FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How Dentalist works for patients and practices.
How matching works
How does Dentalist's AI matching work?
You describe what you need in plain language, and Dee, our AI, ranks practices by how well they fit. Dee reads your request for intent (saying "I'm scared of the dentist" becomes an anxiety preference; "for my 4-year-old" becomes a pediatric focus), then scores every practice against 13 experience dimensions. You get a short list of matches, each with a written reason it surfaced. The result is ranked by fit, not by who paid or who's closest. When a practice that has claimed its free profile fits nearly as well as the top match, we show it first, because its details come straight from the practice.
What is Vibe Analysis?
Vibe Analysis is how Dee estimates the feel of a practice before you ever walk in. From verified signals like NPI registration data, specialties, services offered, Google star ratings, and hours, Dee predicts how a practice will perform across 13 experience dimensions, from bedside manner to cash-pricing transparency. These are predictions built from real, checkable data, not claims pulled from review text.
What are the 13 dimensions Dee predicts?
Dee predicts 13 dimensions of patient experience: bedside manner, pain management, staff and front desk, wait times, kid-friendliness, technology, cleanliness, value and cost, communication, anxiety handling, scheduling, follow-up care, and cash pricing. Each one is scored per practice from verified signals so you can weigh what matters most to you.
Does Dentalist read patient reviews to score practices?
Only reviews left right here. We never read or scrape review text from Google, Yelp or any other site. Patients can review a practice on dentalist.ai, and every review is confirmed by email before it goes live. Once a practice has 3 or more, Dee reads them and the profile says so. Everywhere else, scores are predictions from verified, structured signals: NPI data, specialties, services, Google star ratings, and hours. If Dee has nothing to go on for a dimension, the profile says it is not known yet.
Isn't this just a fancy phone book for dentists?
No. We don't enumerate every practice alphabetically and bolt on a few filters. You describe what you actually need, and Dee ranks practices by predicted fit across 13 experience dimensions, then shows you the reason behind each match. It's closer to a matchmaker than a phone book: the order changes for every patient, because the best fit for an anxious cash-pay patient is rarely the best fit for a family with toddlers.
How are matches explained?
Every match comes with a plain-English reason. Dee tells you which of your stated needs the practice meets, such as accepting your insurance, offering evening hours, or scoring high on anxiety handling, and surfaces the strongest of the 13 predicted dimensions. You never get a black-box ranking; you see why each practice rose to the top.
What does personality-to-practice matching mean?
It means we match you on the human stuff, not just the clinical box-checking. Two practices can both do the cleaning you need, but one runs warm and unhurried while the other runs fast and high-tech. By predicting how each practice feels across experience dimensions, Dee pairs your priorities, whether that's a gentle chairside manner or transparent pricing, with the practices most likely to deliver them.
Where does Dentalist get its data?
From verified, public, and structured sources. Practice identity and credentials come from the National Provider Identifier (NPI) registry, the federal record of licensed providers. Star ratings come from Google. Hours, services, and accepted insurance come from public profile data and from owners who verify and complete their own profile. We don't invent facts, and we don't store patient review text.
How accurate are the predictions, and what are the limits?
We're honest about this: the 13 dimensions are predictions, not measured outcomes, so treat them as a strong starting point rather than a guarantee. They're built from verified signals, which makes them more grounded than star-count-alone, but a practice can always surprise you. The more complete a practice's profile and the more specific your request, the sharper the prediction. Always confirm specifics like current insurance acceptance and pricing with the practice directly.
Want the full walk-through? See how Dee matches you with the right dentist.
For patients
How is this different from Google or Yelp?
Google and Yelp rank dentists by SEO and ad spend. We match on fit. Tell us what actually matters, like your insurance, anxiety, language, hours, or kids, and the AI ranks practices that align with what you asked for, with a reason for each match.
Is Dentalist free for patients?
Yes, always. No paywall, no sign-up required to search, no hidden fees. Patients never pay to use Dentalist, and we don't sell your search to the practices you see.
What does the AI match on?
Specialty, accepted insurance, location and hours, Google ratings, plus whatever preferences you state in your search. From those verified signals, Dee predicts the vibe across 13 dimensions: bedside manner, pain handling, kid-friendliness, cash-pricing transparency, and more. The more specific you are, the better the matches.
Can I search by insurance?
Yes. Mention your plan in your search. For example, "pediatric dentist who takes Aetna," and we'll prioritize practices that accept it. Because plans change, confirm acceptance with the practice before your first visit.
How do I get the best match?
Be specific and personal. Instead of "dentist near me," tell Dee what's actually true: your insurance, whether you're anxious, the language you're most comfortable in, whether it's for a child, the hours you can make, and the procedure you need. Every detail you add is another signal Dee can rank against, so richer requests return sharper matches.
Can I leave a review?
Not yet. Reviews are on the roadmap. For now, you can share your experience by reaching out to the practice directly through their profile. Most profiles include phone, website, and booking links.
What does the Featured label mean?
Featured practices are partner practices, and they're placed first among the practices that fit your search. Every one of them carries a Featured label, so you always know which results got priority. The rest of your matches are still ordered by how well they fit what you asked for, and Dee still tells you why each one made the list.
For practice owners
Is my practice on Dentalist?
Probably yes. We have 199,000+ NPI-verified dental locations across all 50 states, sourced from the National Provider Identifier registry, the federal registry of credentialed providers. Search your practice name to confirm.
How do I claim my practice?
Head to the claim page, find your practice profile, and follow the verification steps. Claiming is free and gives you full control over hours, services, photos, insurance accepted, and booking links.
How do practices get the PRO badge?
PRO is our premium subscription for practices. PRO unlocks visibility tools, sponsored placement, and enhanced profile features. See the premium page for details.
How do I improve my visibility?
Complete your profile. Insurance, services, photos, hours, description: every field you fill in is another fit signal the AI can match against. Complete profiles rank ahead of thin ones for relevant searches.
How does the AI use my profile data?
When a patient describes what they need, Dee cross-references their request with practice profiles and ranks by fit. She reads your verified signals: insurance match, specialty alignment, hours, services, Google ratings, then predicts how your practice will feel across 13 dimensions. The more profile fields you publish, the sharper that prediction gets.
Ready to claim your practice?
Free to claim. Takes about 5 minutes.