WIXLIB

Cigna Dental ReportBEHIND THE SMILEOral Health Impacts Self-Esteem,Confidence and EmployabilityOffered by: Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company and its affiliates.930138 11/19

Study Confirms Oral Health and Confidence are Connected1Understanding the connection between oral andoverall health is just one component of Cigna’scommitment to whole-person health, and it’s thedriving force behind some of our clinical programsdesigned to identify and help patients diagnosed withmedical conditions that may be impacted by gumdisease.But we also know that whole-person health is morethan just physical well-being. Whole-person health iswell-being for the body and the mind, because thereis an inextricable connection between the two.2When one is out of balance, it can impact wholeperson health. This “body and mind” connection isthe reason Cigna commissioned a study on theimpact oral health has on self-esteem and confidence.health can have on other aspects of their life. In fact,smile satisfaction is one of the top three driversof self‑confidence across U.S. adults from variousattitudinal, demographic and behavioral backgrounds.The other two drivers of self confidence were being inthe silent generation and having high income. Whenviewed as a complete picture, the data from thisstudy illustrates a tremendous opportunity to help ourcustomers achieve higher levels of self-confidenceand satisfaction through better oral health andimprovements to the appearance of their smile.Our research into the impact of oral health onconfidence among Americans resulted in somecompelling findings. Although one can anecdotallyassume that self-confidence is lower in people whohave oral health conditions that may impact theirappearance when they smile, the data shows justhow impactful one’s feeling about their own oralSmile Satisfaction and the Impact of Oral Health on Confidence1Most of the people surveyed indicated they were“very or completely satisfied” with their smile.However, 15% of them reported being “not at allor not very satisfied.” A similar percentage – 16%– said their smile impairs their self-confidence.Smile satisfaction ratingsAnd when asked about smile satisfaction ratings,a pattern begins to emerge that illustrates theconnection between smile satisfaction encecompletelysatisfied withtheir smileOf those who are completely satisfied withtheir smile, 93% rate their self‑confidenceas excellent or very good.Among those who are not at all satisfiedwith their smile, only 30% call theirself‑confidence excellent or very good.›excellentself-confidence30%Oral health impact on confidence levelThe driving factors of self-confidence aremore than just “liking” your smile, though,and this becomes evident when respondentswere asked about their oral health.›not at allsatisfied withtheir smile91%excellentself-confidencewhen oralhealth isexcellentAmong those who say their oral healthis excellent, 91% say their self‑confidenceis excellent or very good.Among those who say their oral healthis fair or poor, only 37% rate theirself‑confidence as excellent or very good.2when oral healthis fair or poorexcellentself-confidence37%

Self-Confidence and Routine Dental Care are Connected1The study showed that people who report having“excellent” oral health have higher self-confidencethan those who report “fair to poor oral health.”Adults who have routine dental care two or moretimes per year report significantly higher ratesof self-confidence than people who go less thanonce a year or not at all. This is because routinepreventive care can address problems beforethey become serious, and before those problemsbegin to affect the condition of their gums, teethand their smile.Benefit Coverage Confidence Level1The absence or presence of benefits that help provide dental care services also has an impact onself‑confidence. When surveyed, the percentage of respondents who said they have “excellent or very good”levels of self‑confidence are markedly different, with those who have coverage reporting higher rates ofconfidence than those who don’t.Frequency of routine preventive visitsto the dentist each yearPercent reportingexcellent/very good self-confidenceTWO or more75%Less than ONE54%NEVER49%Percentage of people reporting “excellent or very good” self-confidence,based on dental coverage status.People with at leastten years of continuousdental coverage:74%Peoplewithoutdental coverage:66%3Of those who reported havingpoor, fair or good self-confidence,7%made a reference to oralhealth improvement being one wayto boost their self-confidence.

