Children’s Oral Health Is Priority; Parents Nearly 30% More Likely to Seek Regular Care for Children Than Themselves

NEW YORK, November 9, 2006 – A new study by MetLife reveals that most consumers (85%) believe there is a strong connection between oral health and overall medical health. Additionally, more than one-third (37%) of working Americans have established long-term relationships with their dentists that span six or more years. Consumers underscore their understanding of the link between oral health and medical health by citing preventive care as top on the list of reasons that they visit the dentist. These are encouraging findings given that clinical studies¹ have revealed a correlation between periodontal disease and increased risk for serious conditions including heart disease and preterm births.

Children’s Oral Health A Priority
MetLife’s Oral Health Insights Study found that 60% of parents/guardians bring their children to the dentist two or more times annually. However, the study also reveals that less than half (47%) of those parents/guardians go that often themselves. While the lack of dental insurance and costs for dental treatment are factors preventing adults from seeing the dentist (only 24% of adults without dental insurance see the dentist twice a year or more), the oral health of their children appears a motivating factor. Half of parents/guardians with uninsured children take their children to the dentist twice a year or more, citing preventive care as the primary reason.

Fear Less A Barrier to Care than Lack of Insurance
MetLife’s study shows that one in three Americans without dental insurance rates their own oral health as fair or poor compared to one in five Americans with dental insurance, demonstrating that a division exists between the "haves" and the "have-nots." Those without dental insurance are more likely to wait until an oral problem occurs to see the dentist. Nearly nine out of ten people with dental insurance who visit a dentist do so for preventive reasons in contrast to seven in ten people without dental insurance. More than half (54%) of employees who have dental insurance say they go to the dentist two or more times per year, however, only 24% of those without dental insurance go that often. Not surprisingly, those without dental insurance highlight cost as a top preventing factor – cited by 64%. Interestingly, fear of pain is not a large factor preventing regularly scheduled dental visits – cited by only 23% of adults as a reason.

"Visiting the dentist only when one has an oral health problem can compound the cost factor. A more successful approach to oral health care emphasizes personal risk assessment, early recognition, prevention and intervention when treatment needs are minimal. Dental insurance benefits can help eliminate the cost barriers that prevent many people from seeking the level of oral health care that is most appropriate for them – helping to reduce the likelihood of more severe oral health problems and additional costs in the future," said Dr. Alan Vogel, MetLife vice president and national dental director.

Trust and Time Build Rapport and Increase Visits
In addition to insurance coverage, the MetLife Oral Health Insights study found the length of a patient’s relationship with his/her dentist has a strong impact on the frequency of their visits (both preventive and treatment-related.) Employees who sustain a six-plus year relationship with their dentists show a marked increase in the number of times they visit their provider. Over half (52%) of employees who have a six-plus year relationship with their dentist make visits at least twice a year, compared to 37% of all respondents. Nine out of ten people with these long-term dentist relationships also report that they are very confident in their dentists’ recommendations compared to seven out of ten respondents overall.

Younger Does Not Equal Healthier
With the popularity of teeth whitening treatments and oral cosmetics at an all time high, 18 to 34-year-olds may have increased sensitivity to the aesthetics of keeping their teeth looking good. However, one of the unexpected findings uncovered by the Oral Health Insights study is that Generation Yers and Xers exhibit multiple symptoms of poor oral health. They report a higher incidence rate of dental problems and a lower rate of dentist visits than their older cohorts.

Specific findings include:

• Almost one-quarter (24%) of respondents ages 18 to 34 say their gums bleed when they brush, compared to 14% of consumers ages 35 to 64.

• 27% of 18 to 34-year-olds say their teeth hurt when they drink hot or cold beverages, and 15% say that they have consistently bad breath – compared to 20% and 10%, respectively, of the older population.

• One-third (33%) of these younger adults say their teeth are discolored/loose.

• 42% of 18 to 34-year-olds visit the dentist once a year or less compared to 31% of 35 to 64-year-olds.

Although the younger population admits to more dental issues than their older cohorts, only one in five rates their own oral health as fair or poor, while one in four 35 to 64-year-olds give their oral health a fair or poor grade – indicating there may be a disconnect about what is good oral health.

Networks Can Make All the Difference
Despite strongly established dental relationships sustained over many years, consumers are becoming more loyal to their dental networks than to their individual dental providers. A motivating factor when choosing a provider appears to be cost as 77% of surveyed consumers report using an in-network dentist. The study found that 68% of adults that have a six-plus year relationship with their dentist would find a new in-network dentist if their current provider left the network.

"In this age of consumerism, Americans are both aware of the importance of oral health and sensitive to the cost of dental services. Because of this, the strength of a well-selected participating provider dental network is a key part of the value proposition. The fact that many patients who have built relationships with their dentist say they would terminate this relationship if the provider was not in the network is very telling. To encourage employees to seek dental care there should be a trusted relationship and that requires satisfaction of all the stakeholders – dentists and patients – with the network," Dr. Vogel concludes.

The MetLife Oral Health Insights study was conducted by GfK NOP, a global top-five market research firm during the third quarter of 2006 among a nationally representative sample of 1,200 adults, ages 18 to 64, across the United States.

MetLife administers dental benefits for nearly 21 million people, more than any other commercial carrier. Tips and information on proper oral care, including risk assessment guides for periodontal disease and tooth decay, can be found at the online MetLife Oral Health Library at www.whymetlife.com/oralhealth.

MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), a leading provider of insurance and financial services with operations throughout the United States and the Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Through its domestic and international subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. reaches more than 70 million customers around the world and MetLife is the largest life insurer in the U.S. (based on life insurance in-force). The MetLife companies offer life insurance, annuities, auto and home insurance, retail banking and other financial services to individuals, as well as group insurance, reinsurance and retirement & savings products and services to corporations and other institutions. For more information, please visit www.metlife.com.

¹ Lindhe, J., Karring, T., & Lang, N.P. Clinical Periodontology and Implant Dentistry, (Chapter 16) Fourth Edition, Blackwell Munksgaard, Oxford, UK, 2003. Jeffcoat, M.K., et. al., "Periodontal disease and pre-term birth: Results of a pilot intervention study," Journal of Dental Research, 82:1446, 2003.