That’s the world of Denplan for you.

See inside for information about your Denplan membership, and the chance to win a holiday to St Lucia!

YourDenplan2015

We’re delighted to welcome you to Your Denplan 2015, complete with a fresh new look. As always, we’re pleased that you’ve chosen to continue to prioritise caring for your teeth and gums as a Denplan patient, and we aim to support this as much as we can.

We’ve gathered together information and articles that we hope you’ll find useful. To show you how making small changes to your lifestyle can easily help to improve your oral health, we have some top tips from our Deputy Chief Dental Officer, Henry Clover, on page 10. We’ve also taken a look at how diabetes can affect your dental health on page 8, and what you can do to manage this. For the keen bakers out there, there’s a tooth-friendly recipe for you to try out at the back of the booklet.

We’ve enclosed a copy of the 2015 Supplementary Insurance policy document, underwritten by Simplyhealth Access, which includes full details relating to benefits, how to claim, eligibility and terms and conditions.

We’d love to know your thoughts on this new layout, so don’t forget to find out details of our patient survey on the back cover, where you can be in with a chance to win an all-inclusive holiday to St Lucia!

Steve GatesManaging Director, Denplan

Hello from Denplan!

2

Have you ever considered what you’d do if you needed to replace a tooth due to a dental injury? Denplan offers Implant Upgrade Cover to help you when the unexpected happens...

When Denplan member Michael Fournier, 70, was assaulted in an unprovoked attack in Nantwich town centre during February 2014, his oral health was severely affected. Fortunately, Michael had taken out Denplan’s Implant Upgrade Cover which meant he could be offered the best possible solution for replacing his damaged teeth.

“I went to my dentist soon after the assault and was told I needed two implants, as well as a crown

and bridge restoration,” explains Michael. “I knew this was going to be

thousands of pounds of treatment so I was very relieved when I realised my Denplan Emergency cover and Implant Upgrade Cover would take care of everything.”

Dental implants are fast becoming a popular solution for replacing teeth. If well looked after, a dental

implant can last a lifetime and will look, function, and feel just like a real

tooth. Having always taken care of his oral health, Michael had now experienced

what it was like to have severely damaged or missing teeth.

“The damage to my teeth has caused me a lot of pain and affected my eating and enjoyment of food,” he explains. “It’s been a huge weight off my shoulders to know that dental implants function and look like real teeth. It’s all been an essential part of the healing process – both physically and mentally after the ordeal of my attack.”

Michael found claiming on his Denplan cover straightforward.

“My dental practice team and Denplan have been brilliant throughout the whole process and I can’t fault them,” says Michael. “Everyone should have Implant Upgrade Cover – I never thought I’d need to use it but I’m very grateful that it was an option offered to me by Denplan, otherwise I don’t know how I would have afforded my treatment.

“Since I began my restorative treatment, so many of my friends have asked me for the details of my Denplan plan – they have been impressed by how much of the treatment Denplan has been able to cover, as well as their outstanding customer support.”

- the closest thing to a natural toothDental implants

3

“Everyone should have Implant Upgrade Cover - I never thought I’d need to use it but I’m very grateful that it was an option offered to me by Denplan, otherwise I don’t know how I would have afforded my treatment”Michael Fournier

For more information go to www.denplan.co.uk

4

Why Denplan?At Denplan, we believe in giving you and your dentist all the support needed to keep your teeth healthy for life.

As a valued patient, let us remind you of all the things we do to make your dental care a breeze...

The top five benefits of being a Denplan patient:

✔ No financial surprisesYour dental plan includes expert advice and professional care for a set payment. Some of our plans cover restorative dental treatment, such as fillings, crowns and more complex procedures, which could cost hundreds of pounds if you weren’t with Denplan.

✔ Preventive carePreventive dental care and advice can help to stop problems before they begin. The support Denplan provides your practice behind the scenes gives your dental team more time to spend with you during your regular appointments.

✔ Regular appointmentsYour plan covers regular visits to your dental team, for a routine appointment or hygiene treatment. In turn, these regular visits help prevent dental problems from arising, saving you time and money in the future.

✔ Supplementary InsuranceAll Denplan payment plans include Supplementary Insurance. This provides you with cover towards the cost of dental treatment in an emergency, or following a dental injury, and can be used in the UK and abroad.

✔ Emergency supportIf you need advice about what to do in a dental emergency when you’re abroad, or you need help finding an emergency dental appointment in the UK, you can call our Helpline team on 0800 844 999. They are available to assist you at any time, and can help you decide upon the best course of action in an emergency.

By making it easy for you to budget for your dental care, you can visit your dentist regularly and receive the very best preventive treatment and advice.

6

mattersAs the weather changes, we tend to consume more cold or hot foods and drinks, which may cause you to notice more sensitivity in your teeth. Some people may be more sensitive to cold items such icy drinks and frozen desserts, and others may notice that hot chocolates, teas and coffees bring on tooth sensitivity.

