How Much Does a Crown Cost With a Dental Discount Plan?

By The Dental Savings EditorsReviewed August 20264 min readWe earn commission when you enroll. We don't get paid to rank plans.
Short answer

A porcelain crown typically costs $600-$900 on the published Careington 500 Series fee schedule, versus $1,000-$1,800 retail on that same table. The live cost index uses a wider retail band of $800-$2,500 and a typical discounted range of $520-$1,040. There is no waiting period. Ask the office for the member rate on D2740 before you enroll.

One porcelain crown (Careington table)

Typical member price

$600-$900

published fee-schedule row

Retail on the same table

$1,000-$1,800

20-35% published savings on that row

Source: Careington dental fee schedule 2026. Wider index ranges live on the savings-plan crown answer.

The crown number, already published

"Dental discount plan" is the same membership as a dental savings plan on this site. People searching this query want one chair price. On our live Careington fee-schedule page, the porcelain-crown row is already published: $600-$900 for members, $1,000-$1,800 retail, 20-35% savings on that row.

A discount plan does not pay the bill for you. It gets you the negotiated member fee at a participating dentist. Ask the office to quote D2740 on the 500 Series before you enroll. Rates are ZIP- and dentist-specific.

Crown price on the published tables

Source already on this siteRetailTypical member / discounted
Careington fee schedule, porcelain crown$1,000-$1,800$600-$900
Cost index / live crown answer$800-$2,500$520-$1,040
Cigna fee schedule, porcelain crown (D2740)$1,200-$1,800$580-$920

Copied from pages already live on this site. Not a ZIP-level contract printout. See the Careington fee schedule, the dental cost index, and the Cigna fee schedule.

What the plan itself costs

Careington 500 Series membership from plan data: $129/year individual, $169/year couple, or $189/year family, plus a $20 one-time processing fee. Activation is about 3 business days. Waiting period: none. Annual maximum: none. One crown at the published member band can cover the annual fee several times over.

Why a discount plan fits a crown

  • No waiting period. The plan typically activates in about 3 business days. The crown discount applies the first time you sit in the chair.
  • No annual maximum. The member fee is what you pay. Insurance often draws major work from a yearly cap after a 6-12 month wait.
  • You pay at the chair. There is no claim to file. There is also no insurer share. Confirm the dentist participates in Careington 500 Series.

The honest caveats

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a crown cost with a dental discount plan?

On the Careington 500 Series fee schedule we already publish, a porcelain crown typically costs $600-$900 for members, versus $1,000-$1,800 retail. The live cost index on this site uses a wider retail band of $800-$2,500 and a typical discounted range of $520-$1,040. Your exact chair price depends on the dentist, material, and ZIP.

Do dental discount plans cover crowns?

Yes. Crowns are standard restorative work and are discounted under the major plans we review, including Careington 500. There is no waiting period. Activation is about 3 business days. Confirm the dentist is in-network before you enroll.

What does Cigna publish for a porcelain crown?

The live Cigna fee-schedule page lists a porcelain crown (D2740) at $580-$920 for members versus $1,200-$1,800 retail. That row is already published there. This page does not invent a different Cigna number.

Is a discount plan or insurance better for a crown you need soon?

For a crown you need this month, a discount plan is usually simpler. Insurance often waits 6-12 months on major work and then pays about 50% after a deductible, up to a $1,000-$2,000 annual maximum. A discount plan has no waiting period and no cap. The published Careington typical member band for a porcelain crown is $600-$900.