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I had to switch clinics in December, to a supposedly "low cost community health clinic." They charged my insurance $379 for my initial exam and cleaning, and it did not include any x-rays. I'm not even sure that included the cleaning, which was done a few weeks later. That bill might still be in the pipeline.
I get my teeth cleaned every 3 months. Periodontal maintenance. It's $150,00. I went yesterday and got the
cleaning plus bite wing x-rays. $225.00. I've been going to this dentist for over 20 years so they give me senior
and loyalty discounts. An exam is $49.00. So he is very reasonable. It does add up in a year. I pay out of pocket.
I had to switch clinics in December, to a supposedly "low cost community health clinic." They charged my insurance $379 for my initial exam and cleaning, and it did not include any x-rays. I'm not even sure that included the cleaning, which was done a few weeks later. That bill might still be in the pipeline.
You should be able to read your statement of benefits or simply call for details.
After retiring I had no dental insurance. My dentist who I have been going to for 17yrs. knew I retired. He charges me $120. for cleaning and that includes a thorough check up first by the dentist. When I needed x-rays as well it was 180.00. for both x-rays and cleaning. I didn't think that was bad at all.
This is a rant so fair warning. I am upset with my dentist. But....
December 2023 visit to dentist, quoting from my EOB (MetLife....not a great insurance IMO). I only let them do X-rays every year or so (whatever MetLife will pay for because they are expensive).
$75 'periodic oral eval established patient'
$54 topical flouride varnish (which I always get due to prior condition and which used to be $30)
$185 Periodontal maintenance (the cleaning)
$314 total. MetLife pays $90.
In general also get cleanings every 3 or 4 months because I started as a perio patient (and apparently will be forever?)
I've been a patient with the same dentist for 20 yrs. After many years we decided we would do extensive dental work. I had Invisalign to close the gaps in my teeth, then had caps put on all my upper front teeth. I was and still am incredibly pleased with the work. The dentist, a braggart, still considers me his most challenging yet successful patient. I spent thousands of dollars and feel it was all worth it.
But the latest kerfuffle - I noticed some staining on two of my front teeth. Not sure what it was, asked them if they could give it a look. Went in, dentist took a quick look, hygienist buffed it out with the polish. Not sure we determined what it was. I was in there maybe 15 minutes.
I go to the counter to pay (which I always do, at least leaving $100 for what might be my portion on a regular cleaning - and they'll send me a bill if I owe anything after submitted to insurance - and I usually do). Two staff tell me there will be no charge. I confirm. That's what they say. I'm outta there. Happy.
A week or so later, I get an invoice for $30 for that visit. I call to confirm explaining I was told by 2 people no charge. Person calls me back and says, yea, dentist said there was a charge. Not happy but figure they are charging me for the little thing of polish, which I get, they had to open it. So I pay it.
Couple of days ago, I get another invoice for $121 for the same visit. Listed as "limited oral evaluation." She looked at the stain. I call again and ask what's up. Same story from them. Unsure why two separate invoices. They submitted these charges to MetLife but they paid nothing since I'm over my limit for exams (as I usually am with 4 exams a year).
All this after being told initially I would not be charged for the 'visit.' I am now P.O.d. They reduce my bill by the $30 and I pay $91. And I cancelled my appointment next week because I am hot under the collar about this.
I pay $100 for cleaning every 6 months, $130 for xrays once every two years and nothing for dentist to walk in and spend 2 minutes looking in my mouth.
My dentist has a membership program (I don’t have dental insurance as the one my workplace offers is practically worthless). I pay $210 a year which includes 2 cleanings, x-rays and exams a year, plus 20% off all other dental services (that saved me several hundred when I broke a crown earlier this year). $314 for one cleaning and X-rays sounds crazy expensive to me.
Today I went to a dental clinic in Dayton OH for a semi-annual dental cleaning & exam. Nothing unusual, but I was a first time patient at this clinic. They insisted on taking full mouth x-rays since I was a new patient, about 16 or so x-ray digital photos. The exam took about 5 minutes, where the dentist looked at the x-rays and checked around my teeth and gums. The cleaning took about 30 minutes using mostly a high pressure water-pic sort of device, and then followed by a little bit of scraping around the front lower teeth. Last, a quick dental polish. This was generally the same sort of dental cleaning experience I've had in the past 8 years or so, as I have not had any dental problems in that time.
I went to the counter to check out and pay my bill. I don't have dental insurance, so I usually pay by credit card in the US. The bill for this routine cleaning, exam and x-rays was $500! X-rays $200. Cleaning $150. Exam $150.
I was living outside the US for most of 2020 to late 2023 (in Germany) and was accustomed to paying for my dental visits there without a sticker shock. My dentist in Germany charged about 70 Euro (about $77 USD) for a semi-annual cleaning and exam, which took roughly the same amount of time and effort as my dental cleaning today. There, the dentist only took x-rays if I was having a problem with my teeth, or if a visual exam noted anything looking like a problem.
I was expecting to pay about $150 total for the cleaning and exam today, and some more for the x-rays. This was not a luxury high end dental spa located in an affluent zip code, it was a simple little clinic on the east side of Dayton Ohio!
What do you pay at your dental clinic for a routine cleaning and exam?
The question shouldn't be what we pay. The question should be, why don't people shop around?
The second question should be, why have we allowed this situation where standard preventative care is unaffordable for many?
The question shouldn't be what we pay. The question should be, why don't people shop around?
The second question should be, why have we allowed this situation where standard preventative care is unaffordable for many?
Well to start with, becoming a dentist can cost up to $500,000. That's just for the 4-year BS degree and the Doctorate in Dentistry. If you enter college at age 18 like most people do, you won't be finished with school until you're 26, with no experience BEING a dentist, and most likely not having a part time job except in the summers when school is out, because of the insane amount of time you need to spend studying for your doctorate.
Then, once you have your DDS certificate, you have to buy a practice. That's another $250,000-500,000. You have to hire a hygienist and equipment, set up accounts with companies who send you supplies and raw materials...you can't just put a deposit down on an office space and start up the next morning.
You could become a dentist in a group practice like Aspen Dental but then your pay will be pretty lousy - and you have a LOT of loans to repay.
So figure you might be 30, before you're ready to start your career in earnest.
And you've been racking up living expense bills AND loans and interest for the past 6 years (you have to start paying back that 4-year BS degree a year after you graduate from THAT - med school repayment starts the year after you get your DDS degree).
Do you think dentists should let patients take up space in their chairs for a half hour for $20? Is that reasonable? I mean for the patient, maybe it is. But no dentist in his right mind is going to charge only $20 for a half hour in his chair. Not when his debts amount to around $80 for that half hour, and he still has to cover payroll, pay his rent on his own home, buy groceries, maintain all his certifications and licensing...
If people are serious about fighting against increased costs of dental care, they should be having a discussion with the dental colleges.
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