Dental costs in West Des Moines, IA: local dentist prices

Observed negotiated prices for 40 treatments from dental practices located in West 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 West 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	$4,436 – $4,871	$4,654	8	$4,654 – $4,982
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,255 – $1,494	$1,400	13	$1,400 – $1,594
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$843 – $1,284	$1,146	14	$1,146 – $1,314
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$812 – $1,312	$1,130	13	$1,130 – $1,319
Full lower denture	$693 – $1,200	$1,024	12	$1,024 – $1,214
Ceramic crown attached to an implant	$960 – $1,080	$980	13	$980 – $1,100
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$870 – $1,048	$972	13	$972 – $1,071
Full upper denture	$754 – $1,195	$938	13	$938 – $1,234
All-ceramic crown	$595 – $923	$826	12	$826 – $981
Gum surgery (per quadrant)	$768 – $896	$800	11	$800 – $1,015
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)	$748 – $888	$796	12	$796 – $897
Root canal, molar	$597 – $807	$788	12	$788 – $930
Porcelain-and-metal crown	$614 – $798	$728	13	$728 – $871
Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit	$551 – $740	$684	13	$684 – $796
Root canal, premolar	$494 – $649	$630	12	$630 – $733
Root canal, front tooth	$423 – $557	$551	13	$551 – $626
Bone graft at an implant site	$348 – $412	$396	13	$396 – $425
Hard night guard for grinding	$269 – $347	$318	11	$318 – $388
Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$249 – $337	$304	12	$304 – $368
Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$210 – $294	$257	13	$257 – $314
Surgical tooth extraction	$129 – $197	$188	12	$188 – $233
Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant	$114 – $186	$173	13	$173 – $199
Core build-up under a crown	$168 – $192	$172	13	$172 – $196
White filling, back tooth, two surfaces	$109 – $184	$163	13	$163 – $191
White filling, back tooth	$86 – $138	$130	12	$130 – $150
Silver filling, two surfaces	$97 – $126	$111	13	$111 – $135
White filling, front tooth	$85 – $122	$110	12	$110 – $135
Simple tooth extraction	$84 – $122	$108	12	$108 – $136
Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant	$85 – $128	$106	14	$106 – $131
Full-mouth X-ray series	$82 – $106	$98	13	$98 – $111
Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning	$72 – $102	$96	13	$96 – $118
Silver filling, one surface	$76 – $99	$88	14	$88 – $108
Emergency visit for dental pain	$65 – $94	$77	13	$77 – $98
Adult teeth cleaning	$58 – $80	$72	12	$72 – $83
Comprehensive exam (new patient)	$41 – $61	$60	13	$60 – $64
Child teeth cleaning	$42 – $56	$49	12	$49 – $58
Four bitewing X-rays	$42 – $49	$46	11	$46 – $50
Routine check-up (returning patient)	$34 – $41	$38	12	$38 – $42
Dental sealant (per tooth)	$33 – $41	$35	12	$35 – $42
Fluoride varnish treatment	$27 – $36	$29	12	$29 – $37

West Des Moines compared with Iowa

Across the 40 treatments we can price in both West Des Moines and Iowa as a whole, 35 run above the state median and 5 below. The largest local saving is on Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal: $257 here against $280 statewide.

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

What shopping around is worth in West 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 lower denture alone, the difference between a practice at the 25th percentile and one at the 75th is $507. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $2,652.

Observed negotiated prices in West 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 lower denture	$693	$1,200	$507	12
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$812	$1,312	$500	13
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$843	$1,284	$441	14
Full upper denture	$754	$1,195	$441	13
Full braces, adult	$4,436	$4,871	$435	8
All-ceramic crown	$595	$923	$328	12

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.

Other cities in Iowa

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

Iowa overview · All treatments · Methodology

Common questions

How many West Des Moines practices are behind these figures?

Between 8 and 14 depending on the treatment, shown per row above. A West Des Moines figure is published only when at least 8 separate practices in the city carried a negotiated rate for it.

Will a West Des Moines dentist charge me these amounts?

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