The beginning of the New Year brought a lot of change in our health care system. Business owners and employees had many decisions to make. The changes in medical coverage from the Affordable Care Act and the challenges with enrollment were overwhelming—and perhaps still are. However, we mustn’t overlook the importance of dental benefits. 

Businesses of every size have spent countless hours reviewing their options, meeting with their brokers, and sharing information with their employees. While companies have different calendars for enrolling in new plans, the majority renew in January. As a result, we have statistics based on actual data rather than speculation from the last year. 

Dental coverage is a critically important part of your benefit plan. On a very basic level, offering a comprehensive benefit plan helps recruit and retain top talent. These plans also help maintain a healthy and productive workforce. 

Data tell us that 94 percent of employees rank dental among the top two benefits they receive. More than 164 million work hours are lost each year due to dental-related illnesses that are easily preventable. Moreover, there is a close connection between oral and overall health—especially in cases of oral cancers and systemic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. 

Taking care of dental health helps reduce missed work hours and other costs related to treating these diseases. In a study, the University of Pennsylvania found that providing dental treatment to people with diabetes reduced hospital stays by more than 60 percent in the first year of treatment. This contributed to an average annual savings of $3,200 per person. 

The Washington Dental Service Foundation recently conducted a survey for its Mighty Mouth campaign that found 98 percent of people in Washington believe taking care of their teeth and gums is as important as taking care of their overall health. They also found 32 percent of Washingtonians don’t have dental coverage and nearly a quarter—23 percent—haven’t had a dental checkup in the last year. 

Studies conducted by the American Dental Association reveal that people with dental coverage are twice as likely to visit a dentist as those without dental coverage. 

The state of Washington gets it. Dental benefits for children are included in the public exchange. Last year, the Legislature restored adult dental coverage for Medicaid-eligible patients effective Jan. 1 of this year. As a result, more than 700,000 adults now have access to oral health care. The legislature’s actions signify the importance of oral health. 

Dental health coverage is crucial to your company’s health, well-being and bottom line. Yet dental benefits are typically just 3 percent of the total cost of a company’s health benefits. 

I may have buried the lead here but the headline, to date, is that we have experienced far fewer changes than in recent memory. More businesses stayed with their existing dental benefits packages, rather than make a change. After all of the concern, it seems the best option for most was to stay put, at least with dental plans. As the costs for medical benefit plans steadily increase year to year, dental coverage remains relatively flat. In the changing medical coverage landscape, dental coverage is one less change for employers and employees to have to manage. It offers a positive, consistent experience for the entire workforce. 

However, we all need to keep an eye on the future. What’s on the horizon for the state of Washington next year and beyond? 

In 2015, the employer mandate takes effect. It states that all business with more than 50 full-time employees have to offer benefits or pay a shared amount toward insurance. Employers have this year to decide whether to keep their current benefit policies or consider other options.  The mandate carries a penalty for employees who aren’t covered or offered coverage. 

Many of you may be aware of the SHOP Exchange, or the Small Business Health Options Program. It’s available in many states but currently only available in the southwest region of Washington state. The SHOP makes it possible for small businesses—those with 50 or fewer full-time employees—to provide qualified health plans. The state is hoping the SHOP will be offered statewide in 2015, but it’s unclear how it will play out, and that decision needs to be made in the very near future. 

Businesses also have the option of going through a private exchange with defined contributions for companies with more than 50 employees. This enables employees to independently select and prioritize plans that work for them. There has been a lot of interest in this option but not very many have signed up. Can it be viable for all concerned? It could be a great solution, but businesses should really consult with their brokers on this option because there are some drawbacks including a complicated enroll-ment process and possible disruption of coverage.

Our current legislative session is focused on how the public exchange is operating. Our state has had better participation and outcomes than just about anywhere else. It is likely there will just be minor changes this year. 

The mouth is a window to the body, and dentists increasingly are becoming a first line of defense for health issues. Assuming you have dental coverage, you are more likely to see your dentist on a more regular basis than your physician—twice a year if you take full advantage of your coverage. 

Keeping dental coverage will only positively impact your business. Without coverage, dental care for adults becomes a discretionary income decision jeopardizing the health and productivity of your workforce. A happy and healthy workforce leads to a healthy bottom line. 

Sean Pickard is the director of government relations at Delta Dental of Washington.