Dental Insurance is Essential to Protecting Oral and Overall Health

By Karyn Glogowski on September 6, 2024 in Dental benefit information

According to the recently released 2024 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report from Delta Dental, a growing number of U.S. adults believe dental insurance supports their overall health.

The report reveals that 86% of U.S. adults feel dental insurance is essential to protecting their oral and overall health compared to 82% last year.

The increasing prioritization of oral health across the country is underscored by the fact that a vast majority of U.S. adults recognize that dental insurance is an important part of their oral and overall health. Dental benefits are also essential to providing access to oral health care, which supports positive overall health outcomes for adults and children alike.

Additional findings from the report emphasize the importance adults place on preventive care, the cost savings impact, and the additional benefits with dental insurance.

Financial and emotional assurance

• Nearly 9 in 10 adults indicate that dental insurance makes them less worried about dental emergencies.
• More than 84% of adults believe dental insurance is worth the cost and helps save money in the long run.
• Preventive care is essential care.
• An overwhelming majority of adults with dental benefits were more likely to visit the dentist in 2023 for preventive care than those without coverage.

Notable interest in teledentistry benefits

• Nearly 1 in 10 adults indicate they would like teledentistry services included in a dental insurance plan.
• Gen Z and Millennials are most eager for this benefit compared to Boomers.
• For more information on dental benefits and oral health, visit deltadentalil.com/oral-health.

About the research

Delta Dental Plans Association commissioned a third-party market research firm, Material Holdings, LLC (“Material”), to undertake research that formed the basis for this report. Material conducted its research between January 3 and January 17, 2024, using an email invitation and online surveys of two audiences recruited through an opt-in panel:

• 1,000 nationally representative U.S. adults ages 18+
• 1,000 parents of children ages 12 and under

Geographic distribution quotas were set to ensure a reliable and accurate representation of the U.S. population of adults and parents with children ages 12 and under. Research in this report has a margin of error of +/- 3%.