Dental costs in Des Moines, IA: local dentist prices

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

Treatments priced

in this city

Largest sample

practices

State

Iowa

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 Des Moines

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 – $4,425	$4,194	11	$4,194 – $4,675
Full braces, teenager	$3,584 – $4,148	$4,047	10	$4,047 – $4,328
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,214 – $1,532	$1,388	15	$1,388 – $1,617
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$994 – $1,263	$1,059	14	$1,059 – $1,412
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$984 – $1,229	$1,052	14	$1,052 – $1,407
Ceramic crown attached to an implant	$897 – $1,089	$1,024	15	$1,024 – $1,110
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$844 – $1,048	$1,007	15	$1,007 – $1,095
Full upper denture	$854 – $1,055	$936	14	$936 – $1,283
Full lower denture	$832 – $1,033	$925	14	$925 – $1,254
All-ceramic crown	$636 – $892	$803	15	$803 – $981
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)	$572 – $841	$784	14	$784 – $956
Gum surgery (per quadrant)	$688 – $878	$747	14	$747 – $902
Root canal, molar	$613 – $834	$742	15	$742 – $872
Porcelain-and-metal crown	$649 – $808	$736	15	$736 – $857
Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit	$592 – $753	$694	15	$694 – $797
Root canal, premolar	$486 – $668	$584	15	$584 – $702
Root canal, front tooth	$396 – $569	$522	15	$522 – $589
Bone graft at an implant site	$245 – $409	$330	15	$330 – $454
Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$280 – $348	$320	15	$320 – $361
Hard night guard for grinding	$246 – $347	$281	14	$281 – $427
Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$240 – $308	$280	15	$280 – $319
Surgical tooth extraction	$147 – $202	$185	15	$185 – $222
Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant	$128 – $197	$173	15	$173 – $206
Core build-up under a crown	$128 – $185	$170	15	$170 – $193
White filling, back tooth, two surfaces	$116 – $170	$153	14	$153 – $180
White filling, back tooth	$89 – $132	$121	14	$121 – $135
Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant	$73 – $128	$108	15	$108 – $135
Simple tooth extraction	$80 – $116	$104	15	$104 – $123
White filling, front tooth	$85 – $114	$101	15	$101 – $122
Full-mouth X-ray series	$92 – $106	$98	15	$98 – $114
Silver filling, two surfaces	$80 – $112	$96	15	$96 – $122
Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning	$83 – $103	$85	15	$85 – $106
Silver filling, one surface	$70 – $94	$80	15	$80 – $98
Adult teeth cleaning	$56 – $73	$65	15	$65 – $77
Emergency visit for dental pain	$56 – $72	$62	15	$62 – $74
Comprehensive exam (new patient)	$38 – $61	$57	15	$57 – $64
Child teeth cleaning	$43 – $51	$48	15	$48 – $54
Four bitewing X-rays	$41 – $48	$44	15	$44 – $51
Routine check-up (returning patient)	$26 – $37	$34	15	$34 – $38
Dental sealant (per tooth)	$30 – $38	$34	15	$34 – $39
Fluoride varnish treatment	$24 – $30	$27	15	$27 – $34

Des Moines compared with Iowa

Across the 41 treatments we can price in both Des Moines and Iowa as a whole, 31 run above the state median and 10 below. The largest local saving is on Emergency visit for dental pain: $62 here against $67 statewide.

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

What shopping around is worth in Des Moines

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 $625. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $2,301.

Observed negotiated prices in Des Moines, IA. 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	$4,425	$625	11
Full braces, teenager	$3,584	$4,148	$564	10
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,214	$1,532	$318	15
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$994	$1,263	$269	14
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)	$572	$841	$269	14
All-ceramic crown	$636	$892	$256	15

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 Des Moines

These are federally funded health centres in Des Moines. 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 Des Moines. Source: HRSA.
Health centre	Address	Contact
Mobile Clinic Van 1	1221 Center St, Suite 16	(515) 271-5306
Mobile Clinic Van 2	1221 Center St, Suite 16	(515) 271-5306
Primary Health Care - Bery Engebretsen Clinic	2353 SE 14th St	(515) 248-1400 · Website
Primary Health Care - East Side Clinic	3509 E 29th St	(515) 248-1600 · Website
Primary Health Care - Mobile Unit	1200 University Ave, Suite 120	(515) 248-1500 · Website
Primary Health Care - Pharmacy	1200 University Ave STE 105	(515) 262-0854 · Website
Primary Health Care - South Side Clinic	2401 SE 14th St	(515) 336-4604 · Website
Primary Health Care - University Clinic	1200 University Ave, Suite 120	(515) 248-1500 · Website
Primary Health Care - University Dental Clinic	1200 University Ave, Suite 100	(515) 248-1850
Primary Health Care at Mercy	250 Laurel St	(515) 643-4610 · Website
Proteus, Inc. - Des Moines site	1221 Center St, Suite 16	(888) 750-4736 · Website

Iowa has 119 such sites statewide — see the Iowa page.

Other cities in Iowa

Davenport Cedar Falls Iowa City West Des Moines Sioux City Waterloo Council Bluffs Cedar Rapids Ankeny

Iowa overview · All treatments · Methodology

Common questions

How many Des Moines practices are behind these figures?

Between 10 and 15 depending on the treatment, shown per row above. A Des Moines figure is published only when at least 8 separate practices in the city carried a negotiated rate for it.

Will a Des Moines dentist charge me these amounts?

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