Dental costs in San Diego, CA: local dentist prices

Observed negotiated prices for 41 treatments from dental practices located in San Diego.

Treatments priced

in this city

Largest sample

143

practices

State

California

see statewide data

Observed dataObserved negotiated rates. Every figure here is a real negotiated amount taken from payer files published under the federal Transparency in Coverage rule. These are what a dental plan pays a contracted practice - not a cash price.

Estimated self-payEstimated self-pay range, not an observation. We do not have observed cash prices, and we will not present a modelled number as though we did. This range is the upper half of the same observed negotiated distribution, shown because an uninsured patient generally pays at or above the highest negotiated tier. Treat it as a budgeting aid and ask any practice for a written quote.

Observed prices in San Diego

Negotiated columns are observed. The self-pay column is an estimate derived from the upper half of the same distribution — see methodology. Column headings sort the table.
Treatment	Negotiated range Observed	Median	Practices (n)	Est. self-pay Estimated
Full braces, adult	$4,536 – $5,198	$4,707	110	$4,707 – $5,545
Full braces, teenager	$4,320 – $4,942	$4,573	108	$4,573 – $5,202
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,487 – $1,818	$1,607	132	$1,607 – $2,059
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$1,092 – $1,344	$1,201	132	$1,201 – $1,486
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$1,098 – $1,283	$1,182	135	$1,182 – $1,431
Full upper denture	$960 – $1,228	$1,087	131	$1,087 – $1,360
Ceramic crown attached to an implant	$963 – $1,178	$1,072	128	$1,072 – $1,371
Full lower denture	$957 – $1,195	$1,065	133	$1,065 – $1,320
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$944 – $1,141	$1,006	122	$1,006 – $1,285
Gum surgery (per quadrant)	$798 – $1,023	$910	142	$910 – $1,114
All-ceramic crown	$796 – $972	$885	125	$885 – $1,101
Root canal, molar	$750 – $1,040	$870	129	$870 – $1,060
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)	$725 – $964	$836	118	$836 – $1,025
Porcelain-and-metal crown	$758 – $907	$834	122	$834 – $980
Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit	$714 – $842	$765	123	$765 – $886
Root canal, premolar	$602 – $763	$690	130	$690 – $825
Root canal, front tooth	$505 – $670	$593	127	$593 – $710
Hard night guard for grinding	$321 – $398	$364	115	$364 – $442
Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$324 – $399	$362	133	$362 – $435
Bone graft at an implant site	$289 – $415	$350	118	$350 – $474
Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$282 – $349	$317	130	$317 – $371
Surgical tooth extraction	$186 – $243	$211	142	$211 – $271
Core build-up under a crown	$167 – $217	$193	132	$193 – $244
Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant	$174 – $220	$191	132	$191 – $241
White filling, back tooth, two surfaces	$144 – $189	$169	137	$169 – $205
White filling, back tooth	$112 – $147	$128	130	$128 – $162
Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant	$102 – $157	$124	134	$124 – $172
Simple tooth extraction	$102 – $145	$122	138	$122 – $158
Silver filling, two surfaces	$107 – $135	$120	143	$120 – $156
White filling, front tooth	$102 – $132	$118	135	$118 – $145
Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning	$98 – $122	$114	128	$114 – $136
Silver filling, one surface	$86 – $110	$97	136	$97 – $120
Full-mouth X-ray series	$89 – $114	$94	135	$94 – $123
Emergency visit for dental pain	$69 – $93	$82	135	$82 – $105
Adult teeth cleaning	$66 – $82	$74	122	$74 – $90
Comprehensive exam (new patient)	$56 – $69	$63	132	$63 – $76
Child teeth cleaning	$49 – $62	$55	136	$55 – $68
Four bitewing X-rays	$44 – $53	$48	131	$48 – $59
Routine check-up (returning patient)	$35 – $47	$42	133	$42 – $50
Dental sealant (per tooth)	$36 – $45	$40	141	$40 – $50
Fluoride varnish treatment	$30 – $38	$35	131	$35 – $40

San Diego compared with California

Across the 41 treatments we can price in both San Diego and California as a whole, 35 run above the state median and 6 below. The largest local saving is on Hard night guard for grinding: $364 here against $374 statewide.

See the California state page for the full statewide picture and every other published city.

