Dental costs in Louisville, KY: local dentist prices

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

Treatments priced

in this city

Largest sample

130

practices

State

Kentucky

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 Louisville

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	$3,830 – $5,401	$4,552	90	$4,552 – $6,338
Full braces, teenager	$3,288 – $4,898	$3,961	85	$3,961 – $6,372
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,377 – $2,000	$1,547	116	$1,547 – $2,289
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$840 – $1,200	$1,048	118	$1,048 – $1,411
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$828 – $1,199	$1,035	119	$1,035 – $1,454
Ceramic crown attached to an implant	$882 – $1,502	$1,034	117	$1,034 – $1,834
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$872 – $1,384	$990	120	$990 – $1,614
Full lower denture	$691 – $1,038	$929	120	$929 – $1,363
Full upper denture	$728 – $1,054	$928	124	$928 – $1,389
All-ceramic crown	$685 – $944	$860	118	$860 – $1,036
Root canal, molar	$674 – $936	$788	120	$788 – $986
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)	$601 – $862	$772	121	$772 – $945
Porcelain-and-metal crown	$607 – $888	$770	130	$770 – $975
Gum surgery (per quadrant)	$562 – $888	$763	126	$763 – $1,028
Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit	$639 – $887	$730	119	$730 – $951
Root canal, premolar	$536 – $725	$639	127	$639 – $822
Root canal, front tooth	$444 – $623	$550	120	$550 – $686
Hard night guard for grinding	$268 – $386	$346	113	$346 – $407
Bone graft at an implant site	$274 – $428	$332	100	$332 – $484
Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$275 – $362	$310	125	$310 – $475
Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$233 – $307	$274	125	$274 – $395
Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant	$128 – $200	$177	123	$177 – $232
Surgical tooth extraction	$144 – $222	$175	122	$175 – $250
Core build-up under a crown	$139 – $200	$161	130	$161 – $238
White filling, back tooth, two surfaces	$130 – $191	$158	108	$158 – $221
White filling, back tooth	$98 – $140	$122	103	$122 – $162
Silver filling, two surfaces	$93 – $144	$109	110	$109 – $167
Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant	$89 – $128	$107	116	$107 – $160
White filling, front tooth	$90 – $125	$105	116	$105 – $140
Simple tooth extraction	$82 – $128	$102	124	$102 – $150
Full-mouth X-ray series	$85 – $112	$98	108	$98 – $120
Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning	$82 – $118	$96	109	$96 – $130
Silver filling, one surface	$73 – $110	$88	115	$88 – $133
Adult teeth cleaning	$57 – $80	$67	102	$67 – $82
Emergency visit for dental pain	$50 – $85	$67	122	$67 – $95
Comprehensive exam (new patient)	$49 – $65	$58	118	$58 – $75
Child teeth cleaning	$44 – $57	$50	107	$50 – $62
Four bitewing X-rays	$39 – $52	$46	104	$46 – $56
Routine check-up (returning patient)	$30 – $43	$37	102	$37 – $44
Dental sealant (per tooth)	$30 – $40	$35	123	$35 – $47
Fluoride varnish treatment	$25 – $35	$28	104	$28 – $41

Louisville compared with Kentucky

Across the 41 treatments we can price in both Louisville and Kentucky as a whole, 32 run above the state median and 9 below. The largest local saving is on Dental sealant (per tooth): $35 here against $36 statewide.

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

What shopping around is worth in Louisville

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, teenager alone, the difference between a practice at the 25th percentile and one at the 75th is $1,610. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $5,307.

Observed negotiated prices in Louisville, KY. 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, teenager	$3,288	$4,898	$1,610	85
Full braces, adult	$3,830	$5,401	$1,571	90
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,377	$2,000	$623	116
Ceramic crown attached to an implant	$882	$1,502	$620	117
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$872	$1,384	$512	120
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$828	$1,199	$371	119

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 Louisville

These are federally funded health centres in Louisville. 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 Louisville. Source: HRSA.
Health centre	Address	Contact
Buechel/Newburg Community Health Center	3828 Bardstown Rd	Website
FHC - Sheehan Landing	3501 Sheehan Landing Dr	(502) 358-2310
Family Health Center - Americana	4805 Southside Dr	(502) 774-8631 · Website
Family Health Center - Americana Annex	4801 Southside Dr	(502) 772-8891
Family Health Center - Iroquois	4100 Taylor Blvd	(502) 366-4747 · Website
Family Health Center-East Broadway	834 E Broadway, Floor 1	(502) 583-1981
Family Health Centers - Iroquois High School SBS	4615 Taylor Blvd	(502) 774-8631 · Website
Family Health Centers - Iroquois Pharmacy and Immediate Care	4112 Taylor Blvd	(502) 366-4747
Family Health Centers - West Market	2500 W Market St	(502) 778-8400 · Website
Family Health Centers, Inc. - Family Health Center - Portland	2215 Portland Ave	(502) 774-8631 · Website
Family Health Centers, Inc. - Wayside Hotel Louisville	120 W Broadway	(502) 772-8662
Mobile Medical Unit - HCH Project	2215 Portland Ave	(502) 772-8558

Kentucky has 632 such sites statewide — see the Kentucky page.

Other cities in Kentucky

Bowling Green Lexington Elizabethtown Nicholasville Prestonsburg Somerset

Kentucky overview · All treatments · Methodology

Common questions

How many Louisville practices are behind these figures?

Between 85 and 130 depending on the treatment, shown per row above. A Louisville figure is published only when at least 8 separate practices in the city carried a negotiated rate for it.

Will a Louisville dentist charge me these amounts?

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