Dental procedure costs in South Carolina
South Carolina dental cost overview
Healthy Connections covers limited adult dental services up to a $750/year cap.
South Carolina's state-level cost of living, captured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities at 91.5 (US average = 100), drives private-market dental fees up or down from the national baseline. South Carolina is below the national average, the same procedure typically costs around 9% less than the ADA HPI national midpoint.
South Carolina Medicaid covers 23 of the 62 procedures we track for adults, with an average reimbursement of $46 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 South 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 South Carolina should be straightforward.
South 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 | $383 |
| Inhalation of Nitrous Oxide / Anxiolysis | D9230 | $26 | $79 |
| Non-Intravenous Conscious Sedation | D9248 | Not covered | $369 |
| Palliative (Emergency) Treatment of Dental Pain | D9110 | $31 | $90 |
| Therapeutic Parenteral Drug - Single Administration | D9610 | Not covered | $70 |
Cosmetic
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| External Bleaching - Per Arch (Office) | D9972 | Not covered | $413 |
| Internal Bleaching - Per Tooth | D9974 | Not covered | $291 |
Crowns
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crown - Full Cast High Noble Metal | D2790 | Not covered | $1,160 |
| Crown - Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal | D2750 | Not covered | $1,160 |
| Crown - Porcelain Fused to Noble Metal | D2752 | Not covered | $1,096 |
| Crown - Porcelain/Ceramic | D2740 | Not covered | $1,224 |
Diagnostic
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bitewing Radiographs - Four Films | D0274 | $25 | $70 |
| Comprehensive Oral Evaluation | D0150 | $33 | $103 |
| Intraoral Complete Series of Radiographs | D0210 | $45 | $143 |
| Intraoral Periapical First Radiograph | D0220 | $12 | $32 |
| Limited Oral Evaluation (Problem Focused) | D0140 | $24 | $77 |
| Panoramic Radiographic Image | D0330 | $44 | $126 |
| Periodic Oral Evaluation | D0120 | $21 | $57 |
Endodontics
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Endodontic Therapy - Anterior Tooth | D3310 | Not covered | $984 |
| Endodontic Therapy - Bicuspid Tooth | D3320 | Not covered | $1,146 |
| Endodontic Therapy - Molar Tooth | D3330 | Not covered | $1,362 |
| Retreatment of Previous Root Canal - Anterior | D3346 | Not covered | $1,178 |
| Retreatment of Previous Root Canal - Molar | D3348 | Not covered | $1,474 |
| Therapeutic Pulpotomy | D3220 | Not covered | $160 |
Implants
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abutment-Supported Porcelain/Ceramic Crown | D6058 | Not covered | $1,499 |
| Custom Fabricated Abutment | D6057 | Not covered | $632 |
| Implant-Supported Porcelain/Ceramic Crown | D6065 | Not covered | $1,720 |
| Prefabricated Abutment | D6056 | Not covered | $463 |
| Surgical Placement of Implant Body | D6010 | Not covered | $2,158 |
Oral Surgery
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extraction of Erupted Tooth | D7140 | $62 | $195 |
| Incisional Biopsy of Oral Tissue - Soft | D7286 | Not covered | $310 |
| Removal of Impacted Tooth - Bony with Complication | D7241 | Not covered | $459 |
| Removal of Impacted Tooth - Completely Bony | D7240 | Not covered | $396 |
| Removal of Impacted Tooth - Partially Bony | D7230 | Not covered | $338 |
| Removal of Impacted Tooth - Soft Tissue | D7220 | Not covered | $241 |
| Surgical Removal of Erupted Tooth | D7210 | Not covered | $295 |
| Surgical Removal of Residual Tooth Roots | D7250 | Not covered | $363 |
Orthodontics
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adolescent | D8080 | Not covered | $5,548 |
| Comprehensive Orthodontic Treatment - Adult | D8090 | Not covered | $5,948 |
Periodontics
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gingivectomy or Gingivoplasty - Four+ Teeth | D4210 | Not covered | $419 |
| Periodontal Maintenance | D4910 | Not covered | $154 |
| Periodontal Scaling - 1-3 Teeth Per Quadrant | D4342 | Not covered | $180 |
| Periodontal Scaling - Four+ Teeth Per Quadrant | D4341 | Not covered | $256 |
Preventive
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prophylaxis - Adult | D1110 | $40 | $113 |
| Prophylaxis - Child | D1120 | $31 | $79 |
| Sealant - Per Tooth | D1351 | $22 | $62 |
| Topical Application of Fluoride | D1208 | $14 | $39 |
| Topical Application of Fluoride Varnish | D1206 | $16 | $42 |
Prosthodontics
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete Denture - Mandibular | D5120 | Not covered | $1,792 |
| Complete Denture - Maxillary | D5110 | Not covered | $1,792 |
| Mandibular Partial Denture - Cast Metal Framework | D5214 | Not covered | $1,927 |
| Maxillary Partial Denture - Cast Metal Framework | D5213 | Not covered | $1,927 |
| Pontic - Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal | D6240 | Not covered | $1,160 |
| Retainer Crown - Porcelain Fused to High Noble Metal | D6750 | Not covered | $1,160 |
Restorative
| Procedure | CDT | Medicaid fee | Private estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amalgam - One Surface (Permanent) | D2140 | $52 | $160 |
| Amalgam - Three Surfaces (Permanent) | D2160 | $82 | $250 |
| Amalgam - Two Surfaces (Permanent) | D2150 | $65 | $207 |
| Resin-Based Composite - One Surface, Anterior | D2330 | $60 | $181 |
| Resin-Based Composite - One Surface, Posterior | D2391 | $75 | $219 |
| Resin-Based Composite - Three Surfaces, Posterior | D2393 | $114 | $329 |
| Resin-Based Composite - Two Surfaces, Anterior | D2331 | $78 | $226 |
| Resin-Based Composite - Two Surfaces, Posterior | D2392 | $94 | $270 |
Analysis: paying for dental care in South Carolina
Adults on Medicaid in South 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 91.5) gives you a quick mental adjustment for the ADA HPI national private-market averages: multiply the national figure by 0.92 for the South 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
South 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: South 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.