What shopping around is worth in San Diego

Every figure on this site is a distribution, not an average, so the gap between the cheaper and dearer end of the local market can be stated in dollars. On Full braces, adult alone, the difference between a practice at the 25th percentile and one at the 75th is $662. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $2,425.

Observed negotiated prices in San Diego, CA. The gap is what moving from an expensive practice to a cheaper one is worth for the same treatment.
Treatment	Lower end (25th)	Upper end (75th)	Gap	Practices (n)
Full braces, adult	$4,536	$5,198	$662	110
Full braces, teenager	$4,320	$4,942	$622	108
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,487	$1,818	$331	132
Root canal, molar	$750	$1,040	$290	129
Full upper denture	$960	$1,228	$268	131
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$1,092	$1,344	$252	132

This is an argument for collecting itemised written quotes rather than accepting the first, particularly on the larger items — see how to read a treatment plan.

Lower-cost care in San Diego

These are federally funded health centres in San Diego. They charge on a sliding scale based on your income, which usually makes them the cheapest route if you are uninsured. The federal dataset does not record which sites provide dentistry — many do, but call first and ask specifically about dental services and sliding-scale eligibility.

Active federally funded health centre sites in San Diego. Source: HRSA.
Health centre	Address	Contact
Beach Area Family Health Center	3705 Mission Blvd	(619) 515-2444 · Website
Beach Area Women's Health Center	3690 Mission Blvd	(619) 515-2444 · Website
Central Elementary School	3878 Orange Ave	(619) 280-2058 · Website
City Heights Family Health Center	5454 El Cajon Blvd	(619) 515-2400 · Website
Diamond Neighborhoods Family Health Center	4725 Market St	(619) 515-2560 · Website
Diamond Neighborhoods Family Health Center Building A	4725 Market St	(619) 515-2560
Downtown Family Health Center at Connections	1250 6th Ave, Ste 100	(619) 515-2525
El Cerrito Family Counseling Center	5472 El Cajon Blvd STE 101	(619) 515-2300
Elm Street Family Health Center	140 Elm St	(619) 515-2300 · Website
FHCSD Mobile Medical Unit II	823 Gateway Center Way	(619) 515-2300 · Website
FHCSD Mobile Medical Unit III	823 Gateway Center Way	(619) 515-2300 · Website
FamilyHealth - Center for Older Adults	3420 College Ave	(619) 515-2445

California has 2,758 such sites statewide — see the California page.

Other cities in California

Bakersfield Los Angeles Torrance Modesto Murrieta Redlands Downey Burbank San Mateo Glendale San Francisco Huntington Beach San Jose Aliso Viejo Riverside Irvine Anaheim Fresno Elk Grove Roseville Oxnard Sacramento Santa Monica Sherman Oaks Long Beach Visalia Whittier Redding West Covina Encino El Cerrito Davis Santa Ana Mission Viejo Orange Antioch Loma Linda Pasadena Stockton Oakland Santa Rosa Salinas Colton Arcadia Palmdale Santa Clarita Fremont Chula Vista Escondido Corona Lakewood Napa Santa Barbara Tustin Beverly Hills La Mirada Sunnyvale Walnut Creek Garden Grove Rowland Heights Concord Fontana Camarillo Ontario Rancho Cucamonga Lancaster San Bernardino Laguna Hills Hilmar San Marcos Huntington Park Chino Tracy North Hollywood Temecula Encinitas Ventura Manteca Berkeley Cerritos San Jacinto Martinez Milpitas Upland Lake Forest Woodland Hills Cypress Van Nuys Palo Alto Wildomar Newport Beach Carson Fountain Valley Moreno Valley Culver City Altadena Chino Hills Glendora Bellflower Fullerton Cupertino Menlo Park Alhambra Pleasanton Folsom Canoga Park Thousand Oaks Clovis

California overview · All treatments · Methodology

Common questions

How many San Diego practices are behind these figures?

Between 108 and 143 depending on the treatment, shown per row above. A San Diego figure is published only when at least 8 separate practices in the city carried a negotiated rate for it.

Will a San Diego dentist charge me these amounts?

Not if you are paying cash. These are rates negotiated between plans and contracted practices in San Diego. Uninsured patients are normally quoted higher. Ask any practice for an itemised written quote — that is the only number that binds them.