D1110 Dental Code Cost in 2026: Adult Prophylaxis (Routine Cleaning)

D1110 is the routine adult dental cleaning. It costs $75 to $200 cash in 2026 (national average around $125), and with PPO insurance two D1110 cleanings a year are usually covered at 100%, so your out-of-pocket is $0. This is the most common code on a cleaning-visit invoice: a preventive cleaning for healthy gums, billed once per visit, not per quadrant.

Cash, no insurance

$75-$200

National average ~$125

With PPO insurance

2 per year, preventive

Dental school

$25-$60

Supervised students

What D1110 is

D1110 is the CDT procedure code for "prophylaxis, adult": the routine preventive cleaning most people think of when they say "I'm going in for a cleaning". The hygienist removes plaque, calculus (hardened tartar), and surface stains from the tooth structures at and above the gumline, then polishes the teeth. It is preventive care for a patient with generally healthy gums, and it is the single most common code billed at a dental cleaning visit. D1110 applies to patients aged 14 and older; the equivalent code for children through age 13 is D1120 (child prophylaxis).

The defining feature of D1110, for both clinical and billing purposes, is that it is a cleaning for healthy gums. It is not the right code once periodontal charting shows generalized inflammation (that is D4346) or true periodontitis with pockets and bone loss (that is scaling and root planing, D4341/D4342). D1110 is billed once per visit as a full-mouth procedure, never per quadrant. This page is a cost reference, not clinical advice; which cleaning code is appropriate is a decision between you and your dentist based on the state of your gums.

D1110 in the family of cleaning codes

The cleanest way to understand D1110 is to see it alongside the other cleaning codes. As gum health worsens, the code (and the cost) steps up. The dividing line at each step is the state of your gums and bone, documented in periodontal charting.

Code	Procedure	Gum/bone state	Billing	Cash	Note
D1120	Child prophylaxis (cleaning)	Healthy gums, patient age 13 and under	Per visit (full mouth)	$50-$150	Preventive; usually 100% insured
D1110	Adult prophylaxis (routine cleaning)	Healthy gums, patient age 14 and older	Per visit (full mouth)	$75-$200	Preventive; 2 per year usually 100% insured
D4346	Scaling for gingival inflammation	Generalized gingivitis, no bone loss	Single full-mouth code	$100-$300	Therapeutic; coverage varies by plan
D4341/D4342	Scaling and root planing (deep cleaning)	Periodontitis: 4mm+ pockets, bone loss	Per quadrant	$600-$1,400 full mouth	Basic restorative; usually 80%

For the codes one and two steps up, see our D4346 page, D4341 page, and scaling and root planing page.

2026 cost of D1110

Cash range for D1110 in 2026: $75 to $200, with a national average around $125. These are our estimates anchored to FAIR Health Consumer claims medians and published practice fee ranges; the ADA discontinued its national dental fee survey in 2023, so no survey percentiles exist for 2026. The price you pay turns mostly on where you live and whether the visit also includes a new-patient exam and X-rays (which add $175 to $400 on a first appointment). The table below shows the regional spread.

Where you go	D1110 cash	Note
High-cost metros (NYC, San Francisco, LA, Boston)	$150-$200+	Urban overhead; some practices quote $200-$300 for a new-patient first cleaning with exam
Mid-size cities and suburbs	$110-$160	Closest to the ~$125 national average
Rural and Deep South practices	$75-$120	Lower overhead, lower fee schedules
Dental school clinic (any region)	$25-$60	Supervised students; longer appointment

For a personal estimate by ZIP code, visit type, and insurance plan, use the lookup tool on our home page, or see the full state-by-state breakdown and our without-insurance guide.

Insurance: the $0 cleaning, and its limits

D1110 is the code dental insurance treats most generously. Almost every PPO and most DHMO plans cover two routine cleanings per benefit year at 100% as preventive care, with no deductible to meet first. For most insured patients that means a $0 out-of-pocket cleaning twice a year. The plan pays its negotiated (in-network) fee directly to the office; if you go out of network, the plan pays its allowed amount and you may owe the balance.

