How much is a dental cleaning cost without insurance?
Without dental insurance, the average price of a dental cleaning is likely to be between $75 and $200.
Do I need insurance to get my teeth cleaned?
No. You can get your teeth cleaned without having dental insurance. You can simply pay out-of-pocket for the cleaning. But having dental insurance can be helpful in a couple of ways.
First, many dental insurance policies cover all or most of the cost of routine cleanings, as long as you use an in-network dentist. Depending on your policy, you might not have any out-of-pocket costs for a routine cleaning, and it might also cover all or most of the cost of X-rays and a dental exam, if needed.
Second, having dental insurance might make you more likely to stay on top of getting your routine cleanings, which can protect your dental health in the long run. People with dental insurance are much more likely to receive preventive dental care than those who don’t have dental coverage. This is also true of all necessary dental care, which is more likely to be skipped due to cost when the patient doesn’t have dental insurance.
What factors can impact the cost of a dental cleaning?
Several factors can impact the cost of a dental cleaning, including:
The specific dental office you use.
Dentists set their own prices, so they may charge more or less than average.
Whether a comprehensive exam and X-rays are needed.
If it’s been a while since your last dental visit, the dentist may want to do a comprehensive exam in addition to the cleaning, and that can cost between $70 and $200, depending on the dentist.
Dental X-rays may only be needed once every two or three years, depending on the patient. The cost of X-rays depends on the type of imaging that’s needed; a full-mouth series will likely cost between $175 and $428.
Whether you need a deep cleaning (tooth scaling and root planing) to address gum disease.
Deep cleanings are more involved – and are thus more expensive – than a basic dental cleaning. The cost of a deep dental cleaning can cost up to $350 if you don’t need anesthesia, although anesthesia can significantly increase the price
Whether you get a fluoride treatment.
Depending on the circumstances, your dentist might recommend a fluoride treatment after your cleaning is complete. A fluoride treatment will likely add about $30 to the cost of your cleaning.
How can I save money on dental cleanings?
If you don’t have dental insurance, there are several ways you can save money on dental cleanings. They include:
Contact local dentists and ask whether they have membership plans that provide discounted prices for dental services. Some dental offices include free cleanings as part of their membership program, but the specifics vary from one dentist to another.
See if there’s a dental school in your area that will provide cleanings and other dental care at reduced prices.
Consider whether a dental discount plan might save you money. Keep in mind that you’ll need to use a dentist who agrees to offer a reduced price based on your dental discount plan membership, so this will not work with all dentists.
Check to see if there’s a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) near you that offers dental care. You can use the clinic finder tool to see all the clinics in your area. After you see the full list, you can type “dental” in the filter box to see dental clinics. FQHCs have sliding fee scales based on patients’ income, so they can provide affordable care based on your ability to pay.
Louise Norris is an individual health insurance broker who has been writing about health insurance and health reform since 2006. She has written hundreds of opinions and educational pieces about the Affordable Care Act for healthinsurance.org.
