Health IT, Payers

Cigna acquires dental practice management biz Brighter to be “digital health engine”

The acquisition reflects payers' appetite for technology that can improve the customer experience but also manage costs by helping them find dentists in their network.

Brighter, a 6-year-old digital health business designed to make it easier for users to find and book appointments with dentists, has agreed to be acquired by Cigna — an established client. The acquisition reflects payers’ appetite for technology that can improve the customer experience but also manage costs by helping them find dentists in their network.

Brighter will serve as “the digital health engine for Cigna markets and segments,” according to a company news release. But the technology business will also continue to work with current and prospective customers.

In addition to Cigna, Brighter also counts Aetna as a client. It’s unclear if that relationship will continue once Cigna integrates Brighter’s technology because why would an insurer want to do business with a digital health company that’s owned by a rival? But given Aetna’s agreed to be acquired by CVS Health, maybe that won’t be an issue for much longer.

Brighter’s software-as-as-service model boosts the profile of dental practices and also has practice management tools to make scheduling and bill collection more efficient. Dentists can detail their procedures, qualifications, and get a video introduction. Users can also view Yelp reviews for dentists.

Last year, Brighter closed a $21 million Series D round led by General Catalyst Partners.  The funding was intended to help the business bolster its product development staff and pursue more insurance clients.

Several healthcare startups have identified opportunities to use apps and other digital health tools to address similar pain points for the dental industry as healthcare. MouthWatch, for example, developed a patient engagement tool for dental visits so that patients can better view images of their dental work and help them in their decision making for procedures. It also has a teledentistry service that connects dentists with hygienists.

Virtudent provides a twist to the idea of going to the dentist by bringing dental house calls to the patient’s office.  Its service includes oral health exams and cleaning, oral x-rays, intraoral photographs and screening for conditions such as gum disease and cancer. For more complex work, such as fillings, users can get a referral.

Soothing Dental developed an app for its concierge dentistry practice. Initially, it seems a little weird that its website would put Uber rides to its offices and Netflix access ahead of what most people would prioritize for a dentist practice — the competence of its dentists and patient comfort. But then, many might welcome some escapism when they are facing a procedure that fills them with anxiety.

 

Photo: maxsattana, Getty Images 

Shares1
Shares1