Editorial & Data Policy
Exactly where every piece of information on Whelth comes from — and the rules that don't bend for money.
Provider profiles
Unclaimed profiles are built entirely from public records: the CMS National Provider Identifier (NPI) Registry and state medical board licensing data. Each profile shows its source and the license number on file. We never invent ratings, reviews, photos, or practice details for unclaimed providers — if we don't have it from a public record, the field is empty.
Claimed profiles add information supplied by the identity-verified provider — photo, bio, contact details, specialties. Locked fields (name, license, NPI, badges) cannot be edited by providers.
Badges
Claimed = the provider or practice has taken ownership of the profile and manages what appears on it. We confirm control of the practice email domain, or review the claim by hand, before a profile is marked claimed. It does not signal clinical quality, and it is not a ranking factor.
Anything a claimed profile adds is the provider's own statement. Locked fields — name, license number, NPI — stay as we recorded them from public sources so they remain checkable against the primary source. Additional credential badges will each state their source when they launch.
Treatment guides & costs
Cost figures labeled "Typical cost" are industry-wide estimates compiled from published sources, not quotes. Recovery and results-duration figures are general guidance. None of it is medical advice.
Reviews & questions
Reviews and questions are user-submitted. We are building verified-consultation reviews; until then, review sections may be small — we'd rather show few honest reviews than many unverifiable ones. Providers cannot pay to remove, bury, or edit reviews. Negative reviews stay up.
Ranking & featured placement
Search and directory results are ordered by relevance and distance. Procedure pages feature claimed, identity-verified providers first — labeled as featured — with paid subscribers ordered first within that group. Payment never affects the main directory ordering, never hides another provider, and never touches reviews.
Corrections
Spot an error? Email hello@whelth.com and we'll investigate. Providers can request corrections to locked fields at claims@whelth.com.