• Gum disease – a build-up of plaque or tartarcan cause the gum to recede down the toothand even destroy the bony support of the tooth

• Teeth grinding – clenching and grindingthe teeth together can cause enamel tobe worn away

• A cracked tooth or filling

• Teeth whitening – some patients may noticemild sensitivity for a short time after bleaching

There are lots of anti-sensitivity toothpastes on the market which can alleviate symptoms – especially if you rub the toothpaste directly onto sensitive areas with your finger, and avoid rinsing it off afterwards.

Your dentist can also help you with tooth sensitivity by recommending

a toothpaste, or by using fluoride gels, rinses or varnishes. They can also check to make sure you don’t have any significant underlying causes, such as gum disease,

defective fillings or decay.

If you’re suffering from ongoing sensitive teeth, speak to your dentist at your next appointment to discuss your options.

Sensitivity can occur when enamel – the hard outer layer of our teeth – is lost or worn away, and the softer dentine layer underneath is exposed. It can also happen where the tooth and the gum line meet, as the enamel layer is much thinner here.

Sensitive teeth can affect anyone, and can be caused by:

• Toothbrush abrasion – brushing toohard (or with a brush that’s too firm)

• Dental erosion – caused by frequentconsumption of acidic food and drinks

• Gum recession – gums may naturally shrinkback over time and the roots (which don’thave an enamel layer to protect them)will become exposed

Sensitive

7

Dentists are often asked by patients what the best way is to keep their teeth healthy, hoping that we will reveal a secret top tip, such as the formula to a super toothpaste! The answer is still ‘prevention’. A good oral health routine and regular visits to your dental practice is still the best proven way to achieve a healthy mouth for life. Here are our three top tips:

Brush your teeth twice a day, for two minutes each time, using a fluoride toothpaste

Brushing is essential to remove food particles from your teeth and gums. Whether you use an electric or manual toothbrush is up to you, although using toothpaste with a good fluoride content is vital.

To find out which products are best suited to your needs, and for a guide to brushing correctly, speak to your dental team.

Clean between your teeth at least once a day

Choose a type of floss, interdental brush, or an air/water flosser that suits you, and clean between your teeth at least once a day. This can be before or after brushing, in the morning or the evening. If you’re unsure you’re doing this right or effectively, speak to your dental team.

Cleaning between your teeth removes debris that your toothbrush can’t reach, helping to decrease the likelihood of tooth decay and gum disease.

Be aware of how your lifestyle can affect your smile

Simple things like reducing the amount of sugary food and drink you consume each day can really make a difference to the health of your teeth and gums. Try to limit these sugary items to mealtimes, and have just three snacks spread out between your main meals.

Pick one sugary element of your current diet and try swapping this with a tooth-friendly one – this could improve your oral health as well as your overall wellbeing.

Finally, remember to visit your dental team regularly, as often as they recommend, and discuss any concerns you may have about your mouth with them. This can help to detect and address any dental problems before they begin, helping you to keep a healthy smile for life.

Having worked as a dentist for 17 years, Henry Clover joined Denplan in 1998 and is now our Deputy Chief Dental Officer.

For more tips on how you can improve the health of your teeth and gums between appointments, visit www.denplan.co.uk/myteeth

IMAGEOF HENRY

from our dental team

Top tips

10

The whole family will love baking and eating these delicious blueberry muffins – and they’re tooth friendly! We’ve swapped the sugar for xylitol, a natural alternative to sugar that also has dental benefits. You can find xylitol in good health food shops and larger supermarkets.

Makes 12

Ingredients:• 300g self-raising flour• 100g unsalted butter, softened at room

temperature• 250g fresh blueberries• 125g xylitol • 2 large eggs, beaten• 140ml semi skimmed milk• 1 teaspoon baking powder• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract• Pinch of salt

Method:1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/fan 170°C/gas mark

5 and line a muffin tray with paper muffin cases.

2 Using an electric hand whisk, cream together the butter and xylitol until light and fluffy. Gradually whisk in the beaten eggs a little bit at a time until fully mixed in. Don’t worry if the mixture separates slightly.

3 Stir in the milk and vanilla extract then fold in the flour, baking powder and salt.

4 Fold in the blueberries and spoon the mixture into the muffin cases. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean (cakes made with xylitol tend not to brown as much as cakes made with sugar).

5 Leave the blueberry muffins to cool in the tray for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

Tooth-friendly blueberry muffins

Recipe

As with many sugar alternatives, excessive consumption of xylitol may have laxative effects.

11

What is Xylitol?Xylitol is a natural sugar alternative that is found in a variety of plants and fruits. It was first discovered in the bark of birch trees, which gave it its name (‘xyl’ is the Greek word for wood). Granulated xylitol looks and tastes just like sugar.

