Dental care inflation
Dental care prices since 2000
Up 154%
An average of 3.63% a year, compared with 95% for all U.S. prices (overall CPI). $100 of 2000 dental care costs $254.05 in August 2026.
Last 12 months (to August 2026)
5.0%
All U.S. prices, same period
3.4%
Data since
1935
How much dental care prices have risen
| Since | Dental care | All U.S. prices | $100 then costs now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | +3,027% | +1,290% | $3,127.18 |
| 1970 | +1,575% | +763% | $1,675.27 |
| 1980 | +732% | +307% | $832.33 |
| 1990 | +322% | +156% | $421.51 |
| 2000 | +154% | +95% | $254.05 |
| 2010 | +65% | +54% | $164.69 |
| 2020 | +28% | +29% | $128.49 |
Calculate dental care inflation
Inflation rate by year
Every year since 1935
| Year | Index | Change | $1 then costs now |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 615.1 | 2.7% | $1.07 |
| 2024 | 599.0 | 4.3% | $1.10 |
| 2023 | 574.3 | 5.6% | $1.14 |
| 2022 | 543.7 | 4.1% | $1.21 |
| 2021 | 522.5 | 2.2% | $1.26 |
| 2020 | 511.1 | 3.0% | $1.28 |
| 2019 | 496.2 | 2.2% | $1.32 |
| 2018 | 485.5 | 2.7% | $1.35 |
| 2017 | 472.6 | 1.6% | $1.39 |
| 2016 | 465.0 | 2.8% | $1.41 |
| 2015 | 452.2 | 2.5% | $1.45 |
| 2014 | 441.0 | 2.1% | $1.49 |
| 2013 | 431.8 | 3.4% | $1.52 |
| 2012 | 417.5 | 2.3% | $1.57 |
| 2011 | 408.0 | 2.3% | $1.61 |
| 2010 | 398.8 | 2.7% | $1.65 |
| 2009 | 388.1 | 3.0% | $1.69 |
| 2008 | 376.9 | 5.1% | $1.74 |
| 2007 | 358.4 | 5.1% | $1.83 |
| 2006 | 340.9 | 5.2% | $1.93 |
| 2005 | 324.0 | 5.6% | $2.03 |
| 2004 | 306.9 | 4.9% | $2.14 |
| 2003 | 292.5 | 4.1% | $2.25 |
| 2002 | 281.0 | 4.5% | $2.34 |
| 2001 | 269.0 | 4.1% | $2.44 |
| 2000 | 258.5 | 4.6% | $2.54 |
| 1999 | 247.2 | 4.7% | $2.66 |
| 1998 | 236.2 | 4.2% | $2.78 |
| 1997 | 226.6 | 4.7% | $2.90 |
| 1996 | 216.5 | 4.7% | $3.03 |
| 1995 | 206.8 | 4.9% | $3.18 |
| 1994 | 197.1 | 4.8% | $3.33 |
| 1993 | 188.1 | 5.3% | $3.49 |
| 1992 | 178.7 | 6.8% | $3.67 |
| 1991 | 167.4 | 7.4% | $3.92 |
| 1990 | 155.8 | 6.6% | $4.22 |
| 1989 | 146.1 | 6.3% | $4.49 |
| 1988 | 137.5 | 6.8% | $4.78 |
| 1987 | 128.8 | 6.8% | $5.10 |
| 1986 | 120.6 | 5.6% | $5.45 |
| 1985 | 114.2 | 6.2% | $5.75 |
| 1984 | 107.5 | 8.1% | $6.11 |
| 1983 | 99.4 | 6.8% | $6.61 |
| 1982 | 93.1 | 7.6% | $7.05 |
| 1981 | 86.5 | 9.6% | $7.59 |
| 1980 | 78.9 | 11.9% | $8.32 |
| 1979 | 70.5 | 8.3% | $9.31 |
| 1978 | 65.1 | 7.1% | $10.09 |
| 1977 | 60.8 | 7.6% | $10.80 |
| 1976 | 56.5 | 6.2% | $11.62 |
| 1975 | 53.2 | 10.4% | $12.34 |
| 1974 | 48.2 | 7.6% | $13.62 |
| 1973 | 44.8 | 3.2% | $14.66 |
| 1972 | 43.4 | 4.1% | $15.13 |
| 1971 | 41.7 | 6.4% | $15.75 |
| 1970 | 39.2 | 5.7% | $16.75 |
| 1969 | 37.1 | 7.2% | $17.70 |
| 1968 | 34.6 | 5.5% | $18.98 |
| 1967 | 32.8 | 4.8% | $20.02 |
| 1966 | 31.3 | 3.3% | $20.98 |
| 1965 | 30.3 | 3.1% | $21.67 |
| 1964 | 29.4 | 2.8% | $22.34 |
| 1963 | 28.6 | 2.9% | $22.96 |
| 1962 | 27.8 | 2.6% | $23.62 |
| 1961 | 27.1 | 0.4% | $24.23 |
| 1960 | 27.0 | 2.3% | $24.32 |
| 1959 | 26.4 | 2.3% | $24.88 |
| 1958 | 25.8 | 3.2% | $25.45 |
| 1957 | 25.0 | 2.5% | $26.27 |
| 1956 | 24.4 | 1.7% | $26.91 |
| 1955 | 24.0 | 1.3% | $27.36 |
| 1954 | 23.7 | 3.0% | $27.71 |
| 1953 | 23.0 | 3.1% | $28.55 |
| 1952 | 22.3 | 2.3% | $29.45 |
| 1951 | 21.8 | 3.8% | $30.12 |
| 1950 | 21.0 | 2.4% | $31.27 |
| 1949 | 20.5 | 4.1% | $32.03 |
| 1948 | 19.7 | 5.3% | $33.34 |
| 1947 | 18.7 | 8.7% | $35.12 |
| 1946 | 17.2 | 5.5% | $38.18 |
| 1945 | 16.3 | 4.5% | $40.29 |
| 1944 | 15.6 | 5.4% | $42.10 |
| 1943 | 14.8 | 4.2% | $44.37 |
| 1942 | 14.2 | 2.9% | $46.25 |
| 1941 | 13.8 | 0.0% | $47.59 |
| 1940 | 13.8 | 0.0% | $47.59 |
| 1939 | 13.8 | 0.0% | $47.59 |
| 1938 | 13.8 | 0.7% | $47.59 |
| 1937 | 13.7 | 2.2% | $47.93 |
| 1936 | 13.4 | 0.0% | $49.01 |
| 1935 | 13.4 | $49.01 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, CPI-U series CUUR0000SEMC02, not seasonally adjusted. Index values are relative (only the changes matter), so they can't be compared across categories.
Questions
- How much have dental care prices gone up since 2000?
- Dental care prices rose 154% from 2000 to August 2026, faster than overall prices (95%).
- What is the inflation rate for dental care right now?
- Dental care prices were 5.0% higher in August 2026 than a year earlier.
- What did $100 of dental care in 2000 cost in August 2026?
- $254.05.
- Where does this data come from?
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics price index for dental care (series CUUR0000SEMC02), part of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. It tracks price changes for the same kind of item over time, not average prices.