Typical self-pay prices at a glance
These are national ranges for common procedures paid in cash, before any discount you negotiate. Prices in high-cost metro areas run above them and rural areas below; pick your area in the estimator above for a local range.
| Procedure | Low | Typical | High |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dental checkup and cleaning | $150 | $230 | $360 |
| Filling (composite, 2 surfaces) | $190 | $290 | $410 |
| Root canal, molar | $1,100 | $1,500 | $2,100 |
| Crown, all-ceramic | $950 | $1,500 | $2,100 |
| Simple tooth extraction | $150 | $240 | $350 |
| Wisdom tooth, fully bony | $480 | $710 | $1,000 |
| Single tooth implant | $3,800 | $5,750 | $8,000 |
| Urgent care visit | $110 | $170 | $280 |
| ER visit, level 4 | $580 | $1,000 | $1,800 |
| MRI lower back, independent center | $230 | $380 | $570 |
| CT abdomen and pelvis with contrast | $360 | $600 | $890 |
| LASIK, per eye | $1,500 | $2,400 | $3,500 |
How these estimates are built
Every range starts from public data, not from provider advertising. For medical care the anchor is what Medicare pays: CMS publishes the relative value units and local cost indexes behind every physician fee,[1][2] and a separate schedule for hospital outpatient facility fees.[3] Studies of hospital price-transparency files and claims show how far cash and commercial prices sit above Medicare, and we turn those findings into a low, typical and high multiplier.[4][5]
Dentistry has no free national fee database. Dental ranges come from published dentist fee data (FAIR Health charges and the ADA fee survey as reported in research), checked against what self-paying patients report, with Medicaid payment levels as the floor.[6][7] The methodology page lists every source, its date and how it is used.
- Ranges, never one price. The same crown or MRI can cost twice as much at one office as at the next.
- Area-adjusted. Medicare's geographic indexes raise prices in places such as Manhattan or San Francisco and lower them in rural areas.
- Dated. Medicare figures are the 2027 rates; each page says when it was last checked.
Why the same procedure costs different amounts
Where you are treated matters as much as what is done. An MRI at an independent imaging center is billed as one fee, while the same scan in a hospital outpatient department adds a facility fee on top of the radiologist's reading fee, which is why hospital imaging usually costs more. Emergency rooms add a facility fee that rises with the visit level. Dental offices set their own fees, so a practice in a downtown office pays more rent and charges more than one in a small town.
The price you are first quoted is not always the price you have to pay. Many providers have a self-pay or prompt-pay discount, and federal rules require a written good faith estimate for uninsured patients who schedule care in advance.[8]
Ways to pay less without insurance
- Ask for a written estimate with procedure codes before scheduled care. See your rights to a good faith estimate.
- Use a health center with a sliding fee. Federally funded health centers discount by income; check where your income falls on the sliding scale.
- Try a dental school clinic for cleanings, fillings, root canals and dentures. See what dental schools charge.
- Negotiate the bill using Medicare's rate as an anchor, with the counteroffer calculator.
- Compare payment plans before signing up for a medical credit card with deferred interest: medical payment plan calculator.
- Pay with pre-tax money if you have an HSA or FSA: what it saves.
Every estimator and guide
Dental
- Root canal costFront tooth, premolar and molar, plus the crown
- Crown costCeramic, porcelain-fused-to-metal and gold crowns
- Cavity filling costComposite and amalgam fillings by surface
- Dental cleaning costCleaning, exam and X-rays, new or returning patient
- Deep cleaning (scaling and root planing)Per quadrant and full mouth
- Tooth extraction costSimple vs surgical extractions
- Wisdom tooth removal costBy impaction type, with sedation
- Emergency dentist without insuranceWhat an urgent dental visit costs
- Dentures costFull and partial dentures per arch
- Braces costTeen and adult case fees, with a payment plan
- Invisalign costFull aligner treatment and what the lab charges
- Dental implants cost calculatorImplants, extractions, grafts and sedation, line by line
- Single tooth implant costPost, abutment and crown for one missing tooth
- All-on-4 dental implants costFull-arch fixed implants vs implant dentures
Medical
- Doctor visit costOffice visits for new and returning patients
- Physical (checkup) costAnnual preventive exam by age
- Urgent care costVisit levels and common tests
- Can you go to urgent care without insurance?What happens, what to ask, what to pay
- ER visit costFacility and doctor fees by visit level
- MRI costBy body part, contrast and where you go
- CT scan costHead, chest and abdomen scans, office vs hospital
- X-ray costChest, spine and limb X-rays
- Ultrasound costAbdominal, pelvic, pregnancy and other scans
- Blood work costCommon lab panels at Medicare-based prices
- Eye exam costComprehensive exams and refraction
- Physical therapy costEvaluation and treatment sessions
- Therapy without insuranceSession prices and low-cost options
- LASIK eye surgery costPer eye and both eyes
- PRK and SMILE costThe other laser vision procedures
Pay less
- Medicare fee schedule lookupWhat Medicare pays for a CPT code in your area
- Good faith estimateYour right to a written price
- How to negotiate medical billsCounteroffers anchored on Medicare
- Sliding scale clinicsHealth center discounts by income
- Sliding scale dentists and dental schoolsLow-cost dental care options
- Dental payment plansOffice plan vs deferred-interest card vs loan
- FSA and HSA for dental workTax saved paying with pre-tax money
- Health insurance without a jobMedicaid, Marketplace and COBRA
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to see a doctor without insurance?
A standard office visit for a new patient is typically $110–$280 at self-pay prices in the U.S., and an urgent care visit for a simple problem $110–$280. Tests, X-rays and stitches are added on top. Use the estimator for your state.
Are cash prices lower than insurance prices?
Sometimes. Studies of hospital price-transparency files find that posted discounted cash prices are often in the same range as insurers' negotiated rates and sometimes lower, but the gross "chargemaster" price billed to people who do not ask for a discount can be several times higher.[4] Always ask for the self-pay price.
Why does this site use Medicare rates?
Medicare's fee schedules are the only complete, public, area-adjusted price list for U.S. medical services. They give a stable starting point; the self-pay range is then set with multipliers taken from published price studies.[1]
Is a dental cleaning cheaper at a dental school?
Usually yes. Dental school clinics generally charge less than private offices, but appointments take longer because students work under faculty supervision. See dental school prices.
Sources
- Medicare Program; CY 2027 Payment Policies Under the Physician Fee Schedule (CMS-1848-F)
- PFS Relative Value Files: RVU27A (PPRRVU2027_Jan), released November 10, 2026
- CY 2027 OPPS/ASC final rule with comment period (CMS-1850-FC) and Addenda A and B
- Comparison of US Hospital Cash Prices and Commercial Negotiated Prices for 70 Services (Jiang, Makary, Bai)
- The Relationships Among Cash Prices, Negotiated Rates, and Chargemaster Prices for Shoppable Hospital Services (Wang et al.)
- Trends in Fees and Reimbursement Rates for the Most Common Procedures in Endodontics, Periodontics, Prosthodontics, and Oral Surgery
- Dental Care in Medicaid Programs (with data tables)
- Good faith estimate guide (No Surprises Act, uninsured and self-pay patients)