Dental 'Price Transparency' Website Launches in Philadelphia

An Internet company that says it can bring price transparency to the dental industry has launched in the Philadelphia market.

WhyPayMore Dental, a startup based just outside of Philadelphia, says its service can reduce patients’ dental bills by up to 40% while also helping dentists by bringing in more fee-for-service patients and helping dentists charge higher prices in areas where the practice has specific expertise.

“We believe WhyPayMore Dental will transform the way consumers approach their dental health by empowering them to make educated healthcare decisions and providing a forum for them to choose a dentist that best fits their needs,” said Andy McKinley, the company’s president, in a press release.

The service isn’t the first to leverage online search and rating capabilities to help consumers shop for dental care. However, the company believes its pricing transparency tool could mark a major shift in the industry.

Dentists can sign up to be listed on WhyPayMore’s database. If they do, users can search by ZIP code and procedure to find rates, contact information, and user ratings. Insurers are listed, but dentists’ pages also include pre-negotiated prices for self-pay patients. Would-be patients can also see available appointment times and request appointments.

The service is free for consumers. According to the site, dentists pay a fee when patients express interest in their practice, but pay nothing simply to be listed.

In their press release, the company cited research from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research which showed 20% of adults between the ages of 20 and 64 have skipped dental check-ups for the past five years due to a lack of cost awareness.