Delta Dental: Average Tooth Fairy Gift Posts Double-Digit Gains in 2012
Contact: Kit Kiefer Corporate Communications Manager 800-236-3713 kkiefer@deltadentalwi.com
STEVENS POINT, Wis. – Like most of the major U.S. stock indexes, the going rate for lost baby teeth posted double-digit gains in 2012, according to Delta Dental’s The Original Tooth Fairy Poll®.1 The average gift from the Tooth Fairy climbed 15.2 percent in 2012 to $2.42, up from $2.10 in 2011.
The Original Tooth Fairy Poll® has generally been a good barometer of the market’s overall direction. In fact, the trend in Tooth Fairy giving has tracked with the movement of the Standard & Poor’s 500 index in nine of the past 10 years. In 2012, the S&P 500 gained 13.4 percent, similar to the Tooth Fairy gift’s 15.2 percent gain.
“As the leaders in dental benefits, we look at all kinds of economic indicators,” said Dr. Fred Eichmiller, vice president and science officer at Delta Dental of Wisconsin. “I’m happy to say the Tooth Fairy delivered encouraging news about the country’s economic recovery in 2012.”
First Tooth Has Higher Valuation
Delta Dental’s survey found the Tooth Fairy was even more generous for first-time tooth losers, leaving more money for the first tooth in 46 percent of homes. The first tooth brought in a whopping $3.49 on average.
Other interesting findings from The Original Tooth Fairy Poll®, which surveyed more than 1,200 parents nationwide, include:
• The Tooth Fairy visited nearly 90 percent of U.S. homes with children who lost a tooth.
• The Tooth Fairy left cash for kids in 98 percent of the homes she visited. Two percent of children
received toys, candy, gum or other gifts.
• The most common amount left under the pillow by the Tooth Fairy was $1 (51 percent).
• Twenty-two percent of kids hit it rich and received $5 for each lost tooth.
Encouraging Healthy Habits
The Original Tooth Fairy Poll® reflects a partnership between the Tooth Fairy and Delta Dental to promote good dental hygiene habits that encourage healthy and happy smiles across America. “We encourage parents to use the Tooth Fairy’s visit as an opportunity to talk to their kids about good oral health,” Dr. Eichmiller said.
For more information, visit www.theoriginaltoothfairypoll.com. And, to get a sense of the taste and style choices of the Tooth Fairy, parents can follow her on Pinterest at www.pinterest.com/origtoothfairy.
About Delta Dental of Wisconsin
Delta Dental of Wisconsin is a not-for-profit dental service corporation offering benefit services, claims processing, and plan administration to employers throughout Wisconsin since 1962. The company is headquartered in Stevens Point, with sales offices in Milwaukee and Madison, and provides benefits and services to more than 1.5 million subscribers and their family members. Delta Dental administers dental benefits for more Wisconsin companies than any other insurance carrier.
As a member of the nationwide Delta Dental Plans Association, the company is able to offer employees of Wisconsin-based companies the same dental benefits to wherever they are located in the United States. The Delta Dental Plans Association is the largest dental-benefits system in the nation. Its member companies provide benefits to more than 51 million people in 93,600 groups across the United States.
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1Morpace, Inc. conducted The Original Tooth Fairy Poll® on behalf of Delta Dental with 1,224 consumers across the United States.
