{ "name": "China Dental Price Index", "url": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/china-dental-price-index", "publisher": { "name": "China Medical Journey", "url": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com" }, "lastVerified": "2026-08", "reviewCadence": "quarterly", "licence": { "name": "CC BY 4.0", "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "attribution": "China Dental Price Index 2026-08, China Medical Journey. https://chinamedicaljourney.com/china-dental-price-index" }, "spatialCoverage": "Shanghai, China (public ceilings and partner clinics); China more broadly for reported ranges", "disclaimer": "None of these figures is a quote or medical advice. Public ceilings are maximums for public institutions and exclude consumables. Private rates are the clinics own listed or promotional rates and are not negotiated by us.", "definitions": { "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "The maximum a PUBLIC institution in Shanghai may charge for that medical service item, set by the municipal health insurance bureau. Applies across hospital grades. Covers the service only — consumables are billed separately.", "privatePartnerListedRate": "A named private partner clinic's own published or promotional rate, read on local booking platforms. Private clinics are not bound by the public ceiling.", "reportedRange": "A reference range compiled from our own published guides, covering China more broadly rather than Shanghai public hospitals." }, "sources": [ { "label": "上海市医疗服务价格汇总表（2024版）", "url": "https://ybj.sh.gov.cn/qtwj/20240209/8dda128b30e94846b43fb7902043ed4a.html" }, { "label": "沪医保价采发〔2023〕10号 — 口腔种植类医疗服务项目价格", "url": "https://ybj.sh.gov.cn/qtwj/20230406/ad675d991c5847629d2b9e6f2d586610.html" } ], "procedures": [ { "id": "implants", "procedure": "Single dental implant (implant + crown)", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "capped at ¥5,130 per tooth (national baseline ¥4,500)", "ceilingExcludes": "the implant fixture and abutment themselves, sold separately at bulk-procurement cost — in practice the larger part of the bill. Also excludes extraction, bone grafting and gum treatment.", "privatePartnerListedRate": null, "reportedRange": "reported ~$1,000–$2,000 all-in", "comparisonMarket": "US reported $3,000–$6,000", "englandNhsCharge": "not available on the NHS — private only in England. The NHS funds implants only in exceptional clinical cases", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/dental-implants-china-foreigners" }, { "id": "all-on-4", "procedure": "Full arch (All-on-4 / All-on-6), per arch", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "full-arch implant placement ¥8,889; fixed occlusal reconstruction crown work ¥9,988", "ceilingExcludes": "all fixtures, abutments and bridge materials; grafting.", "privatePartnerListedRate": null, "reportedRange": "reported at a fraction of US pricing; varies with implant count, bridge material and grafting", "comparisonMarket": "US reported ~$20,000–$30,000+", "englandNhsCharge": "not available on the NHS — private only in England", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/all-on-4-full-arch-implants-china" }, { "id": "crown", "procedure": "Zirconia / all-ceramic crown", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "all-ceramic crown ¥1,700 per tooth; CAD/CAM fabrication ¥2,500", "ceilingExcludes": "the restorative material itself.", "privatePartnerListedRate": "from ~¥1,864 (~$260) — 美奥口腔 (Meao)", "reportedRange": "reported ~$200–$400 (CAD/CAM zirconia)", "comparisonMarket": null, "englandNhsCharge": "NHS Band 3, £332.10 — but that is one charge for the entire course of treatment, however many crowns it includes", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/dental-crowns-veneers-china" }, { "id": "veneers", "procedure": "Porcelain veneer (per tooth)", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "all-ceramic veneer ¥1,000; CAD/CAM all-ceramic veneer ¥2,800 (material included)", "ceilingExcludes": "material, except on the CAD/CAM item where it is included.", "privatePartnerListedRate": "~¥3,360 (~$470) — 上海宏康医院·口腔科 (Hongkang)", "reportedRange": "reported ~$250–$500+ per tooth; composite lower, ~$100–$250", "comparisonMarket": null, "englandNhsCharge": "not available on the NHS — private only in England when done for appearance", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/dental-veneers-china-cost" }, { "id": "invisalign", "procedure": "Orthodontics / clear aligners (full course)", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "adult fixed appliance ¥6,000 per half-arch course, i.e. ¥12,000 for both arches; self-ligating +¥1,000, lingual +¥2,000 per course", "ceilingExcludes": "clear aligners themselves — aligner products such as Invisalign are priced as a separate product, which is where public and private pricing diverge most.", "privatePartnerListedRate": "SmilesMore from ~¥19,958 — 摩尔口腔 (Moore); entry-level courses from ~¥3,360 — 上海博厚口腔 (Bohou), promotional", "reportedRange": "reported ~¥15,000–¥40,000 all-in", "comparisonMarket": null, "englandNhsCharge": "NHS Band 3, £332.10 for orthodontics, and only where a clinician assesses it as clinically necessary — which in practice almost never covers adults or clear aligners", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/invisalign-braces-china-adults" }, { "id": "root-canal", "procedure": "Root canal (per tooth, excl. crown)", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "a three-canal molar works out to roughly ¥314 in service fees under the published item prices; microscope-assisted roughly ¥600–¥700", "ceilingExcludes": "imaging, consultation fee, the filling or crown afterwards, and materials.", "privatePartnerListedRate": null, "reportedRange": "reported ~¥1,000–¥3,000; front teeth lower, molars upper end or above", "comparisonMarket": "HK from ~HK$8,500; molar specialist cases HK$12,000–19,000", "englandNhsCharge": "NHS Band 2, £76.60, covering the whole course of treatment", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/root-canal-china-cost" }, { "id": "wisdom-teeth", "procedure": "Wisdom tooth removal", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "simple molar extraction ¥50; impacted ¥180; fully bone-impacted ¥700 — anaesthesia included", "ceilingExcludes": "imaging and any follow-up treatment.", "privatePartnerListedRate": null, "reportedRange": "a simple extraction commonly from a few hundred yuan; surgical removal of an impacted tooth reported ~¥1,000–¥3,000 per tooth, plus imaging", "comparisonMarket": "Hong Kong ~HK$8,000, often with weeks of waiting", "englandNhsCharge": "NHS Band 2, £76.60 for extraction in general practice; surgical removal is usually referred to hospital", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/wisdom-teeth-removal-china" }, { "id": "cleaning", "procedure": "Cleaning (scale & polish)", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "scaling ¥55 per half-mouth (¥110 full mouth); polish and air-flow ¥100 per half-mouth", "ceilingExcludes": "nothing significant — but note scaling is not covered by public insurance.", "privatePartnerListedRate": "promotional: ¥30 (~$4) — 上海博厚口腔 (Bohou); ¥76 (~$11) — 上海宏康医院·口腔科 (Hongkang)", "reportedRange": "commonly ~¥100–¥500 in tier-1 cities", "comparisonMarket": "HK private ~HK$800", "englandNhsCharge": "NHS Band 1, £27.90, which also covers the examination and any X-rays in the same course", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/gum-treatment-deep-cleaning-china" }, { "id": "whitening", "procedure": "In-office teeth whitening", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "in-clinic bleaching ¥1,500 per course", "ceilingExcludes": "nothing significant. Note this is one of the few items where private partner clinics list BELOW the public ceiling.", "privatePartnerListedRate": "~¥760 (~$106) — 美奥口腔 (Meao) and 摩尔口腔 (Moore)", "reportedRange": "from a few hundred yuan on promotional listings to ~¥2,000+ at premium clinics", "comparisonMarket": "US reported $600–$1,200", "englandNhsCharge": "not available on the NHS — private only in England", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/teeth-whitening-china-cost" }, { "id": "fillings", "procedure": "Filling", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "simple composite ¥50 per tooth; complex composite ¥120 per tooth", "ceilingExcludes": "imaging and the consultation fee.", "privatePartnerListedRate": null, "reportedRange": "reported ~¥200–¥1,000 depending on size and material", "comparisonMarket": null, "englandNhsCharge": "NHS Band 2, £76.60, covering every filling in that course of treatment", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/routine-dental-care-china-expats" }, { "id": "dentures", "procedure": "Dentures / fixed bridge", "shanghaiPublicCeiling": "complete denture ¥200–¥1,800 per arch by type; partial denture ¥50 (acrylic) or ¥400 (metal frame) per