Dental procedure costs in North Carolina
North Carolina dental cost overview
North Carolina Medicaid covers preventive, basic restorative, and emergency adult dental services.
North Carolina's state-level cost of living, captured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities at 92.7 (US average = 100), drives private-market dental fees up or down from the national baseline. North Carolina is below the national average — the same procedure typically costs around 7% less than the ADA HPI national midpoint.
North Carolina Medicaid covers 23 of the 62 procedures we track for adults, with an average reimbursement of $57 per procedure across covered services. The full procedure-by-procedure table is below.
Reimbursement rates and coverage tiers are set state-by-state and shift annually as legislatures rebalance Medicaid budgets, so the figures shown here for North Carolina reflect the most recent published schedule we have on file — always confirm with the state Medicaid office or your dental provider before scheduling. Adult coverage tiers in our framework correspond to common cost-sharing patterns: emergency-only states pay only for pain relief, extractions, or trauma; limited-coverage states add cleanings and fillings; comprehensive states pay for crowns, bridges, and dentures. Pediatric coverage is more uniform across states because EPSDT (Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment) federally mandates a baseline of children's dental services, so family-budget planning for kids in North Carolina should be straightforward.
North Carolina dental cost table
All procedures shown below are organized by clinical category. Click any procedure for cross-state comparison.
Adjunctive
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Sedation/General Anesthesia - First 30 Minutes | D9220 | Not covered | $388 |
| Inhalation of Nitrous Oxide / Anxiolysis | D9230 | $33 | $80 |
| Non-Intravenous Conscious Sedation | D9248 | Not covered | $374 |
| Palliative (Emergency) Treatment of Dental Pain | D9110 | $38 | $91 |
| Therapeutic Parenteral Drug - Single Administration | D9610 | Not covered | $71 |
Cosmetic
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| External Bleaching - Per Arch (Office) | D9972 | Not covered | $418 |
| Internal Bleaching - Per Tooth | D9974 | Not covered | $295 |
Crowns
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown - Full Cast High Noble Metal | D2790 | Not covered | $1,175 |
| Crown - Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal | D2750 | Not covered | $1,175 |
| Crown - Porcelain Fused to Noble Metal | D2752 | Not covered | $1,111 |
| Crown - Porcelain/Ceramic | D2740 | Not covered | $1,240 |
Diagnostic
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitewing Radiographs - Four Films | D0274 | $31 | $70 |
| Comprehensive Oral Evaluation | D0150 | $40 | $105 |
| Intraoral Complete Series of Radiographs | D0210 | $56 | $145 |
| Intraoral Periapical First Radiograph | D0220 | $15 | $32 |
| Limited Oral Evaluation (Problem Focused) | D0140 | $30 | $78 |
| Panoramic Radiographic Image | D0330 | $55 | $128 |
| Periodic Oral Evaluation | D0120 | $26 | $57 |
Endodontics
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endodontic Therapy - Anterior Tooth | D3310 | Not covered | $997 |
| Endodontic Therapy - Bicuspid Tooth | D3320 | Not covered | $1,161 |
| Endodontic Therapy - Molar Tooth | D3330 | Not covered | $1,379 |
| Retreatment of Previous Root Canal - Anterior | D3346 | Not covered | $1,193 |
| Retreatment of Previous Root Canal - Molar | D3348 | Not covered | $1,493 |
| Therapeutic Pulpotomy | D3220 | Not covered | $162 |
Implants
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abutment-Supported Porcelain/Ceramic Crown | D6058 | Not covered | $1,518 |
| Custom Fabricated Abutment | D6057 | Not covered | $641 |
| Implant-Supported Porcelain/Ceramic Crown | D6065 | Not covered | $1,743 |
| Prefabricated Abutment | D6056 | Not covered | $469 |
| Surgical Placement of Implant Body | D6010 | Not covered | $2,186 |
Oral Surgery
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction of Erupted Tooth | D7140 | $77 | $197 |
| Incisional Biopsy of Oral Tissue - Soft | D7286 | Not covered | $314 |
| Removal of Impacted Tooth - Bony with Complication | D7241 | Not covered | $465 |
| Removal of Impacted Tooth - Completely Bony | D7240 | Not covered | $401 |
