Dental claims are on the rise according to Health Shield’s health cash plans.
This is despite post-pandemic access to practices and routine appointments remaining a challenge. According to ONS data, dental treatments in the UK plummeted by 69 per cent to 12 million in 2020-21, compared to the previous year.
A recent study by Healthwatch found that even when people have access to dental care through the NHS, three-fifths or 61 per cent find it excessively expensive, and over a quarter or 27 per cent say they struggle to pay or forgo dental procedures completely because of the expenses.
It also suggests that the pandemic may have had an impact on people’s dental routines. Despite clinical guidelines urging frequent dental check-ups, nearly a quarter or 23 per cent believe they will only visit the dentist when they require treatment.
Despite this, Health Shield found that the number of claims is up 18.2 per cent from last year, with an average claim amount of approximately £50 per treatment. One reason for this is that claims for urgent dental procedures have increased in the two years since the epidemic began, possibly as a result of individuals not being able to go to their routine check-ups and people feeling financial pressures due to growing costs of living.
Dentists have passed on PPE expenses to their patients, raising the cost of dental care in the last year, albeit Health Shield has absorbed these costs on behalf of its members.
Health Shield head of marketing Jennie Doyle says: “Many companies offer Health Cash Plans to their employees which include dental care, and while they may still have to join waiting lists to see a dentist in the current climate, they still hold much value as claims for treatment have been on the rise. Health Cash Plans help to incentivise employees to focus on their health by removing cost as a barrier to NHS or private dental treatment, ensuring that any niggles don’t turn to nightmares.
“Previously we attributed the rising claims to more dental work being required after a period of inability to access dental services,” she said.
“However, it could also be attributed to inflation; as more employees who are feeling a financial pinch with the rising costs of living, especially those on lower incomes, look for more ways to save money and turn to their health cash plans.
“Health Shield’s key focus is to deliver value for its members. The volume of claims for members’ dependents and children has increased by nearly 8 per cent. Around one in five claims were for dependents last year.
“It’s great to see that health cash plans are increasingly being used to not only keep the member in the best of health but also their family.”
