Dental sealants (tooth sealants): Costs and prices.

Here's a very "ballpark" estimate of the price that you might pay to have dental sealants (tooth sealants) placed, on a per tooth basis.

These figures come from an unscientific survey of fees found in our area. Our sources are: the web, dentists, dental literature, and information received from dental insurance companies. Based on ACCRA's Cost of Living Index, we have extrapolated our regional data into the nationwide average fee range estimate shown above. Even in the same area the fee charged by dentists for a specific procedure can vary significantly, easily by as much as 30%.

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).

Determining fees: The dentist's perspective.

While dentists are in fact simply providing a service in exchange for a fee, most would no doubt prefer to think that their patients have chosen them because of the quality of their work and the manner and environment in which they perform 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 determine both the cost of the specific dental treatment they need and 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.

The receptionist may not be able to know precisely what dental x-rays will be required during the examination. A dentist must know that there is no decay present before they can place a dental sealant on a tooth. X-rays can 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 the 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 fees: The patient's perspective.

It seems doubtful that any patient would want to choose a dentist based strictly on price, after all, the manner in which the dental treatment is performed should be of equal, if not much greater, concern. Ask your friends and coworkers who their dentist is. Reputations travel, your friends will know who has treated them well and will probably have at least a relative 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 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 on going relationships 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" typically does not fit this ideal.

The other problem 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 staff person 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 of the work that is being enquired about.

If you do choose to survey dental offices by phone we would suggest the following. The American Dental Association ("ADA") has developed a series of code numbers, each of which references a specific dental procedure. These codes are standard for the dental industry and are used by all dental offices and dental insurers. When making an enquiry ask the dental office receptionist what ADA code number is associated with the procedure for which they are providing fee information. Then make sure you reference this same number when contacting other dental offices. This way you are most likely to collect true "apples to apples" comparative quotes.