Are your dental plans supporting women in the workplace?
A fully loaded dental plan not only levels the playing field for women, but also helps employers to be more competitive by offering health benefits that women want and need, helping them live well, smile more.
Ensuring women are treated equitably in the workplace takes more than compliance with federal and state employment laws. It starts with recognizing your employees have different health needs, and making sure women have access to quality health care, including dental care, so that they can be effective in the workplace.
The health of our teeth and gums affects the rest of our bodies. Women, because of both pregnancy and menopause, can experience changes in hormone levels that increase the risk of tooth decay or gum disease. Recent research has discovered that serious gum disease may even directly lead to preterm labor in pregnant women, resulting in premature births and underweight infants. To help address these health challenges for women, some HDS dental plans provide expectant mothers an additional dental checkup and cleaning each year, at no additional cost.
Photo: courtesy of Hawaii Dental Service
Chronic health conditions, such as diabetes or a weak immune system, also affect oral health. Some HDS dental plans include two additional teeth cleanings per year for those with diabetes. Regular brushing, flossing, a healthy diet, and dentist visits can prevent oral issues from worsening chronic disease elsewhere in your body.
Attractive benefits can be a valuable employee recruitment tool. However, dental plans, like health insurance, are no longer considered extra “fringe” benefits; they are core elements of employee benefits package. A fully loaded dental plan not only levels the playing field for women, but also helps employers to be more competitive by offering health benefits that women want and need, helping them live well, smile more.
