LA Metro Guide
Wisdom Teeth Removal Cost in Los Angeles, 2026
No published source provides LA-specific oral surgery fee benchmarks, so this page focuses on what is verifiable: the national reference range, the local low-cost pathways, and the coverage rules. Nationally, CareCredit's published cost guide puts all four wisdom teeth at $1,200 to $4,175 depending on impaction and anesthesia (checked June 2026). UCLA, USC, and Loma Linda dental school clinics typically charge well below private practice. Denti-Cal covers adult extractions when medically necessary.
What an LA Quote Costs
There is no published LA-specific fee benchmark for oral surgery. The ADA discontinued its national Survey of Dental Fees in 2023 and nothing has replaced it (the fee data sources page explains the landscape). The verifiable national reference points, both checked June 2026: CareCredit's cost guide reports a national range of $1,200 to $4,175 for all four teeth depending on impaction and anesthesia, and Aspen Dental publishes an average of $299 per tooth (range $184 to $488) from its 2026 internal data.
To localise a figure, use FAIR Health Consumer's free ZIP-code estimator, built on insurance claims data, then collect two or three itemised CDT-coded quotes from LA practices: those are the only binding numbers. Within the metro, Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Westwood practices generally price above San Fernando Valley, South Bay, and East LA practices for the same CDT codes, so quotes from more than one district are worth the phone calls.
LA Dental Schools and County Hospitals
Los Angeles has three accredited dental schools with public oral surgery clinics, and the LA County health system operates additional pathways for uninsured or Medi-Cal patients.
UCLA School of Dentistry
Westwood, West LA
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery clinic in the Center for Health Sciences. Public clinic open weekdays. Expect a wait list for non-urgent surgical extraction; fees are set per case and are typically well below private practice. Confirm directly with the clinic.
School information →USC Herman Ostrow
University Park, Downtown LA
Ostrow School of Dentistry oral surgery clinic. High patient volume serving the USC Medical Center area. Expect a wait list; fees are set per case and are typically well below private practice. Confirm directly with the clinic.
School information →Loma Linda University SD
Loma Linda, Inland Empire
School of Dentistry oral and maxillofacial surgery. Accessible from eastern LA County and the Inland Empire. Often a shorter wait list; fees are set per case and are typically well below private practice. Confirm directly with the clinic.
School information →LAC+USC Medical Center operates oral and maxillofacial surgery for Medi-Cal and uninsured patients, with sliding-scale fees for the latter. The wait time is typically longer than the dental schools for non-urgent extraction, but the cost is among the lowest in the metro.
FQHCs with dental capacity in LA County include AltaMed Health Services (multiple LA locations), Eisner Health (Downtown LA), and Northeast Community Clinic. Use the HRSA FQHC locator to find the nearest dental-equipped centre.
LA Insurance and Entertainment Industry Plans
LA dental insurance is dominated by Delta Dental of California (the largest single dental insurer in the state), MetLife, Aetna, Cigna, Blue Shield of California, and Anthem Blue Cross. Annual maximums on employer-sponsored dental plans are often modest relative to a full surgical case, so check your plan's maximum and coverage percentage before scheduling, and ask the practice to submit a pre-treatment estimate.
LA is unusual in the United States for the prevalence of union dental plans tied to the entertainment industry. SAG-AFTRA, IATSE (stagehands and crew), Writers Guild, Directors Guild, and Musicians Union plans often carry stronger dental benefits than typical employer plans and can absorb much of a wisdom teeth case. Plan members should verify the specific benefit terms with the dental benefits administrator before scheduling.
Medi-Cal Dental (Denti-Cal) covers medically necessary wisdom teeth extraction for adult enrollees. Coverage was restored in 2018 after the 2009 reductions. The provider network in LA County is smaller than commercial, but the three dental schools above all accept Denti-Cal, as do the LA County hospitals.
For uninsured LA patients, the without-insurance page documents dental savings plans and cash discount tactics that apply nationally. LA-specific tactic: call practices in the Northeast San Fernando Valley (Pacoima, Sun Valley, Panorama City) for written quotes; these are typically the lowest-cost private oral surgery offices in the metro.
Los Angeles: FAQ
How much does wisdom teeth removal cost in Los Angeles in 2026?
Which Los Angeles dental schools do wisdom teeth removal?
Does Denti-Cal cover wisdom teeth removal?
Is there a published fee benchmark for LA oral surgery?
What insurance is common in LA for dental coverage?
Where can I find affordable oral surgery in LA?
Other major metros: New York City, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Atlanta.
Sources: CareCredit wisdom teeth cost guide (checked June 2026); Aspen Dental published pricing (checked June 2026); Medi-Cal Dental Program; LA County Department of Health Services; HRSA FQHC Locator.
Not medical advice. Dental school clinic availability should be confirmed directly with the institution.