METLIFE ENHANCES ITS WEB-BASED CONSUMER ORAL HEALTH LIBRARY

METLIFE ENHANCES ITS WEB-BASED CONSUMER ORAL HEALTH LIBRARY

NEW YORK, September 23, 2009

 Understanding how to maintain or improve oral health just got easier.  MetLife, the largest commercial dental carrier, which administers dental benefits for over 21 million people, today unveiled its enhanced consumer resource, the MetLife Oral Health Library.  The easy-to-navigate, Web-based resource helps individuals take a more proactive role in understanding and making better choices about their oral health.  It contains information and tools to help people ask their dentist informed questions about their dental benefits, dental care and their risk for dental disease.  The library can be accessed by visiting www.metlife.com/dental and clicking on “MetLife Oral Health Library.”

“The reported link between oral health and overall health has encouraged many people to seek out information to help them make better oral health and dental benefits choices.  Education takes on an even more significant role as people assume greater responsibility for their overall health.  The enhanced MetLife Oral Health Library draws from a wealth of professional resources to make it as easy as possible for people to obtain important insights to help improve their oral health and that of their families,” said Mike Schwartz, vice president, Dental Product Management, MetLife.

The MetLife Oral Health Library now includes information about the associations between oral health and overall health, such as the oral health implications of diabetes, heart disease, and smoking.  In addition, the site includes more valuable information on family dental health – including oral health issues specific to children, women, and seniors; dental diseases; and dental treatments and procedures.  Interactive tools available in the library can also help consumers and their families assess their risk for periodontal disease and tooth decay.

Every article and tool available in the MetLife Oral Health Library has been reviewed and approved by the MetLife Dental Advisory Council (DAC) – an esteemed group of academic and practicing dentists as well as corporate benefits representatives – to help ensure that individuals have current, concise and valuable content available to them without being overwhelmed.  In addition to MetLife-produced material, the library contains articles and information from recognized sources, including the American Dental Association, the American Academy of Periodontology and the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research.

The enhanced site is designed with the consumers’ needs in mind and how they think about their oral health and dental benefits.  Material on the site is cross-referenced so consumers can quickly find the information they need under different categories and there is a keyword search functionality.  The intuitive and easy-to-navigate MetLife Oral Health Library is updated regularly to provide consumers with educational tools that go above and beyond the “basic” topics of oral health – to help promote improved oral health.  MetLife dental plan participants can also access the library by logging into the employee portal, MyBenefits, and clicking the MetLife Oral Health Library link.