Methodology
How DentScout ranks dentists
“Best match” is the default sort. Here is everything that goes into it — and the one thing that never does.
What goes into Best match
Patient ratings, adjusted for volume
A 5.0 from 4 reviews shouldn't beat a 4.8 from 400. We blend each practice's average with a neutral baseline until it has enough reviews to stand on its own.
45%
of the score
How many patients have reviewed
More reviews give a steadier picture. This effect levels off — a practice can't win by volume alone.
15%
of the score
Published, recently confirmed prices
Practices that publish prices for the treatment you searched — and re-confirm them at least every 90 days — rank higher.
20%
of the score
Verification
Whether the owner is verified and every listed dentist's license has been checked with the state board.
20%
of the score
You can always sort by price, rating or distance instead. Prototype note: these weights are a starting point and will be published with every change.
What never goes into it: payment
Practices can pay a flat fee for a Sponsored slot, marked “Paid for by participating dentist.” That slot is always labeled, appears in a fixed position, and still respects your filters. DentScout is never paid per patient, lead or booking. Payment — and whether a practice is on a paid plan — is not an input to Best match, ratings, badges or price comparisons. In the code, the ranking function doesn’t receive that information at all.
Reviews and verification — what they mean
- Verified visit
- The reviewer showed evidence of an appointment. In this prototype, the flag is demo data.
- Licenses checked
- Each listed dentist’s license was looked up with the state dental board, on the date shown. It confirms licensure — not quality of care.
- Owner verified
- The person managing the profile proved they represent the practice.
- Ratings
- Ratings describe patient experience. They are not a measure of clinical outcomes.
Prices
- Published by practice
- Entered by the practice in its DentScout dashboard, with what it includes and when it was last confirmed.
- DentScout estimate
- A typical local range (the middle half of prices) for context. Never a quote from a specific practice.
- Like-for-like
- A price that covers every core part of the procedure — for example, an implant price that includes the abutment and crown, not just the post.
- Not published
- We show missing prices as missing. Never as $0, and never sorted as the cheapest.
About this prototype
Every practice, dentist, review, rating, price and verification status on this site is fictional demonstration data. Neighborhood names are real for legibility; addresses are invented and phone numbers use the reserved 555-01xx range.