Methodology: How We Calculate Dental Costs
We publish where each number comes from, and we say plainly when we do not have data. Every state-level figure on this site is an observed price from a named source — never an estimate derived from another procedure.
Correction — July 13, 2026
An internal audit found that our per-state figures for braces and veneers were not observed prices: they were derived from our implant series by a fixed multiplier, which made every procedure share the same state ranking. Real data shows that is wrong — orthodontic prices are uncorrelated with restorative prices (Spearman 0.04). We have removed the derived columns, rebuilt every affected page on observed data, and issued a corrected version of the published dataset. Details and the full analysis are in our corrections log.
1. Data Sources, Per Series
Each price series has one named source. We do not blend sources inside a series, and we do not extrapolate one procedure's prices from another's.
- Single dental implant (complete) — our own series. Observed cash prices across the 50 states and DC, published as the US Dental Cost Index (CC BY 4.0). Independently validated against the ASQ360°/CareCredit implant series: Spearman rank correlation 0.945.
- Braces, veneers, crowns, dentures — ASQ360° / CareCredit. State-level averages from the Average Procedural Cost Study conducted by ASQ360° Market Research for Synchrony's CareCredit (2023–2024 cost tables). Cited and linked wherever displayed; not redistributed as part of our open dataset.
- Procedures with no per-state source (whitening, fillings, extractions, root canals): we publish national ranges only, or clearly-labelled estimates scaled by the restorative index. We do not invent state-level precision we do not have.
The American Dental Association discontinued its Survey of Dental Fees after 2023, so no current ADA fee survey underpins any figure here. We previously listed the ADA, FAIR Health and CMS as sources; that was inaccurate and has been removed.
2. Three Price Regimes — And Why One Index Cannot Rank Them All
Comparing five independently-sourced state series, we found that dental prices do not share a single geography. There are at least three regimes, and they barely correlate:
- Restorative (implants, crowns, dentures): tightly coupled, Spearman 0.93–0.96. A state that is cheap for one is genuinely cheap for the others. This is what our Restorative Cost Index measures.
- Orthodontic (braces): independent of everything else (Spearman 0.04). A specialist market with its own economics.
- Cosmetic (veneers): nearly independent too (Spearman ~0.18; correlation with cost of living just r = 0.07). Elective work priced on local demand, not on the practice's cost base.
This is why our index is called a Restorative Cost Index and is never used to rank braces or veneers. It is also why "cheapest states for dental work" lists — including our own, previously — are misleading when applied to cosmetic or orthodontic care.
3. The "Affordability Score"
We assign each state a score out of 100 to help you gauge value on restorative care.
A score > 100 means the state offers better value than the national average. A score < 100 indicates higher costs or lower insurance coverage. It does not apply to orthodontic or cosmetic treatment.
4. Editorial Policy
Independence: Our content is produced independently and is not influenced by advertisers or sponsors. Dental clinics cannot pay to alter their pricing in our database or receive favorable treatment in our reviews.
Data Review: Our pricing data is compiled and cross-checked by our in-house Data & Research Team against the public sources listed above. Real Dental Costs publishes pricing and market research, not clinical advice — always consult a licensed dentist for diagnosis and treatment decisions.
Corrections: We are committed to correcting errors promptly. If you find an inaccuracy, please contact us.
Citing this research: Every dataset behind our pricing pages is openly licensed (CC BY 4.0) with a permanent DOI. For ready-to-copy APA and BibTeX citations, see our cite this data page. The full annual analysis built on these datasets is published as the State of U.S. Dental Costs 2026 report.