Current Dental Terminology (CDT) – officially known as the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature – provides a consistent method of documenting and reporting dental procedures. In 2000, the United States government declared the CDT code set as the national terminology for reporting dental procedures to insurance and third-party payors. This means that for a dental claim to be processed timely, the claim must have valid and accurate CDT codes from the most current CDT code set. In the past 3 years, there have been 160 CDT code changes, and there are 16 more coming in 2024. How do these changes occur, and who decides what changes should be made? Let’s take a peek behind the curtain.
How are CDT codes updated?
The Council on Dental Benefit Programs (CDBP) is responsible for maintaining the CDT code set. The CDBP established a Code Maintenance Committee (CMC), which includes representatives from the American Dental Association (ADA), dental specialty organizations, and dental payors.
How does the CMC determine the changes that need to be made to the CDT code set? Anyone can submit a request for a CDT code to be added, revised, or removed. All requests are due by November 1st of each calendar year.
Each year the CMC meets to review all submitted code change requests and determines which of the requests should be incorporated into the next year’s CDT code set by voting. This year, Dr. Greg Grobmyer and Dr. Jim DiMarino from Practice Booster attended the CMC meeting in March 2023.
What are the 2024 CDT code changes?
This year there were 31 requests that were considered and voted on by the Code Maintenance Committee. From those 31 requests, 16 were accepted resulting in 14 new, 2 revised CDT codes, and one new Category of Service in the 2024 CDT code set.
CDT 2024 will include changes to codes in the following categories of service:
- D0100-D0999 Diagnostic
- D1000-D1999 Preventive
- D2000-D2999 Restorative
- D5000-D5899 Removable Prosthodontics
- D6000-D6199 Implant Services
- D7000-D7999 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
- D9000-D9999 Adjunctive General Services
As previously stated, the coding guidelines state that dental procedures be reported using the most current CDT code set. Continuing to report inaccurate or deleted CDT codes on dental claims will result in denied claims, delayed revenue, and unhappy patients.
2024 CDT code requests
While we can’t disclose more details about the new and revised 2024 CDT codes until later this year, we can take a look at all the requests that were rejected by the CMC this year. It is interesting to review the reasons for the rejections. This information can provide insight into the dental industry, as well as potentially inspire your own CDT code request.
The chart below serves as a review of some of the more interesting submissions that were rejected this year. This is not an all-inclusive list. For a complete list of the approved and rejected requests, visit https://www.ada.org/publications/cdt/code-maintenance-committee for the 2023 March CMC Meeting Action Summary Report.
| Request | Note |
| New code for a visual and tactile, extraoral and intraoral evaluation | Proposed code is duplicative. Can be reported with a current CDT code. |
| New code for alternation of tooth enamel by laser irradiation | According to guidelines on the CDT Code Action Request form, a CDT code must not cite a proprietary product or process in any manner. |
| New code for permanent digital model storage | Proposed code is not a clinical procedure, and the action described is an administrative matter, part of patient dental record-keeping. |
| New code for application of periodontal disease medication directly into sulci and periodontal pockets | According to guidelines on the CDT Code Action Request form, a CDT code must not cite a proprietary product or process in any manner. |
| Revising nomenclature for code D6081 to remove “This procedure is not performed in conjunction with D1110, D4910, or D4346.” | Tied vote. Acceptance requires a simple majority. |
| New code for ongoing orthodontic treatment of the transitional, adolescent, or adult dentition | Request considered to resolve a claim adjudication and reimbursement issue, not a CDT code gap issue. |
| New code for the removal of a fixed orthodontic retainer | Proposed code is duplicative. Can be reported with a current CDT code. |
Keep current CDT code resources
The 2024 CDT code additions and changes do not go into effect until January 1, 2024. Mark your calendar and be sure to grab the most up-to-date CDT coding resources from Practice Booster so your dental administrator can code with confidence.
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