How Much Does a Dental Cleaning Cost Without Insurance?

Regular dental cleanings are part of the recommended regimen for healthy teeth and gums. While dentists typically recommend cleanings every six months, your dental care professional may advise you to get cleanings more frequently if you have gum disease or other oral health conditions. Teeth cleaning is among many services offered by dental practices and is typically performed by dental hygienists.

Paying for teeth cleaning can pose a financial challenge — especially if you don’t have dental insurance, which is the case for many adults and children. Cost and lack of insurance are the top reasons people delay or forgo dental care, even for emergency oral health concerns. One problem is that even people with health insurance typically have to buy an additional plan for dental coverage.

Original Medicare does not pay for routine dental care, though some dental benefits are included in most Medicare Advantage plans. All Medicaid programs offer comprehensive dental services for children, but most don’t provide the same benefits for adults and have no minimum coverage requirements for adults.

Can I get my teeth cleaned without dental insurance?

Yes, you can get your teeth cleaned even if you don't have dental insurance. Typically, you will have to pay out of pocket for the service. We will discuss free and low-cost dental care options later.

Dental cleaning is a preventive service, which costs far less than restorative procedures, such as a root canal or crown.

You may be able to cover the cost of a dental cleaning with funds from your:

• Health savings account (HSA) for people enrolled in high-deductible health plans

• Flexible spending account (FSA) for people with certain employer-sponsored health insurance plans

• Health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), which you use to pay for expenses not covered by health insurance, but only an employer can contribute to the account

How much does dental cleaning cost without insurance?

The cost of getting your teeth cleaned without insurance depends on your dental care professional and where you receive the service. The average cost is about $200 in the U.S., according to CareCredit, a health and wellness credit product. Some dental practices may charge more than $300 for a basic dental cleaning.

There are ways to save on dental cleanings if you’re uninsured — and even if you have dental insurance. Some dentists offer free or discounted cleanings as a promotion for new patients, and some offer practice-based dental plans. Payment plans can help you settle the bill over time without adding interest that you may incur when using a credit card.

Another option for saving on dental services is using cash-pay healthcare, an option for accessing medical treatment, preventive medicine, and wellness services without insurance. By paying with cash, a credit card, or debit card, you may get discounted care.

Specifically, self-pay dental care means using your own financial resources to pay for dental services. And you may have access to discounted services by using this option rather than a dental insurance plan.

Dental savings plans

You might have access to lower prices for care if you have a dental savings plan, which is a membership program also known as a dental discount plan. These noninsurance programs offer discounts on common dental services. For instance, the Aspen Dental chain’s dental savings plan starts at $49 a year and offers up to 30% off preventive care, including general cleanings.

A dental discount plan may offer 20% to 40% off teeth cleanings by healthcare professionals in its network. That means if your dentist charges $100 for a cleaning and your savings plan offers a 30% discount with covered dental professionals, you'd only pay $70.

It’s important to note that a dental cleaning is different than a dental exam, which typically includes:

• Assessment of dental health

• Dental X-rays

• Treatment planning, which almost assuredly includes cleanings

Some dental savings plans cover annual exams and X-rays at 100%.

GoodRx Companion

Without insurance, there are still ways to get affordable healthcare. One option is GoodRx Companion, a subscription service that offers savings on prescriptions, telehealth, and other everyday healthcare services — such as dental, vision, and lab work — for a low monthly price. This program gives you access to more than 250 medications at no additional cost and hundreds more for less than $10 per fill. You can also receive deep discounts on common dental services, such as cleanings.

What factors affect the cost of a dental cleaning?

The price of a dental cleaning can vary based on factors such as your location and your dentist’s level of experience. If you live in a rural area, which is more likely to have a dental health professional shortage, the true cost of a dental cleaning can be increased by additional factors such as fuel or transportation expenses and time off work.

If it has been a long time since your last cleaning, you may require more rigorous treatment. You'll also likely pay more if you're getting:

• Deep cleaning: Known as scaling and root planing, or periodontal cleaning, this procedure removes tartar below the gum line and treats inflamed gums. Depending on the condition of your teeth, this type of cleaning may require more than one visit to complete. Each session may cost $150 to $300 — and maybe even more.

• Debridement: If your teeth require heavy-duty plaque and tartar removal, you may need a procedure known as full-mouth debridement, or gross debridement, before having your teeth examined and cleaned at a later appointment.

Having other services, such as X-rays or fluoride treatments, can also increase the cost of your dental cleaning visit.

Where can I get a free or low-cost dental cleaning without insurance?

Promotions and discounts aren't the only ways you can spend less on dental cleaning and other services if you don't have insurance. There are other avenues to find free and low-cost dental care.

Is it worth getting your teeth cleaned?

Yes. Dental cleanings offer many benefits. They can identify early signs of gum disease or tooth decay, which could prevent serious dental issues in the future and reduce your dental costs over time. If you have gingivitis, a form of gum disease, dental cleanings may help fight inflammation in your gums. Gum disease may be a risk factor for heart disease and other conditions. Regular teeth cleanings can help you prevent oral health issues and may save you money in the long run.

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Written by:

Tamara E. Holmes

Tamara E. Holmes is a Washington, DC-based freelance journalist and content strategist who has been writing about personal finance, health, and health insurance for more than a decade. Her work has appeared in various print and online publications, such as USA Today, AARP, Working Mother, and Diversity Woman.

Edited by:

Cindy George, MPH

Cindy George, MPH, is the senior personal finance editor at GoodRx. She is an endlessly curious health journalist and digital storyteller.

Reviewed by:

Shari L. Grigsby-Young, DDS

Dr. Grigsby-Young is a general dentist who was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio. She completed her undergraduate studies at Xavier University of Louisiana.

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