Special Olympics Wisconsin: Special Smiles for a Special Cause

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Special Olympics Wisconsin

Delta Dental of Wisconsin is all smiles this summer – Special Olympics Wisconsin is back and ready to go for the gold!

Special Olympics Wisconsin (SOWI) is a statewide organization providing athletic training and competition for individuals with intellectual disabilities. SOWI continues to focus on the health of the people it serves, and with the help of Delta Dental Wisconsin, dental health can be a focus too.

In 2002, SOWI sought the help of Delta Dental of Wisconsin to create the Healthy Athlete’s Initiative, which provides screening programs including the Special Smiles program. Special Olympic athletes are given a free oral health screening, fluoride varnish application, education on the importance of good hygiene, and if appropriate for the sport they are participating in, a free mouth guard. In addition, those needing dental care are helped to find a dentist in their area. Delta Dental is proud to partner with Special Olympics on these screening programs offered at both the summer and winter games.

Special Olympics Wisconsin would not be possible without the generous efforts of volunteers, coaches, families, and most importantly, the athletes. 

Want to catch the action this summer? Visit specialolympicswisconsin.org to learn more.

What Your Clients Want in a Dental Plan

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Dental Benefits contribute to employee retention and satisfaction. What exactly are employees looking for? Here are some considerations:

As a broker, your clients look to you to help them decide which benefits plans make the most sense for their company and employees. 

But what do employers want in a dental insurance provider? Here are some considerations: 

One size doesn’t fit all. 

As the nation’s largest and most experienced dental benefits carrier, we offer a wide variety of plans for groups of all sizes. We also provide creative options for groups with limited budgets. 

Network size matters. 

Delta Dental covers more than 62 million Americans in more than 114,000 groups. Not only do we have the largest network, we achieve real cost savings too:

  • Delta Dental Premier is the largest provider network in the country, with 148,000 participating
  • The Delta Dental PPO network has more than 95,000 participating providers.
  • A recent dental network study shows that Delta Dental’s PPO Plan delivers the industry’s best effective discount – averaging 20.3% nationally on paid claims. 

Employees want dental benefits. 

Dental benefits contribute to employee retention and satisfaction. The statistics speak for themselves – in 2000, only 31% of all businesses offered dental benefits. Today, 53% of employers offer dental coverage. Offering dental benefits may also help employers attract new talent. New graduates rank dental insurance among the top 5 most important workplace benefits. 

If you’re interested in becoming an appointed agent with Delta Dental of Wisconsin, visit deltadentalwi.com/broker/get-appointed to learn more.

Smile Down the Aisle this Wedding Season

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Wedding bells are ringing. Whether you’re the bride to be or it’s your best friend’s big day, wedding season is in full swing! 

Here’s how to ensure you have a smile that’s picture perfect – as a guest, bridesmaid, or blushing bride.

Get a healthy smile this wedding season – Delta Dental of Wisconsin

The Importance of Dental Visits: Benefits Beyond Just Cleanings

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Most people understand the importance of yearly medical exams. While going to see the doctor isn’t always something one looks forward to, it’s seen as a necessity. Because, “what if.” What if there is something wrong? What if there is some unforeseen illness that only a doctor could detect? 

Yearly physicals are an accepted part of life. Because after all, health insurance covers it anyway, right? 

Well, dental insurance and covered exams can provide some of that same insight. 

Seeing a dentist isn’t just about cleanings and inspections for cavities. A trip to the dentist can also help identify issues with overall health as well. More than 120 diseases can be detected by an exam of the mouth and jaw. Dental professionals can spot symptoms during checkups that could indicate serious health problems elsewhere in the body. Nutritional deficiencies, general infections, and systemic diseases may first become apparent in the mouth, and early detection could lead to early treatment or prevention. 

Likewise, if an individual has a specific medical condition, additional dental attention may be warranted and beneficial. Delta Dental’s Evidence-Based Integrated Care Plan (EBICP) provides additional cleanings and/or fluoride treatments for people with certain medical conditions that have oral health implications. 

Some disease management treatments or medications can negatively impact oral health. It is important for dentists to be aware of all medical conditions, and resulting treatments (including medications) to perform a thorough exam, provide proper care, and avoid future, more serious dental complications. 

So while it’s important to see a dentist to make sure teeth are free of plaque, being proactive about your oral health can discover other underlying issues that may have gone undetected. 

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the mouth is the doorway to the body.

Make Your Mom Smile – Five Gift Ideas

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Mother’s Day is right around the corner! If you are still searching for the perfect gift to show mom your love, here are five gift ideas that are sure to make her smile:

  • Gift card – Gift cards are always great last minute gift ideas; this year consider one she can really sink her teeth into. A gift certificate to a dental spa will help her unwind and relax while showing her pearly whites some love, plus it’s a nice way to thank her for taking care of your chompers!
  • Bed and Breakfast – Maybe you don’t remember your terrible two’s, but you can bet your mom still does. What better way to thank her on Mother’s Day than giving her a few nights of R&R and so she can finally “hear herself think!”
  • Chocolate – A staple in almost every mom’s diet, chocolate is good for the heart and the soul, and is even dentist recommended. Don’t hurt your mom’s teeth by giving her sugary candy, dentists recommend chocolate instead. It dissolves more quickly and is also more tooth friendly.
  • Offer your help – Your mom has spent your whole life picking up after you, cleaning the house, and making sure you had nutritious meals. Give her some love this year by cooking her dinner – and staying to clean up afterwards. Not sure your cooking and cleaning skills are up to par? I’m sure no mom would balk at ordering in, or hiring a cleaning service to give her a break.
  • A special note – Sometimes all your mom needs is some kind words from the heart. If none of these gifts seem to fit quite right, consider sitting down with a pen and paper and reminding her how important she is! You don’t have to be poet or a writer to tell her how you feel – remember she displayed those preschool art projects proudly on the refrigerator.