| Removal of Impacted Tooth - Partially Bony | D7230 | Not covered | $342 |
| Removal of Impacted Tooth - Soft Tissue | D7220 | Not covered | $244 |
| Surgical Removal of Erupted Tooth | D7210 | Not covered | $298 |
| Surgical Removal of Residual Tooth Roots | D7250 | Not covered | $368 |
Orthodontics
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adolescent | D8080 | Not covered | $5,620 |
| Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adult | D8090 | Not covered | $6,026 |
Periodontics
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gingivectomy or Gingivoplasty - Four+ Teeth | D4210 | Not covered | $425 |
| Periodontal Maintenance | D4910 | Not covered | $156 |
| Periodontal Scaling - 1-3 Teeth Per Quadrant | D4342 | Not covered | $183 |
| Periodontal Scaling - Four+ Teeth Per Quadrant | D4341 | Not covered | $260 |
Preventive
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prophylaxis - Adult | D1110 | $49 | $114 |
| Prophylaxis - Child | D1120 | $38 | $80 |
| Sealant - Per Tooth | D1351 | $27 | $63 |
| Topical Application of Fluoride | D1208 | $18 | $40 |
| Topical Application of Fluoride Varnish | D1206 | $19 | $43 |
Prosthodontics
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Denture - Mandibular | D5120 | Not covered | $1,815 |
| Complete Denture - Maxillary | D5110 | Not covered | $1,815 |
| Mandibular Partial Denture - Cast Metal Framework | D5214 | Not covered | $1,952 |
| Maxillary Partial Denture - Cast Metal Framework | D5213 | Not covered | $1,952 |
| Pontic - Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal | D6240 | Not covered | $1,175 |
| Retainer Crown - Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal | D6750 | Not covered | $1,175 |
Restorative
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amalgam - One Surface (Permanent) | D2140 | $64 | $162 |
| Amalgam - Three Surfaces (Permanent) | D2160 | $102 | $253 |
| Amalgam - Two Surfaces (Permanent) | D2150 | $81 | $210 |
| Resin-Based Composite - One Surface, Anterior | D2330 | $75 | $184 |
| Resin-Based Composite - One Surface, Posterior | D2391 | $92 | $222 |
| Resin-Based Composite - Three Surfaces, Posterior | D2393 | $141 | $334 |
| Resin-Based Composite - Two Surfaces, Anterior | D2331 | $97 | $229 |
| Resin-Based Composite - Two Surfaces, Posterior | D2392 | $116 | $273 |
Analysis: paying for dental care in North Carolina
Adults on Medicaid in North Carolina have access to a limited adult dental benefit. The catch is finding a dentist who takes Medicaid: state Medicaid programs typically reimburse around 30–50% of private-market fees, which means many private practices either don't accept Medicaid or accept a limited number of Medicaid patients. The state Medicaid agency maintains a directory of participating dentists; FQHCs (Federally Qualified Health Centers) and dental school clinics are typically the highest-volume Medicaid-accepting providers in any market.
For uninsured adults, the gap between the cheapest provider category (FQHC, dental school) and a private general dentist is typically 30–50% on routine procedures, much wider on specialty work like crowns and implants. Always ask for a written treatment estimate that itemizes diagnostic codes (X-rays, exams) separately from the procedure fee — bundled estimates can mask significant variation in how providers price the same work.
The state's overall cost-of-living position (BEA RPP 92.7) gives you a quick mental adjustment for the ADA HPI national private-market averages: multiply the national figure by 0.93 for the North Carolina state-level estimate. The actual price you'll see at a specific dentist will vary — urban downtowns tend to be 15–25% above the state RPP, rural areas 10–15% below — but the state RPP is a good first-pass estimate.
Related
North Carolina Medicaid dental fee schedule (state Medicaid agency, current 2026 Q1).
Source: MACPAC, Medicaid Coverage of Dental Benefits for Adults (compendium).
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, by State (most recent annual release).
Source: North Carolina Medicaid dental fee schedule (current 2026 Q1). Private-market estimates: ADA HPI Survey of Dental Fees (2024) adjusted by BEA Regional Price Parities. Disclaimer: Estimates only — actual fees depend on the specific dentist, geographic submarket, and clinical complexity. State coverage policy can change. This site does not provide medical or dental advice.