Close
Find my Delta Dental company

The national network of Delta Dental companies protects more smiles than any other insurance company. Have a question about coverage or looking for dental insurance? Connect with your Delta Dental company to learn more.

Go

*Not sure where your company is headquartered? Contact your company's human resources department.

Looking for a dentist?

Delta Dental has the largest network of dentists nationwide. Find the one that’s right for you.

Find a dentist

Search by current location

Please input information for either ZIP code or address but not both

Find dentists
Cost matters

How much is it going to cost? Want to know before you set foot in the dentist’s office? Get started here. Our Dental Care Cost Estimator tool provides estimated cost ranges for common dental care needs.

Calculate cost
This zip code doesn't exist Please select a treatment type
The Dental Care Cost Estimator provides an estimate and does not guarantee the exact fees for dental procedures, what services your dental benefits plan will cover or your out-of-pocket costs. Estimates should not be construed as financial or medical advice. For more detailed information on your actual dental care costs, please consult your dentist or your Delta Dental.

Cost Estimator terms of use

Please scroll down and accept to proceed.

Information regarding the Cost Estimator content

If you are experiencing a medical or dental emergency, you should seek appropriate emergency medical or dental assistance, such as calling "911."

To begin using the Dental Care Cost Estimator tool, click the Agree button below. By clicking, you agree that you have read the information below, are accessing this information for purposes of determining treatment cost estimates for dental care services you are considering receiving, and will not use the information in this tool for a commercial or anti-competitive purpose. The costs provided in this tool are estimates only and are not a guarantee of payment or benefits. Your actual cost may be higher or lower than the estimate for various reasons.

General information regarding your health care

The information and content (collectively, "Content") on this website is for your general educational information only. The Content cannot, and is not intended to, replace the relationship that you have with your health care professionals. The Content on this website is not medical advice. You should always talk to your health care professionals for information concerning diagnosis and treatment, including information regarding which drugs or treatment may be appropriate for you. None of the information on this website represents or warrants that any particular drug or treatment is safe, appropriate or effective for you. Health information changes quickly. Therefore, it is always best to confirm information with your health care professionals.

The Dental Care Cost Estimator sometimes groups together, into "treatment categories," services that are often delivered together to address a particular dental problem. The description of different treatment categories, and the inclusion of particular services in a treatment category, is not advice that any particular treatment category is the right treatment for you or that you should not obtain any particular treatment. All of those matters are things that you should decide, in consultation with your dental care professionals. This cost estimator is intended for use in the 50 states, Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories. If you live outside the U.S., you may see information on this cost estimator about products or services that are not available or authorized in your country.

General information regarding your dental benefits

  • Nothing on this website guarantees eligibility, coverage, or payment, or determines or guarantees the benefits, limitations or exclusions of your coverage. For a complete description of the details of your coverage, please refer to your coverage documents. Estimates may vary depending on your benefit plan and the state you live in. Claims will be processed when received according to your plan provisions. 
  • You may be responsible for the cost of procedures or services not covered by your plan. 
  • Use of this website in no way increases or decreases the benefits available under a dental benefit plan. If there is any conflict or discrepancy between the Content on this website and your coverage documents, your coverage documents will control. 
  • Pre-authorizations or referrals are required for certain benefit plans and certain dental care providers. Refer to your benefit plan to determine whether these requirements apply to you. 
  • Preventive services are included in this tool. Preventive care coverage varies by plan and by demographic considerations such as age. Refer to your benefit plan to determine whether preventive services are covered for you. 

General information regarding cost estimates

  • Do not avoid getting dental care based on the cost information provided on this website.
  • This website shows estimates of certain dental care costs.
  • The version of the Cost Estimator that is available publicly (does not require sign-in credentials) uses aggregated historical cost data for the procedure in question.  The secure version (available only after you sign in) uses procedure costs or cost ranges as reflected in provider fee schedules and aggregated historical cost data.
  • The cost estimates provided may be different from your actual costs for several reasons, including but not limited to, your unique dental circumstances and the decisions made by you and your dental professionals as to what services you will receive, deviations between the anticipated scope of services and the services actually provided, and the characteristics of your particular plan.

More information regarding how cost estimates are calculated

Cost estimates for services provided by out-of-network dentists (available in the out-of-network estimator) are based upon submitted claims data for out-of-network providers. The data is based on actual, non-discounted charges that providers have billed.

Cost estimates are specific to geographic areas, as defined by the first three digits of a ZIP code (e.g., the geo ZIP for 12345 is 123).

Accept Decline

Dentists found with last name starting with . Select the dentist name for cost estimates.

Please sign in below
Create an account

Here are the benefits of creating an account

Member
  • View plan information
  • Download forms
  • View claims
  • Track dental activity
Dentist
  • Check patient eligibility
  • Download claim forms
  • Check national ERA
  • See dental offical deals

Oral cancer diagnosis and biopsies

How Biopsies Diagnose Oral Cancer

A biopsy is a small sample of tissue that your doctor takes from a suspicious area. A specialized doctor, called a pathologist, examines this sample under a microscope to check for cancer. Samples may be taken from your mouth and from lymph nodes in your neck. The biopsy may be done in the doctor’s office or at the hospital.

These are three ways to take a biopsy to check for oral cancer.

Exfoliative Cytology

Your doctor may scrape some cells from the suspicious lesion and put them on a slide. This can be done in a doctor’s office. The sample is then stained with a dye so the cells can be seen under the microscope. If any of the cells look abnormal, the area can be biopsied. The advantage of this technique is that it is easy, and even minimally abnormal-looking areas can be examined. This can make for an earlier diagnosis and a greater chance of cure if there is cancer. But this method does not detect all cancers. Sometimes it’s not possible to tell the difference between cancerous cells and abnormal, but noncancerous, cells with this approach, so a biopsy would still be needed.

Incisional Biopsy

Your doctor may cut out a small sample of tissue. If the suspicious area is easy to reach, your doctor can numb your mouth and do this in his office. If the area is deeper in the mouth or throat, this is done in the operating room. The surgeon uses special instruments through an endoscope to remove small tissue samples.

Fine-Needle Aspiration

Your doctor may have noticed a lump in your neck. If so, he or she uses a thin needle to remove a small sample of tissue. This can be done in a doctor’s office.

Once the biopsy is completed, the pathologist examines the tissue samples in a lab. He or she looks at the tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells. It usually takes several days for the results of your biopsy to come back. A biopsy is the only sure way to tell if you have cancer and what kind of cancer it is.

 

 

“How Are Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Cancers Diagnosed?” American Cancer Society. February 26, 2013. http://www.cancer.org/cancer/oralcavityandoropharyngealcancer/detailedguide/oral-cavity-and-oropharyngeal-cancer-diagnosis Accessed 2013.

Back to Articles

Follow us

facebook twitter linkedln youtube

About us

© Copyright 2022 Delta Dental Plans Association. All Rights Reserved. "Delta Dental" refers to the national network of 39 independent Delta Dental companies that provide dental insurance.

Privacy Statement          Terms of Use