How do dental cash plans, insurance and on-demand dental access fit together?

In several ways, and the routes are spread fairly evenly. Our YouGov survey of 1,020 UK HR decision makers found that 19% provide dental only through private medical insurance, 15% offer an employee-funded cash plan, 13% an employer-funded cash plan and 6% traditional dental insurance ^[1]. 45% offer no dental provision at all.

Each route was designed for a different job. Knowing what each one does makes it easier to see where they overlap, where they leave gaps and how they can be put together.

Dental insurance helps pay for dental treatment, from routine check-ups through to more complex work, depending on the policy. A scheme sets out which treatments are covered and how much of the cost it meets. Employers can pay for it or offer it on a voluntary basis, with employees funding their own cover.

For HR, the main questions are the level of cover, any waiting periods or exclusions, and whether family members can join. The scheme documents, or your broker, will set these out.

A cash plan refunds some or all of what employees spend on everyday healthcare, including dental check-ups and treatment, up to annual limits. Dental is usually one of several benefits in the plan, often alongside optical care and therapies such as physiotherapy.

Cash plans can be paid for by the employer or by employees through payroll, and both are common. In our survey, 13% of businesses fund one and 15% offer one that staff pay for ^[1]. With either, the employee finds and books a dentist, pays, then claims the cost back.

Some private medical insurance policies include dental cover or offer it as an add-on. 19% of businesses in our survey provide dental only this way ^[1]. What is included varies from policy to policy, so check the detail and make sure staff know it is there, because cover that nobody has heard of tends not to get used.

On-demand dental access gives employees a way to speak to a dentist quickly, usually by video or chat, when something goes wrong or when they aren't sure whether a problem needs treatment. It is not insurance, and it works alongside cover that helps pay for treatment. Toothfairy is one example: an on-demand dental benefit that gives employees access to UK-registered dentists through an app.

Demand for this kind of access comes from how hard it can be to get seen. The British Dental Association estimates that 13 million adults in England had an unmet need for NHS dentistry in 2024 ^[2], and only 20% of HR leaders in our survey are very confident staff could get urgent dental care within 48 hours ^[1].

They cover different moments. Insurance and cash plans help with the cost of treatment once an employee is sitting in a dentist's chair. On-demand access helps earlier, when someone has pain, a chipped tooth or a question and isn't sure where to turn.

Combinations employers use include:

• A cash plan for routine costs, with on-demand access for advice between appointments.
• Dental insurance or private medical cover for treatment, with on-demand access for urgent questions.
• An employee-funded cash plan for those who want one, alongside an employer-funded route to a dentist for everyone.
• On-demand access on its own, as a first step for a business that currently offers nothing.

None of these is right for every workforce. What matters is that each part has a clear purpose and staff know when to use it.

Start from your people and what you already spend. Look at where employees are based, their working patterns and whether they can take time off for appointments. Then check what existing cover already includes, because staff often don't know.

Our research found that 39% of HR leaders with dental provision name rising premiums as a frustration, and 24% cite low utilisation ^[1]. Both are easier to manage when every part of the package has a defined job and employees understand it. A broker can help price different combinations, and 26% of HR leaders already rely on a broker recommendation when choosing providers ^[1].