Beyond Self-Confidence – The Impact of Poor Oral Healthon Employability1The impact that oral health and one’s feelingsabout their smile has on self-confidence is alarming.But the cause and effect of oral health and smilesatisfaction doesn’t stop at self-confidence. Theinsecurities about smiles and oral health have hada direct impact on employment opportunities formany of the people included in this study.››21%More than 21% of people surveyed reportedfeeling less confident about job interviewsbecause of their smile or the state of theiroral health.of those surveyed reported feelingLESS CONFIDENT ABOUT JOB INTERVIEWSBECAUSE OF POOR ORAL HEALTH12% believe their smile or oral healthAnd 12% believe their smile or oral healthcondition held them back from getting a jobor getting a promotion.CONDITION HELD THEM BACK FROMGETTING A JOB OR GETTING A PROMOTIONAddressing the Opportunity for Oral Health Improvement1It’s clear there is a connection between oral healthand smile satisfaction, and how confident peoplefeel. And this connection can have a direct impacton a person’s life, including lower employability,lower levels of satisfaction with their appearance,and an increased sense of stress or discomfort in avariety of settings because of how they feel abouttheir smile or oral health. The statistics captured inthis study also show that most U.S. adults alreadyWhen viewed as a complete picture, the data fromthis study illustrates a tremendous opportunityto help our customers achieve higher levels ofself-confidence and satisfaction through betteroral health and improvements to the appearanceof their smile. In recognizing the connectionbetween physical concerns and stress, and lowself‑confidence, we can begin to examine ways wecan help people have better whole‑person health,body and mind.think their oral health and smile could be improved.› 63% say they could benefit fromoral health improvements› 58% say their smile could be improvedORAL HEALTH IMPROVEMENT OPORTUNITIES:63%58%say they could benefit fromoral health improvementssay their smile couldbe improved4

Solutions Designed to Help Improve Whole-person Health1Cigna Dental plans include important preventive care› Tooth discoloration is the most commonlyreported oral health condition across all agesservices designed to help customers achieve goodoral health. But many of the things that people sayimpact their self-confidence go beyond just cleaningsand exams. Missing teeth, crooked teeth, discoloredteeth – these are all aspects of oral health thatpeople who report lower levels of self‑confidencemay be living with. They are also often the result ofnot having access to dental benefits, or not gettingrecommended preventive care, and require moreinvolved procedures to rectify.›–19% of Gen Z mention teeth whitening› 48% of Gen Z and 40% of Millennialsmention brushing and flossingOf the 58% of respondents who say their smile couldbe improved, many mentioned teeth whitening andteeth straightening as ways they could achieve smileimprovement. Cigna recognizes that having accessto these services can help improve customers’ selfconfidence, which leads to better health through thebody and mind connection. That’s why our CignaDental Care (DHMO)3 plans include teeth whiteningand orthodontia for adults, including the popularInvisalign option that allows patients to undergoorthodontic treatment with their orthodontist/dentistwithout having to wear metal brackets and wires.4We also have the option to add dental implantcoverage to our plans, which means customers havea choice when it comes to replacing lost teeth.4Younger generations tend to focus onappearance rather than oral health.– Vanity concerns (discoloration, straightening)are more frequently brought up by youngergenerations in terms of improving oral health,but they are also the most optimistic that theiroral health and their smiles can be improved.Clinical Expertise Leads to Innovation – Going Beyond theStatus Quo1Cigna Dental is a whole-person health company,focused on the impact dental care has on ourcustomers’ well-being.Today’s workforce is evolving, with the majorityof workers falling into the Millennial age bracket.7This means employers need to be aware of (andresponsive to) how this group views their ownoral health and the ways in which they wouldlike to access care. “Care that comes to them” isincreasingly appealing to employed adults, and theidea of virtual visits is especially of interest to theGen Z age range.Why? Because we know if our customers overlooktheir dental health and well-being, their physicaland emotional wellbeing is at stake. As we continueto identify connections between oral health andwhole-person health, we look for opportunities tobridge gaps and solve health challenges throughthe development of innovative new dental programsand products. This “identify engage treat prevent” philosophy has coalesced in the creationof the Cigna Dental Health Connect program.Cigna Dental Health Connect serves as a guidingprinciple for the development of programs like theCigna Dental Oral Health Integration Program 5,Onsite Dental Care6, The Dental Outreach Program,Safe Prescribing Measures for Opioids and otherservices designed to help identify ways to improveoverall health through dental initiatives, and toensure those who need dental care or services haveaccess to them, regardless of barriers that may haveprevented them from receiving care in the past.Of those who say going to the dentist isinconvenient 29% point towards work schedules ordifficulty getting to the dentist.›Among employed adults, 22% indicate thatdental appointments at their workplace wouldbe appealing.› 3 in 10 Gen Z and Millennials like idea ofappointments at workplace› 28% of Gen Z like the idea of virtual visits.5