Ah, yes, the good old days. What do you remember about 1993? Bill Clinton was president. The median household income was $31,241. Unforgiven won the Oscar for Best Picture. The Chicago Bulls won their third straight NBA title before Michael Jordan announced his sudden (and short-lived) retirement.
In the dental world in 1993, a periodic exam checkup (D0120) was $18 (nationwide average). In our most recent fee analysis (courtesy of Sikka Software), the same checkup in 2012 was a little less than $90 (nationwide average).
RELATED ARTICLE:Our dental fee report for 2011
RELATED VIDEO:Tracking dental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in November, 2012
RELATED LINK:Use our FREE dental fee analyzer to find what other dentists are charging in your zip code
So, as head into 2013, how were dental fees 20 years ago? Take a look below at what the dentists told Dental Economics for the 1993 dental fee survey.
1993 dental fees reported by dentists around the country to Dental Economics
Initial oral exam, adult-excluding radiographs -- $26
Emergency oral exam -- $27
Panoramic film -- $46
Intraoral X-rays, complete series including BWX -- $54
BWX four films -- $25
Intraoral, periapical, first film -- $10
Intraoral, periapical, each additional film -- $7
Prophlaxis, adult -- $39
Diagnostic casts -- $37
Initial oral exam, child -- $22
Prophlaxis, child -- $28
Fluoride child, including prophylaxis -- $16
Periodic oral exam, child -- $17
Pit and fissure sealant, per tooth -- $21
Periodic oral exam, adult -- $18
Amalgam restoration, 1 surface, permanent -- $45
Amalgam restoration, 2 surfaces, permanent -- $59
Amalgam restoration, 3 surfaces, permanent -- $72
Complete resin restoration, 1 surface, anterior -- $55
Complete resin restoration, 1 surface, posterior, permanent -- $61
Inlay, metallic, 1 surface -- $307
Full-cast, high-noble metal gold crown -- $485
Porcelain fused to high-noble metal crown -- $486
Prefabricated stainless steel crown, permanent tooth -- $127
Cast post and core, in addition to crown -- $34
Crown buildup, including any pins -- $97
Recement crown -- $36
Labial veneer, laminate -- $212
Labial veneer, porcelain laminate, lab -- $366
Complete upper denture -- $622
Complete lower denture -- $624
Upper denture reline, chairside -- $136
Lower denture reline, chairside -- $136
Extraction, single tooth -- $55
One root canal, exclusive of restoration -- $262
Two root canals, exclusive of restoration -- $322
Three root canal, exclusive of restoration -- $407
Periodontal scaling with gingival inflammation -- $76
Gingival curettage, per quadrant -- $114
Periodontal root planning, per quadrant – $94
Periodontal root planning, entire mouth – $286
Teeth whitening, per arch -- $186
Infection control fee -- $7
