Bento

What Bento does

Bento (legal entity Cambalt Solutions, Inc.) is a Boston-based fintech platform, founded in 2017, that administers dental benefit plans as a technology alternative to traditional dental insurance. Its patented end-to-end platform connects three constituencies on a single cloud-based system: employer groups and associations that self-insure dental benefits, individual and family members seeking affordable access to dental care, and dental practices that join the network or launch in-office membership plans. Core technology is built on AWS infrastructure with Stripe payment processing and features real-time, AI-enabled claim adjudication that delivers instant payments to dentists at the point of service, alongside the PriceCheck transparency tool, mobile and web portals (member, dentist, employer), and AI-based fraud detection.

The business model combines recurring software subscriptions from dental practices ($4 per month or $48 per year per member, charged only when plans are sold), transaction-based fees on processed payments, self-insured plan administration fees charged to employer groups on a pay-as-you-go basis, and pass-through premium contributions. Distribution runs through direct enterprise sales to large employers, hospitals, and school districts; a broker channel; app-store self-serve for individuals; and exclusive endorsements from the American Dental Association and multiple state dental associations that drive dentist network acquisition. Bento claims a network of over 350,000 dental access points and reports 37.8% average member savings at in-network dentists and 20-40% employer savings versus traditional insurance. The company has raised $19M total ($3M seed in 2018, $8.1M Series A in July 2022), maintains SOC 2 Type II attestation for four consecutive years, and operates with HIPAA-compliant Business Associate status, targeting employers, small businesses, dental practices, brokers, associations, TPAs, and health plan administrators as customer segments.

Name

Bento

Legal name

Cambalt Solutions, Inc.

Website

https://bento.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bento is a Boston-based fintech platform that administers self-funded dental benefit plans for employers, individuals, and dental practices via a patented, AI-enabled cloud platform with instant claim adjudication and a network of 350,000+ dental access points.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dental Benefits Technology Platform

NAICS

Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds (5251), Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Software Publishers (5132)

SIC

Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Dental Benefit Administration (DBA) & ASO/TPA for Dental (HLAEAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dental Support Services Organizations (Non-Clinical MSO/Back-Office Platforms) (HLABAKAN), Group Dental Plans (Employer-Sponsored) (HLAEAIAG), Stand-Alone Dental Plans (Individual/Family) (HLAEAIAF)

Keywords

• Dental benefits platform
• Self-insured dental plans
• Dental membership software
• Benefits administration
• Dental insurance alternative

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Self-Insured Plan Administration Fees: Bento charges employers a small administration fee for managing self-funded dental benefit plans. Employers pay only for what employees actually use (pay-as-you-go model), rather than paying fixed premiums to traditional insurance companies.
2. In-Office Membership Plan Software: Dentists pay $4 per month or $48 per year per member for the in-office membership plan software platform. Only charged when plans are actually sold.
3. Transaction Processing: Bento facilitates payment transactions between employers/patients and dentists, processing payments through Stripe with applicable fees deducted
4. Premium Contributions: Employers and individuals pay monthly contributions to fund dental benefit plans, which Bento administers but does not retain (facilitates movement of funds)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bento operates a patented, cloud-based dental benefits technology platform that connects employers, members, and dentists to administer self-insured dental benefit plans as an alternative to traditional dental insurance. The platform delivers AI-enabled real-time claim adjudication, instant direct payments to dentists, and price transparency via Bento PriceCheck. It also enables dental practices to launch in-office membership plans with recurring revenue and offers individual and family plans for uninsured consumers.

Product overview

Bento offers a unified dental benefits technology platform consisting of a core patented end-to-end platform complemented by multiple integrated portals and modules. The main Bento Dental Platform serves as the foundation, with the Bento Dental App (mobile), Bento Member Portal, Bento Dentist Portal, and Bento Employer Portal providing access points for different user types. Additional modules include Bento Concierge (support service), Bento PriceCheck (transparency tool), Bentopedia (knowledge base), and specialized plan solutions including In-Office Dental Membership Plans for practices, Self-Insured Group Dental Plans, Group Access Plans, and Individual + Family Plans. The platform is designed to replace traditional dental insurance with a modern, transparent, AI-enabled benefits experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bento Dental Platform The core patented end-to-end dental benefits technology platform that enables groups of any size to offer flexible and affordable dental care options, connecting employers, members, and dentists through a modern cloud-based system with AI-enabled claim adjudication, price transparency, and direct-to-dentist payments. Used by employer groups, health plans, associations, TPAs, DSOs, brokers, and individual consumers.
• Bento Dental App Mobile application for individual and family members to view plan details, find and refer dentists, review receipts and digital EOBs, check procedure costs via Bento PriceCheck, and make touch-free digital payments for out-of-pocket expenses. Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• In-Office Dental Membership Plans Software and plan-management offering that enables individual and group dental practices, including DSOs, to create, launch, and manage recurring revenue in-office dental membership plans, with customized plan templates, marketing support, and analytics. Dentists pay $4 per month or $48 per year per member, only when plans are sold.
• Self-Insured Group Dental Plans Customized self-insured dental benefit solution for employer groups, associations, and health plan administrators under a pay-as-you-go model. Employers pay only for what employees actually use, with unused benefit dollars retained by the organization and potential 20-40% savings versus traditional insurance.
• Group Access Plans Dental benefit plans designed for groups and associations that provide members access to pre-negotiated discounted rates through Bento's nationwide network of 350,000+ dental access points.
• Individual + Family Plans Subscription-based dental benefit plans for individuals and families without employer-sponsored coverage, providing access to Bento's nationwide network at pre-negotiated discounted rates with price transparency through the Bento Dental App and member portal.

