FYI

Delta Dental’s third annual Oral Health and Menopause Survey reveals 68% of women 40+ would discuss menopause’s oral health impact with their dentist if they had menopause-specific dental benefits.

“The connection between menopause and oral health has been overlooked for far too long,” said Sarah Chavarria, CEO and President of Delta Dental Insurance Company. “Despite the knowledge gaps revealed in this survey, we’re encouraged to see that attitudes are changing and women are ready to break the stigma. They want meaningful support from their insurance provider during this stage of life, and we’re proud to be the first dental insurer to listen and respond with comprehensive benefits designed to meet their needs, starting 2026.”

We recently released findings from our  2025 Oral Health and Menopause Report, revealing a significant gap between women’s oral health experiences during menopause and the specialized dental coverage they desire. The comprehensive survey demonstrates clear demand for menopause-specific dental benefits, with women expressing willingness to engage more proactively in their oral care when appropriate coverage is available.
 
The survey uncovered a critical knowledge gap around menopause-related oral health symptoms — such as dry mouth — or what some call “menopause mouth.” While 83% of women 40+ say they are not aware of any oral health symptoms brought on by menopause, many are unknowingly experiencing them. In recent months, 40% of women 40+ have noticed increased dry mouth, 27% report heightened tooth sensitivity, 26% have experienced changes to taste and 22% have had tooth decay and loss.
 
This disconnect between experience and awareness creates significant barriers to care. Currently, 30% of women struggle to find the tools and resources they need to address menopause-related oral health concerns, with many turning to the internet (29%) instead of dental professionals (21%) for guidance.
 
More dentists are talking about menopause
This year’s survey shows encouraging progress in dental provider awareness compared to 2024. More dentists are initiating conversations about menopause’s impact on oral health, with 55% now more open to discussing the topic proactively compared to 47% last year.
 
The survey further revealed that 81% of dentists say they would be more inclined to proactively discuss menopause with patients if menopause-specific benefits were in place. Additionally, 89% of dentists indicated they would be more likely to discuss menopause with their female patients if they had access to shared medical record data.

Delta Dental introduces Next Stage™ Women’s Health
In direct response to survey findings, Delta Dental will be introducing the Next Stage™ Women’s Health program early next year, offering whole-health solutions designed to support oral health-related conditions associated with menopause, pregnancy and other hormonal changes in women. This program will be offered as an enhanced benefit for Delta Dental’s commercial group clients.

To learn more about the oral health-menopause connection, visit this page.