How We Calculate Dental Prices
Our sources, methodology, and what we will never do.
Where Our Prices Come From
We compile cost data from four primary sources:
- ADA Survey of Dental Fees (biennial industry survey)
- FairHealth Consumer (claims-based geo-specific data)
- Published marketplace prices from Sesame Care, DentalPlans.com, MDsave
- User-submitted bills from real patients (anonymized, voluntary)
We cross-reference all four to surface a typical cash-pay range, not a single number.
How We Adjust Prices by City
Cost-of-living drives city-level price variation. High-cost metros (NYC, SF) typically see prices 20–30% above national average. Lower-cost metros (Birmingham, Tulsa) see prices 10–20% below. Multipliers are derived from BLS regional cost-of-living data and validated against published city-level dental survey data where available.
What “Cash Pay” Means
Cash pay = the price a dentist charges when the patient pays out of pocket, without using dental insurance. Often lower than the list price insured patients see, because the dentist isn't paying claims processing fees. This is what most uninsured patients actually pay.
How Often We Update
Procedure baselines reviewed quarterly. User-submitted prices update continuously. City multipliers reviewed annually or when major economic shifts occur. Every page shows a “last reviewed” timestamp.
What We Will Never Do
- Recommend specific procedures or treatments
- Diagnose dental conditions or provide medical advice
- Publish prices we cannot source or verify
- Accept payment from dentists in exchange for editorial placement
- List fabricated reviewers or invented credentials
Our Affiliate Relationships
We earn commissions when readers click certain links to dental financing partners (CareCredit, DentalPlans.com, Sesame Care, Sunbit). This never affects the prices we display or the editorial integrity of our content. Full disclosure on every page that contains affiliate links.