Dental costs in Utah: how much a dentist costs
Observed negotiated prices across 41 treatments from 331 located dental practices in Utah.
Observed prices in Utah
| Treatment | Negotiated range Observed | Median | Spread | Practices (n) | Est. self-pay Estimated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full braces, teenager | $3,800 – $4,893 | $4,515 | 242 | $4,515 – $5,623 | |
| Full braces, adult | $3,933 – $4,913 | $4,502 | 245 | $4,502 – $5,625 | |
| Implant post placed in the jaw | $1,325 – $1,599 | $1,532 | 285 | $1,532 – $1,792 | |
| Partial upper denture with metal frame | $936 – $1,207 | $1,060 | 298 | $1,060 – $1,320 | |
| Partial lower denture with metal frame | $935 – $1,202 | $1,044 | 292 | $1,044 – $1,292 | |
| Full lower denture | $855 – $1,124 | $992 | 304 | $992 – $1,250 | |
| Full upper denture | $855 – $1,117 | $980 | 295 | $980 – $1,282 | |
| Ceramic crown attached to an implant | $878 – $1,076 | $963 | 287 | $963 – $1,197 | |
| Ceramic crown on an implant abutment | $840 – $1,034 | $930 | 295 | $930 – $1,120 | |
| All-ceramic crown | $731 – $900 | $796 | 291 | $796 – $970 | |
| Porcelain-and-metal crown | $656 – $874 | $772 | 313 | $772 – $930 | |
| Gum surgery (per quadrant) | $682 – $914 | $769 | 323 | $769 – $998 | |
| Root canal, molar | $675 – $872 | $745 | 303 | $745 – $1,001 | |
| Porcelain veneer (per tooth) | $615 – $838 | $716 | 287 | $716 – $937 | |
| Bridge, porcelain-and-metal span unit | $651 – $819 | $714 | 315 | $714 – $899 | |
| Root canal, premolar | $530 – $675 | $604 | 298 | $604 – $781 | |
| Root canal, front tooth | $455 – $603 | $505 | 305 | $505 – $701 | |
| Hard night guard for grinding | $294 – $401 | $338 | 282 | $338 – $443 | |
| Bone graft at an implant site | $238 – $443 | $322 | 298 | $322 – $496 | |
| Fully-impacted wisdom tooth removal | $260 – $358 | $314 | 299 | $314 – $418 | |
| Partly-impacted wisdom tooth removal | $246 – $322 | $270 | 309 | $270 – $356 | |
| Surgical tooth extraction | $158 – $216 | $185 | 312 | $185 – $244 | |
| Core build-up under a crown | $148 – $194 | $170 | 311 | $170 – $213 | |
| Deep cleaning, four or more teeth per quadrant | $156 – $194 | $168 | 292 | $168 – $208 | |
| White filling, back tooth, two surfaces | $132 – $172 | $150 | 289 | $150 – $194 | |
| White filling, back tooth | $101 – $133 | $118 | 298 | $118 – $156 | |
| Silver filling, two surfaces | $93 – $125 | $106 | 291 | $106 – $152 | |
| White filling, front tooth | $88 – $118 | $105 | 300 | $105 – $136 | |
| Deep cleaning, one to three teeth per quadrant | $91 – $125 | $102 | 331 | $102 – $156 | |
| Simple tooth extraction | $92 – $129 | $102 | 297 | $102 – $146 | |
| Ongoing gum maintenance cleaning | $82 – $106 | $96 | 301 | $96 – $129 | |
| Full-mouth X-ray series | $79 – $102 | $90 | 304 | $90 – $118 | |
| Silver filling, one surface | $72 – $98 | $87 | 286 | $87 – $120 | |
| Emergency visit for dental pain | $64 – $86 | $71 | 293 | $71 – $97 | |
| Adult teeth cleaning | $56 – $72 | $66 | 296 | $66 – $79 | |
| Comprehensive exam (new patient) | $47 – $65 | $54 | 306 | $54 – $74 | |
| Child teeth cleaning | $42 – $56 | $50 | 317 | $50 – $60 | |
| Four bitewing X-rays | $37 – $49 | $43 | 298 | $43 – $55 | |
| Routine check-up (returning patient) | $30 – $39 | $35 | 287 | $35 – $44 | |
| Dental sealant (per tooth) | $32 – $42 | $35 | 313 | $35 – $46 | |
| Fluoride varnish treatment | $26 – $33 | $28 | 297 | $28 – $39 |
How Utah compares nationally
Of the 41 treatments we can price in Utah, 8 sit above the national median and 33 below. The widest gap downward is Simple tooth extraction at $102 against a national $110 (7% lower); the widest upward is Full braces, teenager at $4,515 against $4,200 (8% higher).
Comparisons use the national distribution on each treatment page, which lists every state side by side.
What shopping around is worth in Utah
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 $1,093. Across the 6 treatments below it comes to $3,154.
| Treatment | Lower end (25th) | Upper end (75th) | Gap | Practices (n) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full braces, teenager | $3,800 | $4,893 | $1,093 | 242 |
| Full braces, adult | $3,933 | $4,913 | $980 | 245 |
| Implant post placed in the jaw | $1,325 | $1,599 | $274 | 285 |
| Partial upper denture with metal frame | $936 | $1,207 | $271 | 298 |
| Full lower denture | $855 | $1,124 | $269 | 304 |
| Partial lower denture with metal frame | $935 | $1,202 | $267 | 292 |
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 Utah
Utah has 60 federally funded health centre sites that charge on a sliding scale based on income. For most uninsured patients these are the cheapest option available. The federal dataset does not record which sites provide dentistry, so call and ask about dental services before travelling. City pages below list the sites in each place.
Cities in Utah
City pages are published only where at least 8 practices in that city carried a rate. 15 cities met that bar.
Other states
All states · All treatments · Methodology
Common questions
Are these the prices I would pay in Utah without insurance?
No. These are negotiated rates between dental plans and contracted practices in Utah. Uninsured patients are generally quoted at or above the top of each range. The estimated self-pay column is labelled as an estimate for exactly that reason — see the methodology.
How many Utah practices is this based on?
Sample sizes are shown per treatment in the table above and range from 242 to 331 practices. We publish nothing below 15.
Why is a treatment missing from this page?
Because fewer than 15 located practices in Utah carried a negotiated rate for it in our source files. We leave it out rather than scale a national average to look local.