Quantifiable outcome

• Members save 37.8% on average when visiting in-network Bento Dentists
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability3 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• PhilipscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 August 2021Dentists can now include Philips products such as Sonicare power toothbrushes and Zoom! Teeth Whitening when creating in-office membership plans powered by Bento. This partnership enables dental practices to offer expanded oral care product selections to their patients.
• Tennessee Dental AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 December 2020TDA endorsed Bento, recognizing that the platform enables practices to become more efficient by reducing administrative costs while making care accessible to uninsured individuals and families.
• Texas Dental AssociationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 December 2020Texas Dental Association Perks Program endorses Bento. The innovative platform helps Texas dentists attract new patients, retain existing patients, and remove friction from the dental benefits process.
• Harbor Dental SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2020Harbor Dental Society endorses Bento, providing member dentists with access to modern dental benefits technology.
• Florida Dental Association (FDA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 June 2020Exclusive partnership with FDA to enable the future of dental in Florida. Bento's platform helps Florida dentists attract new patients, retain existing patients, and remove administrative friction.
• American Dental Association (ADA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 June 2020ADA's first ever endorsement of a dental benefits technology company. Bento provides modern alternative to traditional dental insurance administration, enabling practices to become more efficient and making care accessible to uninsured individuals and families.
• WonolonotableGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 February 2020Partnership with Wonolo to bring portable benefits to gig-economy workers in their new platform Wonolo Up, extending Bento's reach to the growing freelance workforce.
• HubSpotnotableGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 December 2019HubSpot added Bento to its portfolio of innovative employee benefits. US-based employees receive improved oral healthcare with a revolutionary app-based experience and complete price transparency.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe provides payment processing services for Bento. Payment processing services are provided by Stripe and subject to the Stripe Connected Account Agreement.
• DentrixnotableTechnology or IntegrationPractice management software integration allowing dental practices to configure Bento membership plans within their existing Dentrix workflow for fast, easy setup.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreTechnology or IntegrationCloud infrastructure provider powering Bento's platform. Bento leverages industry standard technologies like AWS in combination with proprietary algorithms.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Beam Benefits: Tech-enabled dental and vision benefits platform targeting employers with a similar digital, AI-driven approach. Beam is the closest like-for-like startup competitor to Bento in employer dental benefits.
• Zelis: Healthcare payments and cost-management platform serving payers, providers, and employers. Comparable as a technology-first intermediary modernizing legacy healthcare financial workflows adjacent to dental benefits.

Broad incumbents

• Humana Dental: Large dental benefits carrier, especially strong in employer-sponsored and Medicare Advantage dental. Competes with Bento for employer group dental RFPs.
• Delta Dental: The largest U.S. dental benefits provider, operating the dominant dental PPO network. Represents the incumbent scale and distribution that Bento is trying to displace in employer dental benefits.
• Cigna Dental: Major carrier offering group and individual dental plans, typically sold alongside medical. Represents the bundled benefits incumbent that Bento's unbundled, self-insured model challenges.
• Ameritas: Mutual insurance company with a sizable group dental benefits business, frequently benchmarked by employers comparing traditional dental carriers to alternatives like Bento.
• Sun Life U.S. (Dental): Large dental benefits carrier in the U.S. employer market, including the DentaQuest business. Directly competes for employer group dental contracts via brokers.
• Guardian Life: Established dental insurance carrier with strong broker distribution for employer group dental plans. A typical comparison set for benefits buyers evaluating Bento.
• MetLife Dental: Major dental insurance carrier offering group dental plans through employers and brokers. Competes head-to-head with Bento in employer-sold dental benefits and bundled benefits packages.

Others

• HealthEquity: Benefits administration platform focused on HSAs, HRAs, COBRA, and consumer-directed benefits. Comparable as a tech-enabled benefits platform that modernizes employer benefit workflows, though not dental-specific.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@bentodental4260
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bentodental
• Xx.com/bentodental
• Facebookfacebook.com/bentodental

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bento