One had an idea: create a website allowing uninsured consumers to compare prices and reputations of dentists across the U.S. before stepping foot in the office.
One looked at the numbers: a $45 billion market and a large population paying for their own dental insurance.
That's how venture capitalist Navin Chaddha came to invest in Brighter.com, a website that offers large discounts to members and their families for $79 a year, or smaller discounts through a more limited, free membership.
"We created [the site] for the 50% of Americans who don’t have dental insurance to have more affordable dental care," Chief Executive Jake Winebaum told CNBC Friday. "People are really interested in knowing what the price is. Sitting in the dentist chair is not the place to be negotiating."
Chaddha, interviewed at the same time, called what Brighter is offering a "massive opportunity."