The dental market is growing

The value of the private dental care market has risen from £1.86bn in 2002 to £3.03bn in 2006, which is a 63% increase in four years *. Denplan expects this growth to continue as NHS dentists have been reducing their commitment to NHS dentistry **, following government changes in April 2006.

* Source: MBD report - The UK Dentistry Market Development 2007

** Source: British Dental Association Evidence to the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body (Thirty-Seventh Report, October 2007)

Finding an NHS dentist is now even more difficult, if not impossible, resulting in more people having to pay for treatment privately.

Employee demand for dental plans

Following the Government changes to NHS dentistry in April 2006, employees are placing a greater importance on finding affordable dental care. As dentists continue to leave the NHS, more people are having to pay for treatment privately.

A dental plan is a tangible benefit. Most insurance products are used only in times of trouble, and may never be used or valued by many employees. Dental plans, however, are generally designed to be used regularly.

• Dental insurance, as an employee benefit, is growing in popularity year on year (Laing & Buisson report 2006)
• Denplan have experienced an increase of the take-up of their flex schemes. In 2007, take up increased by an average of 25% from 2006
• Increased media coverage of dental issues has resulted in an increased awareness by employees.

Dental plans could benefit your clients' business

Dental plans can provide a solution for employers who are continually looking for ways to keep their benefits package relevant to the ever changing needs of their employees.

Many hours are lost in the UK each year due to absenteeism. By focusing on preventive dental care your client may find fewer employees taking time off due to dental problems, either at inconvenient times or at inconvenient locations, which could save your clients' money.

Dental plans could benefit your business

With few providers in the market and plans that are easy to understand, it shouldn't take you long to familiarise yourself with the dental market and feel confident to sell the plans. Schemes can be quick to implement, provide minimal administration for you and your client - and can be the perfect complement to PMI.

Dental plans have the potential to increase your revenue and add value to the service you provide to your clients. The recommendation of dental plans could provide you with a competitive edge, helping you to develop and retain your client base.