How much do you pay for a cleaning/exam?

[makushin]

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How much do you pay for a cleaning/exam? How much more for xrays?

I was just charged $425 for xrays/cleaning/exam at my new dentist. This seems high too me. It was a typical visit, nothing unusual, although it seems like they took an excessive amount of x-rays.

My follow up was for tommorow and my jaw hit the floor when I called to find out the surgical fees. $850 for what the dentist told me was 2 "minor" fillings. I canceled. I think this place is a ripoff and I want to find out what is normal. I will try and find out more details on his fees, I know my parents use him. Discuss.

 

[RSamR20]

This all depends upon the UCR dental fees report which I believe is state or even country dependant. Yet, having had some experience in this (my family owns several dental offices) it appears to me that you have been severely overcharged.

 

[haisha ni narou]

Ya, I just had the same treatment done an it cost me a little under 200. I've seen ads for new patient exams and cleanings for alot cheaper than what I paid too. There's alot of dentists where I live competing with eachother. I had a cavity filled for about 150. Ya, you got hosed.

 

[RSamR20]

Ya, I just had the same treatment done an it cost me a little under 200. I've seen ads for new patient exams and cleanings for alot cheaper than what I paid too. There's alot of dentists where I live competing with eachother.

This is much more reasonable. Could you maybe disclose what state you are in?

 

[haisha ni narou]

This is much more reasonable. Could you maybe disclose what state you are in?

Not sure if this is directed at me or the OP. I'm in the Phoenix, AZ metro area.

 

[RSamR20]

Sorry! I meant to ask the OP what state s/he is in.

 

[Cymbidium]

holy crap!! Are you serious?? My parents are dentists so it's free for me, but I know that they charge about $130 xrays/ cleaning/ and exam in NY State.

 

[RSamR20]

holy crap!! Are you serious?? My parents are dentists so it's free for me, but I know that they charge about $130 xrays/ cleaning/ and exam in NY State.

I must agree with Cymbidium although I am in Southern California. Prices are pretty similar.

 

[Vapor1122]

I'm scheduled for a new patient exam and cleaning next Monday for the bargain price of 69 bucks 😀

 

[tinman831]

In areas saturated with dentists, competition will drive down prices, whereas in more rural areas where there are fewer practicing dentists, prices will tend to be a lot higher. Where are you from?

 

[Vapor1122]

Orlando.

 

[harjay]

holy crap!! Are you serious?? My parents are dentists so it's free for me, but I know that they charge about $130 xrays/ cleaning/ and exam in NY State.

I must agree with Cymbidium although I am in Southern California. Prices are pretty similar.

I get it for free but in our office its about $150-200 (San Diego county) for xrays/cleaning

 

[Aner]

I work at a dental office in NYC and we charge $90 for xrays/cleaning. Sometimes, when patients hear the price, they yell, "What are you digging for, GOLD??" I take that to mean we charge alot...but I always thought it was pretty cheap.

 

[prettykurri01]

Mines' was free 2 weeks ago, had 2 Fillings, Cleaning, etc. But Fillings are $100/tooth, Gen Exam is $49, Xray $15. I'm in the suburbs of Chicago. I'm going in the the 3rd for another tooth he wanted to look at. Great guy, excellent work, has 4 offices, graduated from Indiana 15 years ago, he's a Perio, wife is General, both early to mid 30s.

 

[tinman831]

Orlando.

I was actually asking the OP. Hehehe. 🙂

 

[tulanegreenwave]

At my dentist, there are 3 levels of cleaning and the level is chosen based on the amount of build-up, stains, etc.

The highest level, SRP, is $150 per quadrant (x4 = $600!).

 

[makushin]

I'm pretty pissed about this. I live in an area where a crown runs about 1100, but this is still out of line. They were also going to charge me over 800 for the 2 fillings, and another 1300 for about 15 minutes of maintenaince work on my implants that my prostho does for free. It is a damn good thing I called before going in tommorow.

It's one thing to charge a premium, it's another to try and rip someone off.

I'm going to get my $200 xrays and bring my business elsewhere. It's pretty eye opening experience, and honestly, these sort of doctors really put a sour light on this profession for average americans. Let's keep this profession positive in the future so voters don't get sick of this crap and socialize it.

 

[small]

Makushin, sorry about your experience. Yeah, that dentist is definitely not helping to improve the "gold-digger" stereotype. I guess most people don't know what the average going rate for dental work is, though, so people still pay. It's hard to ask "so, how much is this going to cost me, doc?" beforehand, too, but maybe we all should do that more. My wife and I got a little suprise yesterday when we found out that the blood work that normal cost about $100 cost $400 this time! Merry Christmas, huh. The funny thing is, she's heading to Japan in a month where she can get it done for about $40 (would have just waited had she known the quadrupling in the price).

 

[CMistry]

First off, it seems like they did an FMS on you (the unusually high number of x-rays). That costs $100+ at the dentist I work for. RE/CL + FL2 usually runs about $120 at my dentist, using BC/BS fees.

As for the fillings... wow. I am guessing he saw more than just 2 fillings if it was that much. Usually dentists have to abide by insurance company fee schedules. Do you have insurance? If not that is why, they can charge whatever they please and usually rip off no-insurance patients.

-Cyrus