section; fixed bridge ¥80 per unit plus crown work", "ceilingExcludes": "all denture and bridge materials.", "privatePartnerListedRate": null, "reportedRange": "simple acrylic partial: a few hundred to a few thousand yuan; fixed bridge reported ~¥1,500–¥5,000 per crown unit", "comparisonMarket": null, "englandNhsCharge": "NHS Band 3, £332.10, covering the whole course", "guide": "https://chinamedicaljourney.com/blog/dentures-china-cost" } ], "definitionsExtra": { "englandNhsCharge": "What England's NHS charges for this. The unit differs from every other field here: an NHS band is one charge for a whole COURSE of treatment, not a per-tooth price. Do not compare it item-for-item against the Chinese ceilings." }, "marketBenchmarks": { "lastVerified": "2026-08", "note": "Official, market-level context for the UK and Australia. Deliberately not per-tooth private prices — the only sources for those are clinics selling the treatment.", "markets": [ { "market": "United Kingdom (England)", "headline": "The state sets a price here too — but per course of treatment, not per tooth", "points": [ "NHS charges are fixed by statute in three bands: £27.90, £76.60 and £332.10 from 1 April 2026. You pay ONE band for a whole course of treatment, so ten fillings cost the same as one.", "That unit difference is why NHS and Chinese figures cannot be compared tooth-for-tooth. China caps each ITEM; England caps each COURSE.", "Implants, whitening and cosmetic veneers are not NHS treatments at all. Orthodontics is, but only where a clinician assesses it as clinically necessary — which in practice rarely covers adults.", "For everything on that list, a UK patient is in the private market, which the Competition and Markets Authority opened a 12-month study into on 5 March 2026, covering an £8.4 billion market, with a final report due March 2027.", "The CMA's own figures: between 2022 and 2024 an initial private consultation rose more than 23% to £80, and a routine check-up for an existing patient rose more than 14% to £55. One in five people in Great Britain used private dental care in 2024." ], "sources": [ { "label": "NHS dental charges, England, from 1 April 2026", "url": "https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/dentists/how-much-nhs-dental-treatment-costs/" }, { "label": "The National Health Service (Primary Dental Services and Dental Charges) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/265)", "url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/265/made" }, { "label": "CMA market study into private dental services (opened 5 March 2026)", "url": "https://connect.cma.gov.uk/market-study-into-private-dental-services-webinar" } ] }, { "market": "Australia", "headline": "No government price list at all — dental sits almost entirely outside Medicare", "points": [ "Australia has no equivalent of a public dental price ceiling for adults. Fees are set by each practice, and Medicare does not cover routine adult dental care.", "In 2023–24 Australians spent $13.2 billion on dental services, and 61% of that — about $8.0 billion — was paid directly by patients. The average individual paid $296 out of pocket over twelve months.", "Private health insurance narrows the gap but does not close it. On 2021–22 data for insured patients, the charge for a full crown ranged from $800 to $2,750, the insurance benefit from $63 to $1,375, and the patient was left with the difference.", "Cost is a real barrier, not a marginal one: a quarter of people who needed to see a dental professional delayed or did not go at least once in the previous year, and 16% gave cost as a reason." ], "sources": [ { "label": "AIHW, Oral health and dental care in Australia — Costs", "url": "https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/dental-oral-health/oral-health-and-dental-care-in-australia/contents/costs" } ] } ] }, "crossBorder": { "note": "Third-party sourced Hong Kong / mainland anchors — not our own compilation.", "rows": [ { "item": "Cleaning", "hk": "~HK$800 (private HK clinic)", "cn": "~HK$100–200 equivalent in Shenzhen", "source": "Hong Kong Baptist University reporting, 2025" }, { "item": "Wisdom tooth removal (surgical)", "hk": "~HK$8,000, multi-week wait", "cn": "~¥1,000 in Shenzhen", "source": "Dental Tribune, 2024" }, { "item": "Cross-border volume", "hk": "—", "cn": "~700,000 Hong Kong resident medical visits to Shenzhen in 2023", "source": "Shenzhen government figures cited in press reports" } ] } }