Sinking their teeth into dental health 

Delta Dental’s nationwide 2024 State of America’s Oral Health and Wellness Report 

reveals a strong consumer understanding of oral health’s vital role in overall wellness, with an overwhelming majority of adults (91%) believing that their dental visit is as important as an annual physical. Further, the report finds a greater awareness among adults of oral health’s connection to specific health conditions and diseases, such as respiratory illness and diabetes. Younger generations, specifically Gen Z and millennials, are most likely to appreciate this connection. 

“The results from this year’s report show the link between oral hygiene and its impact on mental health, with 92% of adults agreeing good oral health increases their confidence,” said Dennis Wilson, president and CEO, Delta Dental of New Jersey and Connecticut. “Delta Dental of Connecticut is dedicated to creating solutions that advance overall health and wellness, including the recent development of a special health-care needs benefit. This benefit provides patients with insurance coverage for extra exams, extra cleanings and more to help increase access to dental care, which is the leading unmet health care need for millions of Americans with intellectual and developmental disabilities and other special health-care needs.” 

Delta Dental commissioned the research of 2,000 U.S. adults and parents of children 12 and under. Below are additional key findings from the report: 

Good oral hygiene can support mental health – More than three in four adults (77%) say oral health is closely connected to mental well-being. 

A rise in preventive oral health care pays off: 

• More than 8 in 10 adults (83%) who made a trip to the dentist in 2023 did so for preventive care, increasing from 78% in 2022. 
• Notably, there is a corresponding decline in unexpected dental visits among adults, decreasing from 41% in 2022 to 36% in 2023. 

Teledentistry gains traction: 

• Nearly half of adults would use teledentistry when seeking oral health care (47%), and over half would trust the care (54%). 
• Gen Z and millennials are more likely to engage in teledentistry and trust the care they receive through these services. 

Delta Dental is the nation’s largest dental benefits provider and offers the country’s largest dental network with approximately 152,000 participating dentists. Over the last decade, Delta Dental companies and their foundations have invested more than $1.9 billion to improve the oral and overall health of their communities. 

For more, visit deltadental.com and to read the full report, click here.