Heavy

Granted, a lot of people think it’s a painful, expensive drag to go to the dentist. But if you’re the dentist, should you advertise how oppressive it is?

 

Onus Dental Health Plan. Offices in Oakland, Fremont, San Jose, Pinole, and San Francisco.

 

There is little room for positive ambiguity here:

Onus: 1640s, from Latin onus “load, burden,” figuratively “tax, expense; trouble, difficulty.” (Online Etymology Dictionary)

 

Also ill advised: a wordmark that makes it all too easy to read the name as “anus.”

 

I have anticipated your questions: No, “Onus” is not the name of the CEO/founder. (Her name is Kimberly Lee.) And it’s not “on us,”as in “The first visit’s on us!” I phoned the office: “Onus” rhymes with “bonus,” of which there is none to be found in the name.

Comments

[Amy Brown]

Perhaps they mean they bare the load for you? Really, it doesn't matter what it means once you start reading it as "anus".

[tanita]

I usually just read these and laugh, but sometimes...
Honestly, I swear people just get a thesaurus and throw it and see which page it opens on, and then spin around in an office chair and point or throw darts or something. Onus??? Seriously? The burden of your teeth is on ...us? I guess that's ... good?

*wanders off, bewildered*

[Amy Brown]

Back to apologize for my "bare" typo. Or maybe not-- calling themselves "Onus" does "bare" the load they put on you to not only get your teeth cleaned but also to foot more of the bill than you'd want.