There are limits worth knowing. First, the frequency cap: two cleanings per 12 months is standard, and some plans enforce a strict six-month interval, so a cleaning at five months and three weeks can be denied. Second, the shared-frequency rule: many plans count D1110, periodontal maintenance (D4910), and scaling for gingival inflammation (D4346) against the same cleaning allowance, so a patient who has had a deep cleaning may find their routine-cleaning benefit already used. Third, downgrades: if charting shows your gums need a therapeutic cleaning, the office may bill D4346 or SRP instead of D1110, and those carry coinsurance. Always ask the office to verify your frequency and remaining benefit before the visit.

D1110 vs D1120: which code is yours

D1110 and D1120 are the same kind of cleaning split by age. D1110 is "prophylaxis, adult" for patients aged 14 and older; D1120 is "prophylaxis, child" for patients through age 13. The clinical work is the same preventive cleaning, so the codes differ mainly in the fee (the child cleaning is a little lower, typically $50 to $150 cash) and in which one your plan expects to see for your age. A patient moves from D1120 to D1110 at age 14. If a teenager's cleaning is billed under the wrong age code, the claim can be rejected on a technicality; the fix is a corrected claim from the office, not an appeal. See our children's cleaning cost page for the D1120 detail.

FAQ

What is the D1110 dental code and how much does it cost?

D1110 is the CDT procedure code for prophylaxis, adult: the routine preventive cleaning that removes plaque, calculus (tartar), and stains from the teeth at and above the gumline for a patient with healthy gums. It applies to patients aged 14 and older (the child equivalent is D1120). Cost in 2026: $75 to $200 cash without insurance, with a national average around $125. With PPO dental insurance, two D1110 cleanings per year are typically covered at 100%, so the out-of-pocket is usually $0.

What is the difference between D1110 and D1120?

Both are routine preventive cleanings (prophylaxis). D1110 is for adults and adolescents aged 14 and older; D1120 is for children through age 13 (child prophylaxis). The clinical work is the same category of preventive cleaning; the code simply tracks age. D1120 typically costs a little less ($50 to $150 cash) and is also usually covered at 100% by dental insurance twice a year. A patient transitions from D1120 to D1110 at age 14.

How often does insurance cover a D1110 cleaning?

Most dental insurance plans cover two D1110 cleanings per benefit year (often described as twice per 12 months, or once every six months) at 100% as preventive care, with no deductible. Some plans count any prophylaxis (D1110), periodontal maintenance (D4910), or scaling for gingival inflammation (D4346) against the same shared cleaning frequency, so a patient who has had a deep cleaning may find their routine-cleaning allowance reduced. A small number of plans allow more frequent cleanings for pregnancy, diabetes, or documented periodontal history. Confirm your frequency limit with your carrier.

Why was I charged for a D1110 cleaning when I have insurance?

A few common reasons: you had already used both covered cleanings for the benefit year; the two cleanings were less than six months apart and the plan enforces a strict interval; the dentist also performed and billed a separate diagnostic or restorative service that is not preventive; or the cleaning was downgraded or recoded because periodontal charting suggested a therapeutic cleaning (D4346) or scaling and root planing (D4341/D4342) was warranted instead. Ask the office for the itemized claim and the procedure codes billed to see exactly what was and was not covered.

Is a D1110 cleaning the same as a deep cleaning?

No. D1110 is a preventive cleaning for healthy gums; it works at and above the gumline. A deep cleaning (scaling and root planing, D4341 for 4 or more teeth per quadrant or D4342 for 1 to 3 teeth) is a therapeutic procedure for periodontitis: gum disease with 4mm-plus pockets and bone loss, where the cleaning goes below the gumline along the tooth root. Deep cleaning is billed per quadrant and costs far more ($600 to $1,400 full mouth). Between the two sits D4346, a full-mouth scaling for generalized gingivitis with no bone loss.

Not medical advice

Which cleaning code is appropriate for you is a clinical decision between you and your licensed dentist. Pricing is estimated from public datasets and published fee ranges; confirm with your office and your insurer. For the next codes up see our D4346 page and scaling and root planing page (D4341/D4342).