The end of the year is almost upon us and with that we need to look at ending this year and preparing for the new! The dental field has many things to get ready for the New Year and a big one is the new CDT updates. The ADA is giving us some time to digest and prepare for the 2014 CDT additions and changes. We have 58 changes to the Current Dental Terminology (CDT) that need to be implemented by 2014. Dental Practice Solutions works hard to keep dental office informed of changes within dentistry. We realize you need to keep focused on doing dentistry. Thank you for relying us to keep you up to date and informed. We have 29 new codes, 18 revised codes, 4 deleted codes, and 7 changes to subcategories of the CDT code set. HIPAA recognizes the CDT as the standard for reporting dental claims and the ADA is responsible to maintain the CDT codes. Changes to codes are determined by insurance carriers of how and what are being processed so remember to submit all procedures and codes that are provided even if you know you will not be paid this year, it may be next year! Who ever thought sealants, implants, adult fluoride, or night guards would eventually be a covered benefit for our patients?
Dental Practice Solutions recommends having one team member “in charge “of the CDT codes. This team member is ultimately responsible learning the CDT codes, updating the dental software with the changes, and for training all team members. We suggest all team members because it is our menu of services we offer. A good analogy would be a waitress arriving at a table not knowing the menu and then placing a wrong order into the kitchen and the kitchen producing the wrong meal for the table. Most offices do not realize they can be selling the side of mash potatoes with the steak a la carte, they assume the steak just comes with the meal. A perfect example of this is separating the implant attachment from the implant fee. Dental offices originally used to lump this all together because insurance carries never paid for implants now more and more are and the CDT has previously updated to accommodate those changes. Having someone accountable in your office to be on alert of these changes could mean extra income for your practice doing the same dentistry you have been doing but now getting paid for it! Making more money, for the same effort? Yes, that is what we are saying!
New Codes
- D0393 Treatment simulation using 3D image volume
- D0394 Digital subtraction of two or more images or image volumes of the same modality
- D0395 Fusion of two or more 3D image volumes of one or more modalitiesd0601 Caries risk assessment and documentation, with a finding of low risk
- D0601 Caries risk assessment and documentation, with a finding of low risk
- D0602 Caries risk assessment and documentation, with a finding of moderate risk
- D0603 Caries risk assessment and documentation, with a finding of high risk
- D1999 Unspecified preventive procedure, by report
- D2921 reattachment of tooth fragment, incisal edge, or cusp
- D2941 Interim therapeutic restoration-primary dentition
10. D2949 Restorative foundation for an indirect restoration
11. D3355 Pulpal regeneration-initial visit
12. D3356 Pulpal regeneration-Interim medication replacement
13. D3357 Pulpal regeneration-completion of treatment
14. D3427 Periradicular surgery without apicoectomy
15. D3428 Bone graft in conjunction with periradicular surgery- per tooth, single site
16. D3429 Bone graft in conjunction with periradicular surgery-each additional contiguous tooth in the same surgical site
17. D3431 Biologic material to aid in soft and osseous tissue regeneration in conjunction with periradicular surgery
18. D3432 Guided tissue regeneration, resorbable barrier, per site, in conjunction with periradicular surgery
19. D4921 Gingival irrigation- per quadrant
20. D5863 Overdenture-complete maxillary
21. D5865 Overdenture-complete mandibular
22. D5864 Overdenture –partial maxillary
23. D5866 Overdenture-partial mandibular
24. D5994 periodontal medicament carrier with peripheral seal-laboratory processed
25. D6011 Second stage implant surgery
26. D6013 Surgical placement of mini implant
27. D6052 Semi-precision attachment abutment
28. D8694 Repair of fixed retainers, includes reattachment
29. D9985 Sales tax
New sub categories
- Post processing of image or images sets
- Pulpal regeneration
- Carriers
a) Radiation carrier (D5983)
b) Fluoride gel carrier (D5986)
c) Vesiculobullous disease medicament carrier (D5991)
d) Periodontal medicament carrier with peripheral seal –laboratory processed (D5994)
Deleted Codes
- D0363 Cone beam- three dimensional image reconstruction using existing data, includes multiple images
- D3354 Pulpal regeneration-(completion of regenerative treatment in an immature permanent tooth with a necrotic pulp); does not include final restoration.
- D5860 Overdenture-complete, by report
- 5861 Overdenture-partial, by report
The CDT 2014 is now available to purchase on the ADA website http://www.ada.org we recommend supplementing by also purchasing Dental Coding Made Simple: Resource Guide and Training Manual, 2013-2014. This resource guide is revised every two years, sections include 151 common questions/answers; more than 25 coding exercises; an illustrated implant section; and a continuing education exam with five CE credits.
Keep your office up to date on the CDT codes to maximize patient coverage to have higher acceptance rate of treatment, have better speed and accuracy of dental claims submitted to have faster payment of dental claims and utilize front office staff to engage more dentistry in your schedule and not be resubmitting or following up on poorly submitted claims.
A well-trained staff is a happier and more productive staff! Are acting preventatively in health of your practice? Make resolutions to be preventative with your offices’ health. Train and be prepared for the New Year.
Dental Practice Solutions is available for office staff training and practice health assessments to move you forward in the New Year. Call today to for a 15-minute assessment to a healthier economic and mental well being for you and your staff members.
520-981-0737
Susan Ketterer Consulting 