Be prepared for changes coming to the CDT Code in 2023. 

As reported by the American Dental Association (ADA), in March the ADA’s Code Maintenance Committee (CMC), the body responsible for evaluating and voting on proposed changes to the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT Code), approved the addition of 29 new codes, as well as 14 revisions and two deletions.  These changes will be reflected in CDT 2023, which will be effective for services provided on or after January 1, 2023 (with the exception of seven newly approved COVID-19 vaccination codes, which became immediately effective and are officially part of the CDT 2022 code set).

Of note, four of the year’s changes stemmed from Code Action Requests submitted by the AAO through its Council on Orthodontic Benefits (COB)(formerly, the Council on Orthodontic Health Care). Those approved action requests included:

  • Deletion of D0351 3D photographic image and addition of four separate 3D “surface scan” codes
  • Revision of D0393, the new nomenclature of which will read “virtual treatment simulation using 3D image volume or surface scan”
  • Revision of the Orthodontics section preamble, which will read in part, “A patient may require more than one limited or comprehensive procedure depending on their particular problems.”
  • Revision of D9450, which will remove the current limitation that the case presentation be “not performed on same day as evaluation.”

The action requests for new and revised scan codes were developed via collaborative effort, led by AAO’s COB, between AAO and the CMC representatives from the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) and the American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS).  The result are codes which more accurately reflect these procedures as they are currently provided, including the ability to report with increased specificity. 

The change to the language in the Orthodontics section relates to changes which previously took effect in CDT 2022, and it adds further clarification to the statement that all codes in the section may be reported more than once for a given patient.

Finally, the D9450 change reflects the CMC’s recognition that a case presentation of a detailed and extensive treatment plan may take place on the same day as a patient’s evaluation.   

For more information on this topic, download the March 2022 CMC Meeting Action Summary and the 2022 CMC Meeting Action Requests documents which are publicly available on the Code Maintenance Committee webpage of the ADA’s website. 

As a reminder, the AAO’s “At-A-Glance” Guide to the CDT may be downloaded on the Insurance Claims page on the AAO website, and the 2023 version will be disseminated to membership via eBulletin once it becomes available in the fall.  The CDT 2023 and the Coding Companion are currently available for preorder at the ADA Store. 

Interested in Coding and Billing Resources from the AAO?

Additional information regarding the CDT Code, billing, and related issues can be found on the Insurance Claims page on the AAO Member Website.  You and your staff can also take advantage of training on this topic and others by visiting the AAO’s Continuing Education page. 

Have Suggestions or Concerns Regarding the CDT?

If you have suggestions or concerns regarding the CDT Code that you would like COB to consider for future Code Action Requests, click here to submit your thoughts to the Dental Benefits Comment Box.