Consumers could save significant money on dental care by simply shopping around and asking about prices in their own communities, an analysis of health claims data shows.

Change: Healthcare, a company in Brentwood, Tenn., that helps employees of self-insured companies save money on medical care, based its analysis on more than 30,000 claims over 12 months from insurance carriers across the country.

The analysis found that the same routine dental exam for adults could cost as much as $240, or as low as $55, in the same geographic area (the review assessed cost variances within a 50-mile radius). Pediatric exams ranged from $180 to just $35.

An adult filling could cost as much as $360, or as little as $120.

In another, braces cost nearly $7,000 (including a previsit, braces application and follow-up visit), when another provider in the same community was charging $2,400.

The information is significant, said Howard McClure, chairman and chief executive of Change: Healthcare, because fewer than 60 percent of Americans have dental insurance, and even those who have coverage typically pay significant amounts out of pocket.

With more Americans now in so-called “consumer driven” plans with high deductibles, it makes sense to call around and, in essence, get several quotes. “People don’t understand there are variations in health care costs, and they’re sometimes wide,” he said.

Do you think it’s worth taking the time to call several dentists before making an appointment? And is cost your main criteria in choosing a dentist?