Dental Costs, Insurance & Payment Guide
Star Dental accepts Health First Colorado Medicaid and many PPO dental plans. Our team helps verify benefits, explain estimated costs and review flexible payment options—including CareCredit financing for approved applicants—so you can plan your care with confidence.
More Ways to Make Dental Care Work for You
Star Dental accepts Health First Colorado Medicaid and works with many PPO dental plans. Our team can help verify benefits, explain the information available from your plan and review convenient payment choices before treatment.
Many Insurance Plans Welcome
We accept Health First Colorado Medicaid and work with many PPO plans. The insurers shown on this page are examples, not a complete list—call us about your specific plan.
Help Understanding Benefits
We do our best to verify eligibility and coverage, review estimated deductibles or copayments and explain the benefit information supplied by your plan.
Flexible Ways to Pay
Major credit cards, debit cards, cash and Zelle are accepted. CareCredit financing is also available to approved applicants.
How We Help With Dental Benefits
We will do our best to verify active coverage and help you understand the benefit information supplied by your plan. For PPO insurance, please provide the insurance company, member or policy number, policyholder information and date of birth. For larger or staged treatment, we may recommend a predetermination when the insurer offers one.
Coverage rules, annual maximums, waiting periods, frequency limitations, deductibles and network status vary by plan. Calling before your appointment gives our team more time to review the information available to us.
Insurance Plans We Commonly Work With
These are examples, not a complete list. Star Dental accepts Health First Colorado Medicaid and works with many PPO dental plans, including plans from Delta Dental, Cigna, Aetna, MetLife, Guardian and other insurers. Coverage and network participation vary by plan; call us and we’ll verify your individual benefits.
Dental Price Guides With Clear Inclusions
A useful dental estimate should identify the procedure, what the fee includes, which services are separate and how insurance may affect the patient’s responsibility. These are Star Dental’s current general office ranges for two frequently requested services. Prices are current as of August 2026, may change and are confirmed after the dentist evaluates the individual treatment need.
Straightforward Tooth Extraction
$250–$350 per non-wisdom tooth for self-pay patients. Local anesthetic is included. The examination and needed dental X-ray or X-rays are separate and generally cost about $150 combined.
Wisdom teeth, impaction, surgical complexity, IV sedation or other “sleep dentistry,” bone grafting, medication and specialist services may add separate charges.
Conventional Full or Partial Denture
$900–$1,100 per arch for self-pay patients. The fee includes impressions, try-ins, delivery and some initial adjustments.
Extractions, immediate dentures, relines and specialist services are separate. An upper arch and a lower arch are two dentures.
Office Fee vs. What You May Owe
The office fee for an insured extraction or denture is generally similar to the self-pay fee, but it is not automatically the patient’s out-of-pocket amount. PPO benefits can change the estimated patient portion.
For Health First Colorado members, coverage and member-billing rules are different. A self-pay range must never be presented as the amount a Medicaid member owes for a covered service.
What makes a written dental estimate useful?
It should list the planned procedure, the tooth or arch when applicable, included services, separately priced services, available insurance information and the estimated patient portion. Insurance verification or predetermination is planning information; the plan makes its final benefit decision when it processes the claim.
Medicaid Eligibility Is Usually Quick to Check
Star Dental accepts Health First Colorado Medicaid for eligible children and adults. We can often verify active eligibility very quickly using the patient’s full name and date of birth, even when the patient does not have a Medicaid card or member number available.
Covered Dental Care
The current adult Health First Colorado dental summary states that the benefit has no copays, deductible or out-of-pocket maximum. Effective July 1, 2026, adults age 21 and older have a $3,000 benefit limit for each July-through-June benefit year; emergency treatment and dentures are not subject to that annual limit. Eligibility, covered-service criteria, frequency limits and any required authorization still must be confirmed.
If Eligibility Cannot Be Confirmed
For nonurgent care, we may postpone treatment until eligibility is confirmed rather than treating potentially covered Medicaid services as self-pay. Urgent needs are evaluated according to current Medicaid requirements and the patient’s clinical situation.
Need Help Applying?
If you do not currently have Medicaid, we can point you toward information about Health First Colorado and the official application process.
Accepted Payment Methods and Deposits
We accept all major credit cards, debit cards, cash and Zelle. Zelle payment instructions are provided directly by our office. Some procedures—including dentures and sedation—may require a deposit before treatment or before laboratory work is started.
Credit and Debit Cards
Major credit and debit cards are accepted for patient balances, deposits and self-pay treatment.
Cash and Zelle
Cash and Zelle are accepted. Please use the Zelle recipient information supplied directly by Star Dental so payment is applied to the correct account.
Procedure Deposits
Deposits are applied toward the cost of treatment. If insurance later pays the full applicable amount, an eligible deposit may be refunded or credited after the account is reviewed.
Clear, straightforward payment information
Before treatment, we explain the estimated patient portion using the benefit information available from your plan. That estimated portion is collected when each appointment is completed. If PPO coverage cannot be verified, payment is due at the appointment and we can provide an itemized receipt and treatment information for you to request reimbursement from your insurer.
If you paid Star Dental and your insurer later pays us for the same covered treatment, we will review the account and issue any applicable refund or credit. Insurance estimates, eligibility checks and predeterminations are helpful planning tools, but the insurer makes the final claim decision after processing the claim.
CareCredit May Help You Pay Over Time
CareCredit is a healthcare credit card that can be used for eligible dental expenses. Approved applicants may have access to promotional financing options, allowing the balance to be paid over time instead of all at once.
CareCredit requires a separate application and credit approval. Available terms depend on the applicant, transaction and current CareCredit offers. Minimum monthly payments may be required. Star Dental does not make the credit decision.
From Benefit Check to Final Claim
Share Your Information
Provide your plan details and the reason for your visit as early as possible.
We Check Available Benefits
Our team reviews eligibility, network information and the benefits the insurer makes available.
Complete Treatment and Payment
We explain the estimated patient portion. Payment is due at the end of each appointment.
The Claim Is Finalized
After the insurer processes the claim, we apply payments and adjust, bill, credit or refund the account as appropriate.
Dental Insurance and Payment FAQ
When is payment due?
What will I pay if my PPO insurance is verified?
What are Star Dental’s current self-pay prices for extractions and dentures?
Is the office price the same as the amount an insured patient pays?
Does a Medicaid patient pay the self-pay price shown in these guides?
What happens if Star Dental cannot verify my PPO insurance?
Will I receive a refund if my insurer pays Star Dental after I paid?
Can you verify Medicaid without my member number?
Does Medicaid have copayments or deductibles for dental care?
Do dentures or sedation require a deposit?
Which forms of payment do you accept?
How does CareCredit work?
Is a predetermination a guarantee that insurance will pay?
Plan Your Care and Understand the Cost
Questions About Insurance, Payment or Financing?
Call Star Dental before your appointment. Our team will help you understand the information available, explain the expected next step and discuss payment options.