How much is an average visit to the dentist?

How much does an average dentist visit costs? The answer is – it depends. 

It is a well-known fact that dentists make a significant amount of money. In fact, according to chron.com, a median dentist salary is about 160,000 a year. According to US News and World Report, the top 25 percent best dentists earn an average of 208,000 while the bottom 25 percent average about 104,800 a year. According to US News and Health Report, a dentist’s hourly salary is about 83 dollars, which is a little less than that of a doctor, which is about 90 per hour. Also, according to US News and World Report, the earning potential outlook for dentists is very promising. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there is a 19.4% job growth expected between the years 2016 and 2026. It is not surprising therefore that dentists charge a significant amount of money for their services. 

According to the website health.costhelper.com, an average dentist visit ranges from at least 50 to as much as 350. According to this website, an average teeth cleaning costs 200. A standard teeth cleaning costs between 70 to 200 dollars. Filling a cavity can cost 50 to 300 dollars. Dental crowns can cost 500 to 1,500 dollars or more per tooth. Pulling a tooth can cost 75 to 450 for a simple extraction and 150 to 650 dollars or more for a surgical extraction. Wisdom teeth removal usually costs 75 to 200 for a simple extraction and 225 to 600 for an impacted tooth. Dental implants start at 1000 to 3000 dollars. And, of course, there are additional costs of the initial exam, follow-up visits, and x-rays. 

The fees that dentists charge for their services depend on whether they are working on commission, some are hospital and government clinic dentists and some are private dentists. Private dentists’ earnings are a percentage of a fee-per-item. In addition, it is useful to mention that dentists have to pay a dentist nurse out of their own salary, which also affects their fee-per-item. Also, it is important to mention that dentists use very expensive machinery and very expensive materials.