Profident becomes the first dentist to accept bitcoin payments

On November 24, 2013, Profident, a dental clinic and equipment manufacturer located in Kielce, Poland, became a trailblazer in the dental industry by becoming the first practice to accept Bitcoin as a form of payment. 

Profident’s decision to accept Bitcoin was driven by the desire to reduce transaction fees associated with traditional bank payments. At the time, the clinic’s owner, Tomasz Zbożeń, noted that a significant portion of customer payments were made via credit or debit cards, incurring high fees. By adopting Bitcoin, Profident aimed to alleviate these costs and pass the savings onto their customers through a 10% discount for those paying with the digital currency.
 

The clinic began operating its own Bitcoin wallet on November 18, 2013, a few days before the official announcement. This move was a testament to Zbożeń’s confidence in the future of Bitcoin and his commitment to innovation. Outside of his dental practice, Zbożeń was also personally involved in Bitcoin mining and viewed the cryptocurrency as a means of investment diversification.