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In November 2025 the ‘Keep Britain Working Review’, led by Sir Charlie Mayfield, was published. It addressed the rising crisis of economic inactivity in the UK, driven largely by ill health and disability. The review highlights the worrying number of people in the UK out of work, with around 2.8 million unable to work due to sickness.
The review calls for shared responsibility for workplace health between employers, employees and the government. Employers are uniquely positioned to prevent and manage health-related work absences through early intervention, reasonable adjustments and flexible work arrangements.
Over the last few years preventative healthcare has become an increasing priority for businesses, but this tends to be largely focused on physical, and increasingly mental health support. Oral health is still often overlooked; despite the toll it takes on productivity.
In 2025 research by Bupa Dental Insurance found that oral health is often overlooked as a crucial part of employee wellbeing with almost a fifth of employees (17%) feeling a ‘push through it’ culture around dental pain while at work. Although poor oral health may not seem like a major contributor to absence at work, 37% of employees have needed to take time off work due to oral pain and on average, workers miss 6.5 hours each time they call in sick due to dental pain.
Poor oral health is linked to serious long-term conditions, including heart and blood vessel problems, cardiovascular disease and respiratory illnesses. Bacteria from gum disease can enter the bloodstream, increase inflammation and raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, and lung complications. For people with diabetes, it can also make blood sugar harder to control.
If employers and government want to improve productivity, preventative healthcare – including oral health – needs to be part of the solution. Workplace health benefits play a key role, with 79% of employees saying they would take up dental cover if offered by their employer.
Dental benefits are often overlooked by workplaces, but they make a meaningful difference to employee wellbeing. Offering oral health cover encourages regular check-ups and early treatment, supporting a healthier and more productive workforce.
Providing benefits that focus on prevention helps tackle growing oral health issues and supports a culture of proactive healthcare—keeping employees healthier and more productive in the long run.
To further support employers and their employees, Bupa Dental Insurance has enhanced its Dental Plan by introducing all included preventative treatments at Bupa Dental Care practices. With around seven in ten claims being for preventative treatment such as check-ups and scale and polish treatments, this enhancement aims to make dental care more accessible and seamless, helping customers maintain their oral health without the worry of out-of-pocket costs. Find out more: https://www.bupa.co.uk/dental/dental-insurance
To read more articles from Bupa visit the content hub on Corporate Adviser – here.
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Oral health and the workplace – Oral Health Foundation
Keep Britain Working Review: Final report – GOV.UK
Employees delay dental treatment worrying about time off work | Bupa Group
Are employers missing a key benefit? Two in three employees call for dental cover – IFA Magazine