Dental costs in Chicago, IL: local dentist prices

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

Treatments priced

in this city

Largest sample

230

practices

State

Illinois

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 Chicago

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	$3,800 – $4,745	$4,212	146	$4,212 – $4,968
Full braces, teenager	$3,598 – $4,512	$4,167	136	$4,167 – $4,842
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,380 – $1,609	$1,447	210	$1,447 – $1,867
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$920 – $1,187	$1,074	204	$1,074 – $1,378
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$920 – $1,198	$1,070	204	$1,070 – $1,367
Ceramic crown attached to an implant	$912 – $1,144	$1,033	197	$1,033 – $1,394
Full upper denture	$868 – $1,144	$1,002	204	$1,002 – $1,303
Full lower denture	$860 – $1,134	$1,002	210	$1,002 – $1,295
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$848 – $1,076	$972	195	$972 – $1,260
All-ceramic crown	$677 – $922	$871	222	$871 – $1,008
Porcelain-and-metal crown	$694 – $894	$825	214	$825 – $963
Root canal, molar	$696 – $898	$804	204	$804 – $970
Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit	$642 – $862	$778	224	$778 – $911
Gum surgery (per quadrant)	$684 – $849	$774	223	$774 – $979
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)	$646 – $840	$722	207	$722 – $966
Root canal, premolar	$540 – $708	$628	212	$628 – $784
Root canal, front tooth	$463 – $617	$550	207	$550 – $669
Bone graft at an implant site	$274 – $454	$380	178	$380 – $488
Hard night guard for grinding	$285 – $376	$350	188	$350 – $404
Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$280 – $364	$328	217	$328 – $438
Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$233 – $316	$280	212	$280 – $372
Surgical tooth extraction	$154 – $222	$194	217	$194 – $249
Core build-up under a crown	$145 – $208	$184	230	$184 – $236
Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant	$138 – $192	$166	211	$166 – $212
White filling, back tooth, two surfaces	$125 – $175	$155	215	$155 – $188
White filling, back tooth	$96 – $141	$118	212	$118 – $160
Simple tooth extraction	$92 – $131	$110	221	$110 – $148
White filling, front tooth	$91 – $126	$109	213	$109 – $132
Silver filling, two surfaces	$94 – $126	$108	221	$108 – $138
Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant	$82 – $127	$106	225	$106 – $145
Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning	$82 – $109	$96	218	$96 – $117
Full-mouth X-ray series	$86 – $106	$94	208	$94 – $110
Silver filling, one surface	$79 – $104	$88	216	$88 – $114
Adult teeth cleaning	$60 – $74	$70	209	$70 – $79
Emergency visit for dental pain	$58 – $80	$67	214	$67 – $87
Comprehensive exam (new patient)	$49 – $64	$59	216	$59 – $70
Child teeth cleaning	$46 – $57	$52	210	$52 – $64
Four bitewing X-rays	$38 – $50	$46	199	$46 – $54
Routine check-up (returning patient)	$31 – $43	$38	222	$38 – $50
Dental sealant (per tooth)	$33 – $40	$37	217	$37 – $44
Fluoride varnish treatment	$23 – $32	$29	209	$29 – $36

Chicago compared with Illinois

Across the 41 treatments we can price in both Chicago and Illinois as a whole, 36 run above the state median and 5 below. The largest local saving is on Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant: $166 here against $169 statewide.

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

What shopping around is worth in Chicago

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 $945. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $2,954.

Observed negotiated prices in Chicago, IL. 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	$3,800	$4,745	$945	146
Full braces, teenager	$3,598	$4,512	$914	136
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$920	$1,198	$278	204
Full upper denture	$868	$1,144	$276	204
Full lower denture	$860	$1,134	$274	210
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$920	$1,187	$267	204

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 Chicago

These are federally funded health centres in Chicago. 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 Chicago. Source: HRSA.
Health centre	Address	Contact
ACCESS Ashland Family Health Center	5159 S Ashland Ave	(773) 434-9216 · Website
ACCESS Austin Family Health Center	4909 W Division St, Suite 508	(773) 364-4600 · Website
ACCESS Booker Family Health Center	654 E 47th St	(773) 624-4800 · Website
ACCESS Brandon Family Health Center	2822 E 83rd St	(773) 721-7600
ACCESS Brickyard Family Health Center	6020 W Diversey Ave	(773) 237-5544
ACCESS Cabrini Family Health Center	3450 S Archer Ave	(773) 523-1000 · Website
ACCESS Centro Medico	3700 W 26th St	(773) 542-5203 · Website
ACCESS Doctors Medical Center	6240 W 55th St	(773) 284-2200 · Website
ACCESS Grand Boulevard Health and Specialty Center	5401 S Wentworth Ave Spc 5	(773) 288-6900 · Website
ACCESS Humboldt Park Family Health Center	3202 W North Ave	(773) 489-6333 · Website
ACCESS Kedzie Family Health Center	3243 W 47th Pl	(773) 254-6044 · Website
ACCESS Located at Holy Cross	2701 W 68th St # 3-south	(866) 882-2237 · Website

Illinois has 512 such sites statewide — see the Illinois page.

Other cities in Illinois

Illinois overview · All treatments · Methodology

Common questions

How many Chicago practices are behind these figures?

Between 136 and 230 depending on the treatment, shown per row above. A Chicago figure is published only when at least 8 separate practices in the city carried a negotiated rate for it.

Will a Chicago dentist charge me these amounts?

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