How Much Does a Dental Cleaning Cost?

What you are paying for

What goes into the cost of a dental cleaning

A dental cleaning typically costs between $75 and $300 without insurance, with about $150 common. The spread has less to do with the cleaning than with what is counted alongside it. The cleaning itself is a fee for the hygienist's time and instruments. A routine visit usually adds other lines: the dentist's exam, X-rays when they are due, and fluoride if you accept it. A quote at the low end is often the cleaning alone, while one at the high end is closer to a full checkup. First visits to a new office tend to cost the most, because they include a comprehensive exam and a full set of X-rays. When you call for a price, ask for the total for everything planned at the appointment.

Ways the bill can come down

If you have dental insurance, routine cleanings and exams are usually the best-covered part of the plan, often leaving little or nothing to pay within the plan's yearly visit limit, so use them. Without insurance, ask whether the office has an in-house membership plan that bundles cleanings and exams for a flat annual fee, and ask for the self-pay price. Dental hygiene schools offer low-cost cleanings by supervised students, with longer appointments. Community health centers may use a sliding scale. If you had X-rays taken recently elsewhere, have them sent over so they are not repeated. Skipping cleanings saves little, because the problems they catch early become more expensive to treat later. If cost is what keeps you away, tell the dental office, since many will work out a plan.

Table 1 — Factors that affect dental cleaning cost

Factors That Affect Dental Cleaning Cost

1. 01

   Cleaning alone or the whole checkup

   The exam, X-rays and fluoride each have their own fee. Whether a quoted figure includes them is the biggest reason two offices seem far apart on price.

2. 02

   New or returning patient

   A first visit usually involves a longer exam, full charting and more X-rays than a routine recall, so it costs more than the cleanings that follow.

3. 03

   Which X-rays are due

   Small check-up X-rays are taken periodically, and a full set less often. A visit where X-rays are due costs more than one where they are not.

4. 04

   How much buildup there is

   A routine cleaning assumes a reasonably healthy mouth. Very heavy tartar may need a preliminary session to clear it, and signs of gum disease lead to a different, more expensive procedure.

5. 05

   Adult or child

   Children's cleanings are usually priced lower than adult cleanings because there are fewer teeth and less buildup, though fluoride is more routinely added.

6. 06

   Area and type of practice

   Local costs and the style of the office affect the fee. A boutique practice in a city center tends to charge more than a community clinic.

Table 2 — Payment options

Payment Options

• Dental Insurance

  Plans usually pay part of the cost of covered procedures after a deductible, up to an annual maximum. Ask for a pre-treatment estimate.

• Payment Plans

  Many dentists offer in-house financing or work with CareCredit.

• Dental Discount Plans

  A yearly membership that gives reduced fees at participating dentists. Not insurance; check what it covers.

• Dental Schools

  Dental school clinics charge lower fees for care by supervised students. Appointments take longer.