Did you know that employee oral health issues can have a huge impact on your business’ productivity? Or that not offering dental benefits may be a critical barrier to your ability to recruit and retain employees?
If you have decided that the new national CDCP plan will be enough dental care coverage for the team you depend on, you may be exposing your business and employees to unnecessary financial risk. That’s why it’s critical to explore and understand dental insurance options you can provide.
CDCP coverage may not cover all of your employee needs
While the CDCP covers a wide range of essential dental treatments, it does not cover all treatments that your employee or their family members may need. CDCP primarily focuses on preventive and basic dental services, such as cleanings, exams, fillings, and some types of oral surgery.
Employees experience hurdles when the CDCP only reimburses a portion of the cost of their treatment, not the full amount. As a result, they may be forced to pay additional charges directly to the oral health provider, if:
- their adjusted family net income is between $70,000 and $89,999
- they (or their spouse) haven’t filed an individual tax return in Canada for the most recent tax year or are not a Canadian resident for tax purposes
- the cost of their oral health care services are more than what the CDCP will reimburse for these services like the limitation on scaling per year, or
- they require oral health services that the CDCP doesn’t cover, like orthodontics and certain aesthetic procedures and their claim for complex dental work is rejected under CDCP.
Poor employee dental care can negatively impact your business
Without dental coverage your employees who do not qualify for CDCP or whose dental needs are not covered will have to pay out-of-pocket for treatments and that can amount to thousands of dollars. Depending on competing financial priorities, your employee might put off getting appropriate dental care all because of the cost.
If an employee does not qualify for CDCP, they may delay or avoid treatment. Without regular dental care your business may experience employee absences caused by untreated cavities and oral infections. There is also a link between poor oral health and the severity of chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases which may impact employee productivity
Untreated dental issues may even lead to chronic absenteeism as they become more and more serious over time.
Offering Dental Insurance can financially support you and your team
The CDCP may offer basic coverage to some of your employees, but offering dental insurance as part of your workplace benefit package can help all employees access necessary treatment and help pay the costs of routine check-ups and preventative care through to major dental surgical procedures including a wider range of services which would not be fully covered under the national plan.
As the employer offering the plan, you can choose the type of dental coverage you offer, and the percentage of dental costs covered per year for:
- Basic Dental
For routine oral health maintenance, this coverage includes dental check-ups, fillings, X-rays, and cleanings. - Comprehensive Basic
This coverage includes periodontal treatment of gums and mouth tissue including cleaning and scaling, endodontic root canal therapy, and denture cleaning and repairs. - Major Dental
Includes services to restore teeth including crowns, on lays, dentures, and bridgework. - Orthodontic Dental
Covers services to correct defects and straighten teeth including braces and retainers.
Dental plans will also provide employees coverage for
- vision care
- registered specialists and therapists including chiropractors, chiropodists, naturopaths, registered massage therapists, physiotherapists, acupuncturists and registered psychologist or psychotherapists
- homecare and nursing or personal support workers, and registered dieticians
- prosthetic appliances and medical equipment
- accidental dental and accidental death and dismemberment
- ambulance
- hearing aids
- travel medical insurance.
Providing dental coverage can be a competitive advantage
Putting a dental plan in place can be simple and has huge advantages for your business:
- Dental insurance plans are reasonably priced, so for a small cost you go a long way in positioning yourself as a caring employer
- Every employee (or contract worker) is eligible with no medical questions asked
- Offering a dental plan will automatically make your benefits package seem more comprehensive and attractive to potential employees, especially customer-facing employees whose confidence and performance may be affected by poor oral health
- Dental plans include coverage for vision care, registered specialists and therapists, homecare and nursing, medical equipment, ambulance costs, hearing aids, and even travel medical insurance
- While many employees don’t really like seeing a dentist, they love having dental insurance; unlike life insurance and even health insurance, employees will actually get to use their dental plan regularly — depending on their oral health needs, individuals will use their plan as frequently as every six months.
We can help you choose the right dental plan
By offering dental benefits, you are making a valuable investment in your employees’ health and well-being, which can ultimately lead to a more successful and thriving business. By working with SBIS you won’t have to worry about going through several people to get answers on which plan is best for your company. Call us during business hours Monday to Friday 8:45 a.m. – 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time at 1-800-667-0429 or 416-601-0429. A dedicated service representative will personally take your call and make sure that your questions are addressed right away. Your time is important, which is why we are committed to saving you time and effort.
You also don’t have to fill out any paperwork; we take care of it all! Our insurance professionals collect all the necessary details. We provide brochures and other information for both your HR department and the employees to review.
Discover the excellent range of products we offer or go online to choose your plan now.
