companies Money
While it may seem like providing dental benefits for employees would be costly for companies, the opposite is true. Dental benefits are tax-deductible for the business. It does not add to costs. So, the company gains the appreciation and loyalty of its talents at no cost.
Furthermore, an employee who does not get regular teeth cleaning is more likely to develop gum disease, also called periodontitis. That is painful and uncomfortable and can lead to other health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. Providing employees with dental benefits helps ensure that they are protected from developing those serious health problems. The company gets to keep its talents longer.
Going a Step Further
In the Cigna survey, 29 percent of respondents stated that it was inconvenient to go to a dental clinic due to work or because the clinic was difficult to go to. It is, therefore, not surprising that 22 percent liked the idea of having dental appointments right in the workplace. Among Gen Z and Millennial employees, 30 percent liked the idea.
If companies want to be serious about ensuring that their employees maintain good dental health, they can implement additional measures to support dental benefits. They can set up workplace dental clinics every six months. The clinics can last a week or more, with employees individually scheduled.
The company can also implement a dental education campaign among employees. They can promote good oral hygiene habits and the importance of regular dental visits. In addition, companies can give employees a stipend to use for dental care expenses. The stipend can be in addition to dental benefits or instead of them.
Everyone Wins
Dental benefits for employees are a win-win situation. They are important for the workers and also for the company as a whole. Employees get to enjoy better dental health while companies attract and retain top talent, improve customer-facing employee performance, and reap the rewards of a more productive and loyal workforce while saving money.
Companies that invest in their employees’ dental health will see long-term benefits for both the workers and the business. If you have not been providing dental benefits for your employees, now is the time to start. Your company and your employees will be better off for it.
