Why auditing your dental offering matters
Dental health directly affects employee wellbeing, productivity and attendance. Yet many organisations still rely on outdated or underused dental benefits that fail to address modern accessibility challenges.
A quick audit helps you understand whether your current offering genuinely supports employees — or whether it needs updating to meet today’s needs.
1. Review employee usage and engagement
Before assessing value, you need to understand how employees are actually using your dental benefits.
Check usage data
- How many employees used the benefit in the last 12 months
- Which services were used most
- Which services were never used
- Whether usage is increasing or declining
Identify engagement gaps
Low usage often indicates:
- Poor accessibility
- Lack of awareness
- High costs
- Dental anxiety
- Inconvenient appointment structures
Usage vs engagement indicators
2. Assess accessibility and convenience
Employees often delay dental care because traditional services are inconvenient. Audit how easy it is for employees to access your current offering.
Key questions
- Can employees access care outside working hours
- Is virtual support available
- Are emergency appointments easy to book
- Does the offering support remote or hybrid workers
- Are costs transparent and predictable
Common accessibility gaps
- Long NHS waiting lists
- Limited local clinics
- High private fees
- No digital triage
- No remote monitoring
If employees cannot access care easily, the benefit loses value — even if it looks good on paper.
3. Evaluate the preventive care component
Preventive care is the foundation of good oral health. Without it, employees experience more emergencies, more pain and more time off work.
Check whether your offering includes
- Routine check‑ups
- Hygiene appointments
- Fluoride treatments
- Early intervention support
- Digital monitoring
Why preventive care matters
- Reduces emergency visits
- Improves long‑term oral health
- Lowers employer costs
- Supports employee wellbeing
4. Measure the impact on absenteeism and productivity
Dental issues are one of the most common causes of unplanned sick days. Your audit should include a review of how dental health affects attendance.
Look for
- Patterns of dental‑related sick days
- Employees working while in pain (presenteeism)
- Reduced performance due to discomfort
- Stress linked to dental issues
Dental issues vs workplace impact
5. Compare your offering against modern dental solutions
Traditional dental benefits often fail because they rely on outdated models: in‑clinic appointments, limited availability and high costs. Modern solutions offer flexibility, accessibility and preventive support.
What modern dental solutions include
- Virtual consultations
- On‑demand emergency support
- Digital prescriptions
- Remote monitoring
- Affordable clear aligner treatment
- Preventive care programmes
Why Toothfairy stands out
- Instant access to UK dentists
- Affordable treatment options
- Digital triage and monitoring
- Employer‑friendly integration
- Preventive focus to reduce emergencies
Your dental offering audit questions answered
How often should employers audit dental benefits
At least once per year, or whenever employee wellbeing data changes.
Is virtual dental care effective
Yes. Dentists can assess symptoms, review photos and provide accurate guidance.
Do employees prefer digital options
Most do — especially remote workers, busy parents and anxious patients.
Does dental support reduce absenteeism
Yes. Preventive care and fast triage significantly reduce emergency sick days.
Teeth straightening
https://toothfairyapp.co.uk/teeth-straightening/
Teeth whitening
https://toothfairyapp.co.uk/teeth-whitening/
Emergency dentist support
https://toothfairyapp.co.uk/emergency-dentist/
The Toothfairy app
https://toothfairyapp.co.uk/our-app/
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