Delta Dental Report Shows Support for Dental Insurance

Summary: The 2024 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report by Delta Dental shows that 86% of U.S. adults believe dental insurance supports their overall health, up from 82% last year. The report highlights the importance of dental benefits in providing access to oral health care, financial assurance, and preventive care, with notable interest in teledentistry among younger generations.

Key Takeaways

• Increased Perception of Dental Insurance Value: 86% of U.S. adults believe dental insurance is essential for their oral and overall health, an increase from 82% last year.
• Financial and Emotional Assurance: 88% of adults feel less worried about dental emergencies with insurance, and 85% believe it helps save money in the long run.

Delta Dental finds a growing number of adults in the United States believe dental insurance supports their overall health, according to the recently released 2024 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report.

Delta Dental’s 2024 Oral Health and Wellness Report

The report, which is a nationwide analysis of consumer opinions and behaviors relating to oral health, reveals more adults feel dental insurance is essential to protecting their oral and overall health (86%) compared to last year (82%).

“It is encouraging to see the increasing prioritization of oral health across the country, which 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,” said James W. Hutchison, president and chief executive officer, Delta Dental Plans Association. “Dental benefits are essential to providing access to oral health care, which supports positive overall health outcomes for adults and children alike.”

Additional Findings

Financial and Emotional Assurance

• Nearly 9 in 10 (88%) adults indicate that dental insurance makes them less worried about dental emergencies.
• Adults believe dental insurance helps save money in the long run (85%), is worth the cost (84%), and provides pre-negotiated discounts with their dentist (80%).

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 (83%) than those without coverage (58%).

Notable Interest in Teledentistry Benefits

• Nearly 1 in 10 (9%) adults indicate they would like teledentistry services included in a dental insurance plan.
• Gen Z (15%) and Millennials (12%) are most eager for this benefit compared to Boomers (5%).

To read the full 2024 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report and learn more about the report’s methodology and findings, click here.