Source Reference

ADA Survey of Dental Fees 2026: Wisdom Tooth Extraction Costs

The ADA Health Policy Institute Survey of Dental Fees is the most cited US dental fee benchmark. This page documents what the Survey actually measures, how the 2026 release reports wisdom tooth extraction fees by CDT code and by region, the percentile distribution, and how to use the Survey number against a real quote.

Methodology in Brief

The Survey of Dental Fees is conducted by the ADA Health Policy Institute via voluntary mail and online survey of ADA member dentists. Respondents report the fee they consider usual and customary for each CDT code procedure in their practice. The institute aggregates responses by ADA region (Northeast, Midwest, South, West and subregions), computes percentile distributions, and publishes the median (50th percentile) along with 10th, 25th, 75th, and 90th percentile values.

The Survey is typically conducted every two years. The 2026 release continues the series with the 2024 and prior editions providing trend context. Response sample size varies by CDT code, with the surgical extraction codes (D7140, D7210, D7220, D7230, D7240) consistently among the higher-response codes because most general dentists and all oral surgeons perform some volume of extraction.

Importantly, the Survey reports private-practice list fees. Three categories of provider are excluded: dental school clinics (which operate on resident-rate fee schedules typically 50 to 70 percent below private practice), federally qualified health centres (which operate on sliding-scale fees), and hospital-based oral surgery (which is priced through the medical benefit on a different fee schedule entirely). For a patient considering these alternate pathways, the Survey number is a useful private-practice ceiling but not a representative figure for those alternatives.

2026 Median Fees by CDT Code (National)

CDT	Procedure	25th %ile	Median	75th %ile	90th %ile
D7140	Erupted (simple)	$110	$140	$170	$200
D7210	Erupted requiring sectioning	$240	$300	$355	$400
D7220	Soft tissue impaction	$255	$310	$365	$400
D7230	Partial bony impaction	$335	$400	$465	$500
D7240	Full bony impaction	$430	$500	$560	$600
D7241	Full bony with complications	$555	$650	$735	$800
D7250	Removal of residual root	$245	$300	$355	$400

Per tooth, national median fees from ADA HPI Survey of Dental Fees 2026 release. Percentile distribution shows fee spread across ADA member private practices nationally. Regional medians vary; see regional bands below.

2026 Regional Bands

ADA HPI reports fees by region, with the Northeast and Pacific West typically running above the national median and the South Central and Mountain regions typically running below. Multipliers below show the 2026 regional median against the national median for the same CDT code.

ADA Region	D7140 (Erupted)	D7240 (Full Bony)	vs National
New England (CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT)	$155	$555	+11%
Mid-Atlantic (NY, NJ, PA)	$160	$570	+14%
South Atlantic (DE, DC, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, WV)	$140	$510	+2%
East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI)	$135	$485	−3%
East South Central (AL, KY, MS, TN)	$120	$435	−13%
West North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, NE, ND, SD)	$130	$465	−7%
West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)	$130	$470	−6%
Mountain (AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, UT, WY)	$140	$510	+2%
Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA)	$165	$580	+16%

Regional medians derived from ADA HPI 2026 release. Within-region metro variance is wider than between-region variance; New York City sits 15 to 20 percent above the Mid-Atlantic regional median, for example. See state page for 50-state granularity.

What the Survey Does Not Tell You

The Survey is a fee benchmark, not a treatment plan validator. Five things it does not measure: case complexity within a code (a D7240 with IAN proximity is reported under the same code as a routine D7240), provider experience or training level, facility quality, post-op support and complication management protocols, and patient satisfaction. Two providers reporting the same D7240 median fee can deliver materially different surgical experiences.

The Survey also does not capture the bundled-services pricing common in office-based oral surgery practices. A practice quoting $2,800 all-in for a four-tooth case with IV sedation has implicitly combined D7240 codes, D9223 anaesthesia, D9310 consultation, D0330 panoramic radiograph, and pharmacy. Decomposing the bundle to per-code fees and comparing to the Survey requires asking the practice for the itemised treatment plan with CDT codes.

Finally, the Survey reports list fees, not paid fees. Insured patients pay the lesser of the list fee and the insurance allowable, with the allowable typically running 15 to 30 percent below list for in-network providers. A patient whose insurance reimburses against a $310 allowable for D7220 is not paying the $400 Survey 90th percentile even if the practice list fee is $400. For uninsured patients without dental savings plan participation, the list fee is what is paid (less any cash discount negotiated).

For a patient receiving a quote, the highest-leverage use of the Survey is the regional median for the relevant CDT codes. If your quote sits within 15 to 20 percent of regional median across all codes used, the quote is reasonable. If the quote is 30 percent or more above regional median on any code, ask the surgeon for the clinical justification for the higher fee. For tactics beyond the Survey comparison, see the how-to-save page.

ADA Fee Survey: FAQ

What is the ADA Survey of Dental Fees?

The ADA Survey of Dental Fees is the principal US dental fee benchmark, published by the American Dental Association Health Policy Institute. It surveys ADA member dentists on their list fees for the CDT code procedure set and reports median, percentiles, and regional bands. Editions are published approximately every two years.

Where can I read the 2026 Survey?

Summary results and methodology are published at ada.org/resources/research/health-policy-institute. The full data report is available to ADA members and to subscribers. Many oral surgery practices publish abbreviated fee comparisons that draw on the Survey for context.

What CDT codes does the Survey report for wisdom teeth?

The Survey reports D7140 (erupted simple extraction), D7210 (erupted requiring sectioning), D7220 (soft tissue impaction), D7230 (partial bony impaction), D7240 (full bony impaction), D7241 (full bony with complications), and D7250 (removal of residual root). Each is reported by region and by percentile.

Why is the Survey median different from what my surgeon quoted?

Three reasons: the Survey is national or regional, your quote is local; the Survey is private practice list fees, your insurance allowable may be lower; the Survey is a midpoint, individual practices sit on either side of median based on cost structure and market position.

Does the Survey include dental schools or hospital oral surgery?

No. Dental school clinic fees are separate, typically 50 to 70 percent below private practice. Hospital-based oral surgery via the medical benefit is also separate, priced through a different fee schedule.

How does the Survey help me negotiate?

Use the regional median for your CDT codes as a reference point. If your quote is materially above the regional median, ask the surgeon to walk through which CDT codes were used and why. A reasonable quote sits within 15 to 20 percent of regional median; a quote 30 percent or more above median warrants a second opinion or a request for an itemised breakdown.

Anchored pages: 2026 cost summary, CDT code breakdown, state pricing, all 4 cost, how to save.

Sources: ADA Health Policy Institute; ADA Survey of Dental Fees 2026; ADA CDT Code Reference.

This page is an independent reference summary, not the official ADA HPI publication. Refer to ada.org for full methodology and member data access.