Whether your mom’s a bit quirky or the sweetest person you know, don’t forget to show her some love this Mother’s day – after all she has done a lot for you!

Shape Up and Smile: Three Workout Alternatives You Haven’t Tried Yet

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Go ahead…skip the gym! Here are 3 unique routines to pump you (and your interest level) up!It’s common knowledge that regular exercise is a key component to a healthy lifestyle. Here’s another reason to sweat – your smile. A study with more than 12,000 participants observed the effects of exercise and healthy eating on dental health. Those who exercised and consumed a well-balanced diet consistently had healthier gums and fresher breath, compared to those didn’t.

You know by now that you should exercise. Then why do people still manage to make excuses to skip the gym?

One reason is boredom. If you find the typical gym regimen boring, don’t do things you dread. Try a workout replacement instead!

Here are three unique routines to pump you (and your interest level) up!

  1. Run a (dance) fever.

If running on the treadmill sounds worse than running your nails on a chalkboard, bust a move with this new body-boosting trend – treadmill dancing! Break out the beats and hip-hop your way to a healthier you! Get routine inspiration here.

  1. Kill two “chores” with one stone.

Many view a daily workout as a chore. Why not turn two tasks into one? Go for the housework burn! The more effort you put into cleaning, the more calories you’ll burn. One easy strategy is to alternate your housework between levels. For example, vacuum the basement carpet, and then make the bed upstairs. The constant stair climbing will ensure a spick and span sweat session.

  1. Cirque du sweat.

Trapeze workouts are soaring in popularity. There’s no wonder why – trapeze training focuses on multiple muscle groups at the same time. With more than 100 training schools in the U.S. alone, it’s easy to swing into the trapeze world.

Go ahead…skip the gym! Which exercise alternatives are you most excited to try?

Brushing or Broccoli? Kids Choose Vegetables Over Dental Health

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Young girl eating a tomato from a plate of vegetables

Think it’s tough to get kids to eat their vegetables? A new survey reveals it may be even tougher to get them to brush their teeth.

Nearly half of parents (45%) say getting kids to brush is one of the most challenging things to get their kids to do. That’s slightly higher than getting children to eat vegetables regularly (42%) or getting their help with household chores (41%). 

And, almost a third of parents admit their children’s teeth are brushed once a day or less.

Fortunately, parents are working to get on the right track. 58% of parents have specifically made dental hygiene a household routine and 31% have asked other family members to enforce good dental health habits.

Here are some positive ways to make brushing and flossing an easier item on the to-do list: 

  • Be a role model. Kids love to imitate their parents. Start young ­– make dental care a family activity. Nearly 4 in 10 parents are already doing this by brushing their teeth at the same time as their kids. Family toothbrush time is a great opportunity to reverse roles and let your children brush your teeth.
  • Reward good dental health habits. More than half of parents say rewarding kids for good behavior is the best way to get them excited about healthy teeth. Create a chart that keeps track of daily oral health habits and reward kids accordingly.
  • Call in reinforcements. Young children may be more inclined to brush their teeth if you pick out their favorite character tooth brush, or, try changing up the tooth paste flavor to one of these interesting flavors.

Maybe it’s time to change the messenger. Call the dental office before your child’s next checkup. The same motivational message might be better received if it comes from a third party, like the dentist. 

For more tips on taking care of children’s teeth, as well as other dental health-related news and information, visit the Delta Dental of Wisconsin blog.

 

 

What Your Old Toothbrush Can Do For You

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Some items are easy to recycle: Old books make great additions to your local school. Hand-me-downs can be given to a neighbor or youngest child. Glass bottles make delightful DIYs.

What about old toothbrushes? While we wouldn’t recommend giving them to anyone at Thursday night book club, we do have a few (sanitary) ideas.

By reusing old toothbrushes, you are saving energy, preventing pollution, and more! These toothbrush tricks will benefit the planet and provide you with a new and resourceful tool..

Here’s how your old toothbrush can help you…

image via areal-lifehousewife.com

Tidy up.

The military used to make soldiers clean bathroom floors with old toothbrushes. While we respect the soldiers’ earth-friendly punishment, our toothbrush cleaning routine is all about reaching those nooks and crannies. The possibilities are endless: appliances, windowsills, keyboards, grout, shoe soles, and even your hairdryer.

image via bhg.com

Bring out your inner Jackson Pollock.

Toothbrushes make unique art instruments. Use a white canvas, gather old toothbrushes, and pick your favorite acrylic paint colors. Drip, flick, and drizzle until you get a mantle-worthy masterpiece. 

Do you have more ways to make less waste? Share your re-usable toothbrush ideas in the comments section.

Go Green by Going Paperless

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It’s obvious we love the color green, but we view “green” as a verb too.

Each year, Americans use around 69 million tons of paper and paperboard. How can you reduce your carbon footprint? One way you can “go green” is with your dental benefit statements and information.

Here’s how to get started: 

  • Go Green e-Statements. Elect to receive your Explanations of Benefits (EOBs) online. Sign into your account and select My Benefits. Scroll down and select Go Green E-Statements. Complete the requested information to begin receiving your e-EOBs.
  • Access your account from anywhere. Our website was set up with your needs in mind. With our mobile responsive design, you can access from your phone, tablet, or computer and you can search for a dentist, access a recent claim, view/use your ID card – everything is on your device!

How does this help the environment?

For every 1 million subscribers who go paperless:

  • 22 million gallons of water will be conserved
  • 1,632 trees will be conserved
  • 7 tons of solid waste won’t be manufactured