Cost For Dental Checkups w/o Insurance

[Trooper]

I just went on traditional Medicare and have not picked up any dental insurance yet, as my needs to date have been minor (checkups and an occasional filling).

I have an upcoming appointment for a checkup and I called the office to see what the private pay costs would be, and was told $492 including X-rays. Seemed a little high. The office offers a $99/year "insurance" that would cut the cost in roughly half.

Looking to see what folks here experience, and what insurance if any, you use.

 

[braumeister]

The office offers a $99/year "insurance" that would cut the cost in roughly half.

That actually sounds pretty good.

 

[OldShooter]

We completely switched to the local university dental school clinic. They will never try to sell us something we don't need, like crowns. The quality control is excellent and the prices are discounted vs the local retail market. IIRC my last checkup was $80. I don't think we'll ever go back to retail dentists.

 

[Lakedog]

That cost seems very high but guess it depends on what is actually included. My dentist charges $80 for a checkup/cleaning or $100 when bitewings are taken. My fed health plan is secondary to medicare now but pays 50% of routine dental including x-rays (so I usually pay either $40 or $50 per visit for routine stuff).

 

[razztazz]

Cleaning and exam with bite X-rays: $199.00

Cleaning and exam without X-rays: $144.00

Every five years when they do the panoramic X-rays: $220.00

 

[fosterscik]

Very pricey IMO. DW and I went for checkup/cleaning today. $230 for both of us - including bitewing X-rays for me (none for DW).

 

[W2R]

I just went on traditional Medicare and have not picked up any dental insurance yet, as my needs to date have been minor (checkups and an occasional filling).

I have an upcoming appointment for a checkup and I called the office to see what the private pay costs would be, and was told $492 including X-rays. Seemed a little high. The office offers a $99/year "insurance" that would cut the cost in roughly half.

Looking to see what folks here experience, and what insurance if any, you use.

$492 is ridiculous.

I have never had any dental insurance. My last two dental visits and cost:

May, 2022:
$105: cleaning, and also removal of tiny tooth fragment that was beginning to bug me. The latter had been there for years after the tooth was extracted or fell out (I forget which), and I don't think he charged anything to remove it.

November, 2022:
$140: cleaning and full x-rays.

My next dental visit is in a couple of weeks. My dentist is very good and well qualified (LSU dental school and 20+ years experience). He is not considered to be cheap as dentists go, around here. The prices include a 15% discount for paying him by check or credit card on my way out.

 

[Aiming_4_55]

Please don't laugh, but have you checked Groupon? I see offers for Dental Exam, Full Set of X-Rays, and Care Consultation ranging from $40 - 80 in my area (Austin, TX). I'm still a corporate slave so have not used it yet, but have considered it for my 3rd cleaning per year option.

 

[joesxm3]

I just had a cleaning, exam and full mouth x-ray for $331. The FMX itself was $180 vs $80 for bitewing.

I had one small filling for $180.

They give anesthesia for the extraction at checkout, also called a radical cashectomy.

 

[11522914]

$492 is ridiculous.

I have never had any dental insurance. My last two dental visits and cost:

May, 2022:
$105: cleaning, and also removal of tiny tooth fragment that was beginning to bug me. The latter had been there for years after the tooth was extracted or fell out (I forget which), and I don't think he charged anything to remove it.

November, 2022:
$140: cleaning and full x-rays.

My next dental visit is in a couple of weeks. My dentist is very good and well qualified (LSU dental school and 20+ years experience). He is not considered to be cheap as dentists go, around here. The prices include a 15% discount for paying him by check or credit card on my way out.

I agree $492 is very high.

My dentist charges $185 for cleaning with x-rays and he gives me a 10% discount if I pay in cash.

So $167 total. Been going there for over 30 years.

 

[Calico]

Cleaning and exam with bite X-rays: $199.00

Cleaning and exam without X-rays: $144.00

Every five years when they do the panoramic X-rays: $220.00

I don't have my most recent charges in front of me, but these sound very close to what I have paid since I retired (self-pay).

I needed a crown, which cost $1500. My employer used to pay 50% for crowns, etc - but I'm willing to pay the whole cost if it means I get to stay retired!

 

[Montecfo]

OP, it sounds very very expensive.

Here in N. Va, not known for cheap prices generally, my prices are $94 (cleaning) and $ 124 (with x-rays) as I recall.

 

[Dawg52]

About $200 for cleaning, xrays and dentist exam. They do knock off 5% for us geezers.

 

[Trooper]

Please don't laugh, but have you checked Groupon? I see offers for Dental Exam, Full Set of X-Rays, and Care Consultation ranging from $40 - 80 in my area (Austin, TX). I'm still a corporate slave so have not used it yet, but have considered it for my 3rd cleaning per year option.

I haven't checked Groupon but that's a god idea.

 

[COcheesehead]

I pay $105 for a checkup.
$135 checkup with x rays
$800 for a crown.
They will take another 5% off for cash/check.

 

[CardsFan]

They give anesthesia for the extraction at checkout, also called a radical cashectomy.

 

[CardsFan]

We pay $499 each for the office plan. 2 cleanings, 2 exams, x-rays and a 40% discount on other work. Not cheap, but not a rip-off either.

I knew going into Medicare that dental visits would be extra (no MA plan, Plan G), so that is just something we need to plan for.

 

[bltkmt]

We pay $350 annually and it includes x-rays and two cleanings.

 

[FrankiesGirl]

My dentist does a prepay program: $175/year, includes 2 cleanings and exams, 1 set of xrays and 15% off any needed work (fillings/crowns/whatever). I think the last time I got a filling, it was ~$125 with the coverage. He also covers any filling damages/chips for no cost for like a year. It's better than any dental insurance I have ever had. He's also a really great dentist.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

I haven't checked Groupon but that's a god idea.

Here's another perspective- low cost checkups might be a way to get patients in the door, so they can "find" a bunch of unnecessary work. Sort of like a car repair shop offering discount "checkups", so they can give you a list of all the work they want to do. Personally, I would never, ever select a dentist solely based on price- I have been burned several times by shyster dentists, who were not even low cost. Always do your homework for both competency and integrity, when it comes to dentists.

 

[lucky penny]

My NYC dentist just charged $220 for a checkup, x-rays & cleaning. I had a little bit of insurance when I was working, none now, & he offers none.

I've been seeing him for many years, like him a lot, & he's totally responsible for the state of my teeth. He's a few years younger, & I don't like to think about having to see someone else if/when he retires.

 

[subwayhamster]

In NYC and pay $134 for a biannual exam, cleaning, and x-rays. For the second biannual visit that doesn't include x-rays, it drops to $76. These are the discounted rates I get for using a dental discount plan (not insurance) called Careington 500. I pay $150 annually for both my husband and myself for this plan and it provides discounts on a whole range of dental services, provided that you use a dentist that accepts the plan.

 

[scrabbler1]

My last 2 routine dental visits, which included 2 cleanings, 2 exams, and 1 set of X-rays, cost me $500 (no insurance). If I were to sign on with an insurance company, I'd either have to get a policy I don't really want, change dentists, or buy a plan not discounted by the ACA (so I'd save very little, if anything). I decided on status quo.

 

[punkinhead]

A few weeks ago I paid about $120 for cleaning, x-rays, and a quick look by the dentist. Almost $500 is way out of line.

 

[karen1972]

I'm in a MCOL area, its $250/yr thru our dentist program which includes the 2 cleanings, 1 set of xrays per year, and 20% off any dental work. He hasn't changed the price in 8 years.