Xylitol is already used in chewing gums, mints, toothpastes and mouthwashes, and there are calls for it to be used more in our diets. Studies have shown that xylitol inhibits the growth of bacteria in our mouths and reduces the likelihood of tooth decay and plaque build-up.

Diabetics may find xylitol ideal for their needs as it has a glycaemic index (GI) value of just 7 and does not raise blood glucose or insulin levels.

Time for a holiday? Now you have the chance to spend a fabulous week soaking up the Caribbean sunshine in St. Lucia. Denplan has teamed up with Elite Island Resorts to offer one lucky winner an idyllic seven-night all-inclusive holiday for two people, staying at the premium four-star St James’s Club, Morgan Bay.

Set within 25 acres of beautiful tropical gardens and stunning beachfront, St. James’s Club Morgan Bay is located just minutes from the capital city of Castries and offers a selection of delicious restaurants, four freshwater swimming pools, tennis courts, spa, and fitness centre.

We’ve also got five innovative dental care sets to give away from Brush-Baby - the experts in early years tooth care (RRP £10.50).

For your chance to win one of these great prizes, just visit www.denplan.co.uk/yourdenplan2015 and complete our survey to be entered into the prize draw.

Closing date is 31st December 2014.

Win! Win a holiday for two to St. Lucia or one of

five runners-up prizes of Brush-Baby dental care

sets worth over £10*

Part of Simplyhealth, Denplan Ltd is an Appointed Representative of Simplyhealth Access. Simplyhealth Access is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Denplan Ltd is regulated by the Jersey Financial Services Commission for General Insurance Mediation Business. Terms and conditions apply.

Editorial team: Sara Elliott, Jessica Gow, Caroline BatchelorDesign: Skyline AdvertisingEmail: pressoffice@denplan.co.ukAny correspondence for this magazine should be to sent to: The Editor, Your Denplan,Denplan Limited, Denplan Court, Victoria Road, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 7RG

Last year’s winner, Denplan patient Richard, bagged himself and his partner Andrea a trip to Tobago…

“We were amazed and delighted to win this prize. We don’t often enter competitions and it was the first time we have ever won anything so valuable! Denplan made organising the holiday arrangements so straight forward and we’re both really looking forward to our week in the sun.”

If you would like to enter the free prize draw via post, please send a pre-paid envelope with your name and address to: Correspondence Team, Re: Your Denplan 2015, Denplan Limited, Denplan Court, Victoria Road, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 7RG. We’ll then send you a hard copy of the questionnaire to complete.*Full terms and conditions are available online at www.denplan.co.uk/yourdenplan2015

FRM

27

Prinect PDF Report 12.0.039 - 1 - 09/12/2014 12:04:49 PM

Document overviewFile name: 56649_05 12pp BRO - 10-14 V1_39L.pdfTitle: 56649_05 12pp BRO - 10-14 V1.inddCreator: Adobe InDesign CC 2014 (Macintosh)Producer: Adobe PDF Library 11.0Author: -Creation Date: 09/12/2014 11:19:08 AMModification Date: 09/12/2014 12:01:40 PMFile size: 8.5 MByte / 8742.7 KByteTrapped: NoOutput Intent: Coated FOGRA39 (ISO 12647-2:2004)PDF/X Version: PDF/X-4PDF Version: 1.6Number of pages: 2Media Box: 925.58 x 215.58 mmTrim Box: 908.00 x 198.00 mm

Summary Error Warning Fixed InfoDocument - - - -PDF/X - - - -Pages - - - -Colors - - - 18Fonts - - - 19Images - - - -Content - - - 23

ColorsNumber of spot colors 2 is greater than 1"Opaque" spot color Laser Text is overprinting #16 (2)"Opaque" spot color Cutter_DO-NOT-PRINT is overprinting #1 (1)

FontsHandOfSean (11.1 pt) uses 4 separations #1 (2)HelveticaNeueLTStd-Roman (7.9 pt) uses 4 separations #15 (1-2)HelveticaNeueLTStd-Roman (10.5 pt) uses 4 separations #3 (1-2)

ContentTransparency is present #23 (1-2)

Additional informationColor separations: 6

CMYKCutter_DO-NOT-PRINTLaser Text

Color spacesDeviceCMYK / Separation

Prinect PDF Report 12.0.039 - 2 - 09/12/2014 12:04:49 PM

Fonts: 7HandOfSean TrueType / WinAnsi / embedded subsetHelvetica TrueType / WinAnsi / embedded subsetHelveticaNeueLTStd-Bd Type1 / WinAnsi / embedded subsetHelveticaNeueLTStd-Lt Type1 / Custom / embedded subsetHelveticaNeueLTStd-Md Type1 / WinAnsi / embedded subsetHelveticaNeueLTStd-Roman Type1 / WinAnsi / embedded subsetZapfDingbatsITC TrueType (CID) / Identity-H / embedded subset