Most patients search for a dentist the same way: check their insurance portal for "in-network" providers, pick one nearby, and book. The catch — insurance portals and clinic websites are frequently out of date. A clinic can drop out of network while the insurance company's own directory still lists them as covered, and patients don't find out until they're in the waiting room, or after the bill arrives.

Existing tools — Google Maps, generic directories, even the insurance company's own site — can tell you where a clinic is. None of them can tell you, reliably, whether you can actually afford to walk in.

Why this Isn't Just a Directory App

Early on, the plan was a filterable directory — sort by insurance type, specialty, distance. But a key constraint reshaped the approach: Google Places API, the data source for clinic locations, has no reliable field for insurance participation. No API does, because network status changes clinic by clinic and isn't public structured data anywhere.

That constraint became the actual design insight: don't automate what can't be automated. Design around the one verification method that's always accurate — a direct phone call — and make that step as fast as possible.

The Core Flow

Discover — Directory & Map
Patients browse a searchable directory or a full map view, sortable by relevance or distance.

Verify — Call to Verify
Every clinic profile leads with distinct actions — Call, Call to Verify, Request Appointment — deliberately separated so patients know exactly why they're dialing.

Trust — Claim This Clinic
Clinics can claim their listing and update their own information, keeping data fresher than a static directory could manage alone.

Save — Favorites
Once a patient calls and confirms a clinic is in-network, they save it — turning a search result into a verified shortlist.