Copyright forbes
Voice-over actress and dating-show host Linnea Sage has built a thriving freelance career, but there’s a tradeoff that comes with self-employment. She has to pay for her own dental care. After relying on a daily deals site to find low-cost dental services for years, Sage recently tried another option: Wally, a subscription service based in New York City. It allows her to get an annual exam with AI-powered cavity detection, unlimited cleanings for $249 per year, and free whitening. The company also offers a “cavity reversal” treatment using Swiss airflow technology and will roll out a clear liner orthodontic product for $3,500 this month. “I’ve never had dental insurance,” she says. “My dental health is still important to me. One cleaning, even with a Groupon, was the same price as a Wally membership for the whole year.” Linnea Sage, a New York City-based performing artist, turned to Wally after relying on a daily deals site to find affordable dental care. Linnea Sage While about 87% of Americans have some dental coverage, according to the National Association of Dental Plans, freelancers often pay out of pocket or must fund their own dental insurance. Even consumers with traditional dental insurance often find that the care they need is unaffordable or not covered. More than half of dental preferred provider organizations (PPOs) have a maximum annual benefit of $1,500, according to the National Association of Dental Plans. Wally aims to address this gap in the dental care market. “Pound for pound, going to the dentist is the most expensive healthcare experience we have,” said Tyler Burnett, CEO of Wally, who co-founded the startup with engineer Stipe Latkovic and entrepreneur Chelsea Patel, who also cofounded Quarterdeck IO, a technical strategy firm. Wally, which has raised $18 million in investment capital, plans to open 100 locations in the next 12 months, with 25 slated for the New York City metro area, according to Burnett. Burnett, who is married to a dentist, said Wally’s goal is to provide more access to dental care through its on-staff dentists. Wally is among a growing pool of startups offering solutions for consumers looking for affordable dental care or dentists who serve them. Subscribe, an Austin, Texas-based startup active in 50 states, for instance, offers personalized subscriptions covering preventative care and reduced pricing on other treatments and services. Other startups target dentists. Clerri, SmileAdvantage, Dental HQ and Plan Forward all enable dental practices to offer subscription-based models to those looking to lower patient attrition. MORE FOR YOU Wally, founded in 2020, has four locations in New York City and one in Jersey City, N.J., with 25,000 members paying $249 a year, as of September data. Wally has a partnership with the Freelancers Union, through which it offers members a discount. Wally’s members must be 14 years old and up. “The majority are freelancers, gig workers and small businesses that don’t believe in shelling out money for insurance plans,” Burnett says. Forty percent of Wally’s members have dental insurance, according to Burnett. “It doesn’t cover what they want,” he says. One challenge for startups like Wally will be keeping pace with usage by its subscribers as it scales. Some users have expressed frustration with their wait times for an appointment on Reddit. According to Wally’s data, half of its new patients have their first visit within 5 days, and 80% receive a cleaning in the first month. Burnett expects to increase accessibility as the company expands. “Because our model is so focused, we have to buy significantly less—and different—equipment,” Burnett says. “Our staffing model is different, and buildout is different. We can set up a space for one-tenth of the cost.” Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
