The ranking verdict
According to the ADA Health Policy Institute Survey of Dental Fees, Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adult ranks #1 at $6,372, ahead of Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adolescent at $5,944; Top 5 cutoff $2,065; #1 sits 413% above #15; the Top 5 hold 37% of the 62-code private-average sum; #1 sits 18.6× the corpus median on the national private-market average.
- $6,372
- #1 Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adult
- $5,944
- #2 Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adolescent
- $2,065
- Top 5 cutoff
- 413%
- #1 above #15
ADA HPI national private-market averages only, not insurance allowances or a specific dentist's fee.
Top 10 national private-market averages
Top-5 share of corpus fee mass
62 CDT codes with published private averages
#1 vs corpus median
Median private average $343
What this ranking measures and how to read it
This ranking surfaces the 15 dental procedures with the highest US national average private-market fee, drawn from the ADA Health Policy Institute Survey of Dental Fees (2024 release). The figures represent what an uninsured or out-of-network patient would pay at a typical general-practice dentist for the procedure code listed. Specialist and metro-area practices commonly price 15-40% above these national averages, while rural and Medicaid-contracted practices price 10-30% below. Use the ranking to identify procedures where shopping around for a second opinion or in-network alternative will yield the largest dollar savings.
Three caveats worth noting: first, the ADA HPI survey reflects what dentists CHARGE, not what insurance covers, the actual out-of-pocket cost depends on your plan's deductible, coinsurance, and annual maximum. Second, complex procedures like implants and full-mouth reconstruction often require multiple visits and supplemental codes that compound the listed fee. Third, geographic variation within the US is substantial: New York and California metros routinely show fees 25-40% above the national midpoint, and our state pages translate the national ADA midpoint into BEA-Regional-Price-Parity-adjusted state estimates so you can plan against your local market.
The 15 most expensive dental procedures in the PlainDentalCost dataset, ranked by US national average private-market fee (ADA Health Policy Institute Survey of Dental Fees, 2024). The ranking reflects what an out-of-network or uninsured patient would pay at a typical general dentist; specialists and downtown urban practices typically price 15-40% above these figures.
What this shows: the shaded bar behind each highlighted value is scaled to that row's share of the #1 entry. Hover or tap a value for its exact rank and percentage.
| # | Procedure | National avg. |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adult | $6,372 |
| 2 | Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adolescent | $5,944 |
| 3 | Surgical Placement of Implant Body | $2,312 |
| 4 | Mandibular Partial Denture - Cast Metal Framework | $2,065 |
| 5 | Maxillary Partial Denture - Cast Metal Framework | $2,065 |
| 6 | Complete Denture - Mandibular | $1,920 |
| 7 | Complete Denture - Maxillary | $1,920 |
| 8 | Implant-Supported Porcelain/Ceramic Crown | $1,843 |
| 9 | Abutment-Supported Porcelain/Ceramic Crown | $1,606 |
| 10 | Retreatment of Previous Root Canal - Molar | $1,579 |
| 11 | Endodontic Therapy - Molar Tooth | $1,459 |
| 12 | Crown - Porcelain/Ceramic | $1,312 |
| 13 | Retreatment of Previous Root Canal - Anterior | $1,262 |
| 14 | Crown - Full Cast High Noble Metal | $1,243 |
| 15 | Crown - Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal | $1,243 |
What the ranking tells us
Three patterns stand out. First, orthodontics tops the list - comprehensive orthodontic treatment for teens (D8080) or adults (D8090) bills $6,000-$6,500 nationally because it represents 18-24 months of active treatment with multiple appointments and appliance changes. Second, implants and major restorative work concentrate in the top 10 - a single tooth implant alone costs more than the average annual dental insurance maximum benefit. Third, endodontic retreatment (D3346, D3348) is unusually expensive - redoing a previous root canal is technically harder than the original procedure and pricing reflects that.
What the Medicaid column reveals
Most of the top-15 procedures show "Not covered" or much lower Medicaid averages. This reflects two things: (1) Medicaid programs that do cover these procedures reimburse at ~30-50% of the private fee, dramatically lower than the published private rate; (2) several procedures (notably orthodontics and elective cosmetic work) are excluded from adult Medicaid coverage in nearly every state, even those with otherwise comprehensive adult dental benefits. See our coverage guide for the per-state tiers.
What the ranking does NOT tell us
It doesn't tell you what your specific dentist will charge, see the per-procedure pages for state-by-state breakdowns. It doesn't reflect insurance carrier-negotiated rates (typically 20-40% below the published fee). And it doesn't capture the bundled add-ons frequently billed alongside the headline procedure: diagnostic codes (X-rays, exams), build-ups for crowns, posts and cores, bone grafting for implants, sedation codes for surgery. A "single crown" treatment plan can easily span $1,500 (just the crown) to $3,500+ (crown + buildup + root canal + post & core) before insurance.
Methodology
Rankings are computed at runtime as the simple national average across all 51 jurisdictions (50 states + DC) for the private-market column, and as the average across covering states for the Medicaid column. National private-market averages are from the ADA HPI Survey of Dental Fees (2024). Per-state estimates use the BEA Regional Price Parity to adjust the national average. Full details: /methodology/.