Word of Mouth

Pregnancy and menopause bring unique health challenges, including hormonal changes that impact oral health​. That’s why Delta Dental created Next Stage™ Women’s Health, a first-of-its-kind program designed to support women during these two critical life stages.

For employers, this is more than an enhanced dental offering. It’s a way to modernize your benefits strategy while better supporting women across your workforce.
 

What is Next Stage™ Women’s Health?

The Next Stage™ Women's Health program offers expanded benefits to address the oral health impacts of pregnancy and menopause, and includes comprehensive support like specialty telehealth visits, curated partner products and member resources to help promote whole-body health during these pivotal life stages.

When you add this benefit to your PPO or Premier Delta Dental plan, your eligible members who opt in receive additional preventive services such as:

• Extra cleanings and periodontal maintenance
• Additional exams and bitewing X-rays
• Adult topical fluoride treatments
   

Partnerships that add value:
Next Stage™ Women’s Health also extends beyond dental coverage. Through partnerships with Midi Health and Embr Labs, the program connects women to specialized treatment guidance and innovative wellness resources, reinforcing whole-person care.

By increasing access to preventive care, the program helps address oral health risks linked to hormonal shifts including gum disease and dry mouth, before they become more serious concerns.
 

Why we created Next Stage™ Women’s Health

Hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause affect oral health. Pregnancy can cause gingivitis, while menopause lowers estrogen, leading to gum disease and tooth loss. Many women are unaware of this connection.

According to a recent Delta Dental menopause report, over 80% of women 40+ say they’d be able to maintain better oral care with additional dental benefits. Additionally, 81% of dentists would discuss menopause-related oral health more if menopause-specific benefits were available. Next Stage™ Women’s Health offers enhanced coverage for pregnancy and menopause, helping women connect oral, hormonal and overall health, and encouraging specialized care during these key life stages. 
 

Expanded benefits for an equitable workplace

By offering targeted preventive care during life stages like pregnancy and menopause, your organization recognizes that employees experience different health needs at different stages of life. This kind of thoughtful benefit positions your company as one that actively protects employee well-being, values women’s health and creates a culture where employees feel seen, supported and cared for, not just as workers, but as people.

Supporting women’s health in a meaningful way can lead to:

• Improved health outcomes
• Higher employee satisfaction
• Stronger retention
• Reduced absenteeism