Dental costs in Portland, ME: local dentist prices

Observed negotiated prices for 38 treatments from dental practices located in Portland.

Treatments priced

in this city

Largest sample

practices

State

Maine

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 Portland

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	$3,771 – $5,308	$4,308	9	$4,308 – $5,356
Full braces, teenager	$3,630 – $5,062	$4,095	9	$4,095 – $5,211
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,472 – $1,855	$1,590	11	$1,590 – $2,076
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$876 – $1,265	$1,125	8	$1,125 – $1,471
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$876 – $1,236	$1,122	8	$1,122 – $1,401
Full upper denture	$871 – $1,203	$1,022	8	$1,022 – $1,473
Full lower denture	$856 – $1,180	$991	8	$991 – $1,394
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$916 – $1,155	$948	11	$948 – $1,258
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)	$672 – $880	$824	11	$824 – $910
Root canal, molar	$662 – $871	$790	12	$790 – $963
Porcelain-and-metal crown	$703 – $977	$789	12	$789 – $991
All-ceramic crown	$651 – $831	$756	8	$756 – $957
Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit	$636 – $882	$728	9	$728 – $1,048
Root canal, premolar	$527 – $765	$648	12	$648 – $784
Root canal, front tooth	$377 – $552	$491	8	$491 – $623
Hard night guard for grinding	$323 – $385	$382	11	$382 – $403
Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$293 – $408	$334	8	$334 – $429
Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$254 – $334	$288	12	$288 – $360
Surgical tooth extraction	$181 – $216	$213	12	$213 – $238
Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant	$153 – $217	$201	12	$201 – $227
Core build-up under a crown	$158 – $210	$182	8	$182 – $259
White filling, back tooth, two surfaces	$114 – $168	$146	8	$146 – $182
Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant	$107 – $145	$120	12	$120 – $154
Simple tooth extraction	$101 – $136	$118	8	$118 – $148
White filling, front tooth	$92 – $128	$114	12	$114 – $143
White filling, back tooth	$88 – $132	$109	8	$109 – $143
Full-mouth X-ray series	$92 – $109	$102	12	$102 – $120
Silver filling, two surfaces	$90 – $128	$95	9	$95 – $177
Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning	$80 – $103	$92	8	$92 – $129
Silver filling, one surface	$65 – $97	$76	8	$76 – $115
Adult teeth cleaning	$64 – $78	$71	11	$71 – $79
Emergency visit for dental pain	$59 – $94	$71	9	$71 – $110
Comprehensive exam (new patient)	$56 – $72	$66	13	$66 – $77
Four bitewing X-rays	$43 – $54	$49	13	$49 – $56
Child teeth cleaning	$47 – $58	$48	8	$48 – $61
Dental sealant (per tooth)	$36 – $41	$38	8	$38 – $44
Routine check-up (returning patient)	$33 – $40	$36	8	$36 – $46
Fluoride varnish treatment	$32 – $40	$35	8	$35 – $43

Portland compared with Maine

Across the 38 treatments we can price in both Portland and Maine as a whole, 0 run above the state median and 38 below. The largest local saving is on Silver filling, one surface: $76 here against $115 statewide.

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

What shopping around is worth in Portland

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 $1,537. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $4,433.

Observed negotiated prices in Portland, ME. 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	$3,771	$5,308	$1,537	9
Full braces, teenager	$3,630	$5,062	$1,432	9
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$876	$1,265	$389	8
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,472	$1,855	$383	11
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$876	$1,236	$360	8
Full upper denture	$871	$1,203	$332	8

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 Portland

These are federally funded health centres in Portland. 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 Portland. Source: HRSA.
Health centre	Address	Contact
Greater Portland Health at 180 Park Avenue	180 Park Ave	(207) 874-2141 · Website
Greater Portland Health at 211 Cumberland Avenue	211 Cumberland Ave	(207) 874-2141
Greater Portland Health at 234 Oxford Street	234 Oxford St	(207) 874-2141
Greater Portland Health at 295 Park Avenue	295 Park Ave	(207) 805-3886 · Website
Greater Portland Health at 59 Riverton Drive	59 Riverton Dr	(207) 874-2141 · Website
Greater Portland Health at 63 Preble Street	63 Preble St	(207) 874-2141 · Website
Greater Portland Health at 654 Riverside Street	654 Riverside St	(207) 874-2141
Greater Portland Health at 934 Congress Street	934 Congress St	(207) 874-2141
Greater Portland Health at Amanda C. Rowe Elementary School	23 Orono Rd	(207) 874-8205
Greater Portland Health at Casco Bay High School	196 Allen Ave	(207) 874-8160
Greater Portland Health at Catherine Morrill Day Nursery	96 Danforth St	(207) 874-1115
Greater Portland Health at Deering High School	370 Stevens Ave	(207) 874-8260

Maine has 182 such sites statewide — see the Maine page.

Other cities in Maine

No other city in this state is published yet.

Maine overview · All treatments · Methodology

Common questions

How many Portland practices are behind these figures?

Between 8 and 13 depending on the treatment, shown per row above. A Portland figure is published only when at least 8 separate practices in the city carried a negotiated rate for it.

Will a Portland dentist charge me these amounts?

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