How much do dentist-dispensed at-home tray-based teeth whitening systems cost?
Here's a very ball park price estimate of what a dentist might charge, per arch, when providing the supervision and materials needed to help a patient bleach their teeth using the at-home tray-based teeth whitening method. [Dentists use the term "arch" to indicate either the upper teeth or else the lower teeth. A person's entire set of teeth, upper and lower combined, constitutes two "arches."]
$150.00 - $260.00 per arch
For those cases where the tooth staining is severe, and therefore the duration of the treatment will need to be greater, you should anticipate that the bleaching fee might be more. Sometimes, as a means of cost cutting, a person will choose to just bleach their upper teeth (just one arch).
Our cost estimate comes from an unscientific survey of fees found in our area. Our sources are: the web, dentists, and dental literature. Based on ACCRA's Cost of Living Index, we have extrapolated our regional data into the nationwide range estimate shown above. We anticipate that the lower end of this range would be representative of an average fee found in a small rural town (whose ACCRA Cost of Living Index is approximately 85). The higher end of this range would be more representative of the average fee found in a large metropolitan area on either coast (whose ACCRA Cost of Living Index is around 125). Even in the same general locality the fee charged by dentists for this procedure can vary significantly, at least by as much as 25%.
[ Check the Cost of Living Index for your area at Yahoo Real Estate. Clicking this link will open a new browser window. ]
Determining at-home teeth whitening costs: The dentist's perspective.
While dentists are in fact simply providing a service for a fee, no doubt most dentists would prefer to think that their patients have chosen them primarily because of the quality of their work and the manner and office environment in which they preform it. It seems unlikely that any dentist would be flattered to learn that they had attracted a patient simply because they had the area's lowest fees.
Most dentists would consider a consultation appointment to be an excellent way for a potential patient to learn about the cost of the specific dental treatment they need and also a way to meet them and experience the environment in which the dental treatment will be performed. Most dentists will likely charge an examination fee for this visit. The receptionist making your consultation appointment should be able to quote this fee for you precisely.
It's doubtful that a dentist would initiate an at-home teeth whitening process without fully evaluating a person's oral health, and this may necessitate that dental x-rays are taken. The receptionist making your appointment may not know exactly what x-rays will be required, and therefore how much they will add to the cost of the consultation, but these are items you would need no matter which dentist performed the work. After you have had your consultation appointment with the dentist, if you decide not to have them perform your treatment, or if you simply choose to get a second opinion, in most cases you can request that your x-rays be forwarded to another dental office.
Determining at-home teeth whitening costs: The patient's perspective.
It seems doubtful that any patient would want to choose a dentist based solely on price. After all, the manner in which the dental treatment is performed should be of equal, if not much greater, concern. While the nature of at-home tray-based teeth whitening systems are simple, they can produce side effects. And you must know that your dentist is available to you and concerned about helping you minimize them. Ask your friends and coworkers who their dentist is. Reputations travel and your friends will know who has treated them well in the past. They will also probably have a good idea of how the fees charged by their dentist compare with other dentists in your area.
A polite telephone survey to a few dentists' offices can give you a general idea of the range of fees charged in your area. Many dental offices will, however, be somewhat put off by such inquires, primarily for two reasons. The first reason is that most dentists want to develop a continuing relationship with their patients. They are interested in helping patients overcome their current dental problems and continuing on with periodic checks so to help them maintain their oral health. A phone call from a person "checking out the best prices in town" often does not fit this ideal.
The other problem encountered is that dental office personnel realize that phone inquiries often result in "apples and oranges" comparisons. Without an examination by a dentist it is impossible for the dental office personnel to know exactly what work is needed, and thus it is impossible for them to give you an accurate idea of the fee. Even using identical dental terminology when calling various dental offices can easily result in several different interpretations regarding the type of service being sought.
We think that, by far, the best method for evaluating costs is to seek dentist recommendations from your friends and then make a consultation appointment with that (or those) dentist(s). If you do choose to survey dental offices by phone we would expect that either the term "at-home tray bleaching" or else "nightguard bleaching" could be used to inquire accurately about the type of teeth whitening we discuss on the pages of this topic.
