Dental costs in Columbia, MD: local dentist prices

Observed negotiated prices for 33 treatments from dental practices located in Columbia.

Treatments priced

in this city

Largest sample

practices

State

Maryland

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 Columbia

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
Implant post placed in the jaw	$1,396 – $1,578	$1,416	10	$1,416 – $1,770
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$966 – $1,175	$1,097	10	$1,097 – $1,243
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$965 – $1,190	$1,080	10	$1,080 – $1,249
Full lower denture	$885 – $1,162	$1,034	10	$1,034 – $1,246
Full upper denture	$892 – $1,050	$981	9	$981 – $1,212
Ceramic crown attached to an implant	$851 – $1,051	$903	8	$903 – $1,134
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$812 – $1,007	$848	9	$848 – $1,049
All-ceramic crown	$779 – $932	$825	10	$825 – $986
Root canal, molar	$771 – $916	$820	10	$820 – $1,141
Gum surgery (per quadrant)	$671 – $889	$791	8	$791 – $975
Porcelain-and-metal crown	$727 – $837	$768	10	$768 – $951
Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit	$716 – $810	$738	10	$738 – $857
Porcelain veneer (per tooth)	$636 – $794	$733	10	$733 – $938
Root canal, premolar	$629 – $727	$693	8	$693 – $781
Root canal, front tooth	$518 – $640	$569	10	$569 – $656
Bone graft at an implant site	$291 – $423	$334	8	$334 – $475
Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$314 – $371	$334	8	$334 – $389
Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal	$282 – $324	$292	10	$292 – $344
Surgical tooth extraction	$202 – $214	$206	10	$206 – $233
Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant	$162 – $206	$182	8	$182 – $232
Core build-up under a crown	$147 – $212	$159	10	$159 – $222
White filling, back tooth, two surfaces	$132 – $174	$146	9	$146 – $182
Simple tooth extraction	$93 – $132	$120	9	$120 – $140
White filling, front tooth	$104 – $114	$111	10	$111 – $132
Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant	$83 – $125	$104	10	$104 – $133
Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning	$89 – $120	$92	10	$92 – $141
Silver filling, one surface	$80 – $110	$89	8	$89 – $113
Adult teeth cleaning	$64 – $78	$73	8	$73 – $81
Emergency visit for dental pain	$66 – $79	$66	9	$66 – $93
Comprehensive exam (new patient)	$53 – $72	$64	8	$64 – $76
Child teeth cleaning	$50 – $52	$50	9	$50 – $60
Four bitewing X-rays	$40 – $48	$44	8	$44 – $54
Routine check-up (returning patient)	$33 – $42	$35	9	$35 – $52

Columbia compared with Maryland

Across the 33 treatments we can price in both Columbia and Maryland as a whole, 20 run above the state median and 13 below. The largest local saving is on Ceramic crown attached to an implant: $903 here against $1,025 statewide.

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

What shopping around is worth in Columbia

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 $277. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $1,324.

Observed negotiated prices in Columbia, MD. 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	$885	$1,162	$277	10
Partial lower denture with metal frame	$965	$1,190	$225	10
Gum surgery (per quadrant)	$671	$889	$218	8
Partial upper denture with metal frame	$966	$1,175	$209	10
Ceramic crown attached to an implant	$851	$1,051	$200	8
Ceramic crown on an implant abutment	$812	$1,007	$195	9

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 Columbia

These are federally funded health centres in Columbia. 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 Columbia. Source: HRSA.
Health centre	Address	Contact
Chase Brexton Health Services, Inc. - Columbia Center	5500 Knoll North Dr, Suite 370	(410) 884-7831 · Website
Chase Brexton Health Services, Inc. at Way Station, Inc.	9030 State Route 108, Suite A	(410) 740-1901
Howard County Health Department - WIC - Dental	8930 Stanford Blvd	(410) 752-0954 · Website

Maryland has 165 such sites statewide — see the Maryland page.

Other cities in Maryland

Rockville Baltimore Annapolis Silver Spring Laurel Bethesda Hagerstown Frederick Gaithersburg Glenarden Germantown Oxon Hill Owings Mills Waldorf Cockeysville Ellicott City Catonsville Bel Air Timonium

Maryland overview · All treatments · Methodology

Common questions

How many Columbia practices are behind these figures?

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

Will a Columbia dentist charge me these amounts?

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