Seniors are a perfect target market for an in-house dental savings plan (DSP). While other demographic groups might be interested in your DSP, senior citizens have a unique set of circumstances influencing their dental care.  Here are 7 reasons senior citizens need to know about your in-house DSP.

 

 

1. Seniors often lack dental insurance. Until my dad retired, I didn’t realize how many seniors lacked dental insurance. Many baby boomers had dental coverage for most of their working lives, but lost it at retirement. The plans available to them as individuals are often pretty expensive and have limited networks. (This makes sense. Most dental insurance plans profit off the people in group situations who take the plan and then avoid the dentist. But if you’re motivated enough to buy an individual dental insurance plan, you’re probably the sort of person who will max out your benefits.)

 

2. Seniors economize. When people retire, they start living off their savings. They economize. They can’t just work overtime to deal with unexpected expenses, so they try to avoid them. Senior citizens are looking for ways to minimize the financial impact of things like dental problems.

3. Baby Boomers were one of the last generations without fluoride. Those of us who grew up after the fluoride revolution tend to take our healthy teeth for granted. But to you ever wonder why so many of us have ‘good teeth’ when so many of our parents have mouths full of crowns and fillings? It’s not good genes, it’s fluoridated water. Most baby boomers grew up without it, and so their teeth need a lot of work.

 

4. But today’s retirees are also healthy and active. So you have the combination of bad teeth and a healthy body, people who want to be active and eat well, and people who need dental work. Baby boomers have tooth issues, but they’re also willing to make an investment to save their teeth and to preserve functionality. An in-house DSP will help them cover the costs of that investment.

5. There’s a growing body of evidence supporting the oral-systemic health link. As the Baby Boomers age, they’re having to deal with diseases of aging like diabetes, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s. We have an increasing body of evidence showing that dental care can help control blood sugar, prevent heart disease, and spot the early signs of dementia. Baby boomers are also extremely health conscious, and will want to include high-quality dental care as part of their health and wellness routine. An in-house DSP can help them budget for that care.

 

When you look at the unique needs of American retirees, it becomes clear that an in-house DSP is a great way to provide your older patients with excellent dental health care.  With a DSP, you can help make the cost of a great smile predictable and affordable for retirees. If you’re interested in learning how to market your in-house DSP specifically to retirees, keep your eyes peeled for the launch of my new book, HOW TO GROW YOUR DENTAL MEMBERSHIP PLAN: Marketing secrets behind my 1.4 million dollars of growth in just 24 months coming this Fall. I have some great tips on how to market your plan directly to retirees, without middlemen, for a great ROI.