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I am new to dental coding and having a hard time deciphering exam code D0150 from D0140 for new patients. To provide an example, I had a patient who came to the oral surgeon on referral from her regular dentist to have her wisdom teeth removed. The oral surgeon notes in the history that her wisdom teeth are impacted but asymptomatic, that she has no allergies, her family history is non-contributory, and she's not a smoker. He then takes a panorex and looks at the gums and notes the impacted wisdom teeth and the absence of any malocclusion. He is not including a total perio chart in the record (though he's also indicated the presence of a malpositioned canine tooth). He doesn't mention the hard/soft palates or any soft tissue anomalies (not referencing looking at the tongue or the mucosa). So while he is looking around at a lot of structures in the mouth, not just at the wisdom teeth, he doesn't appear to me to be documenting the full extent of what is described by CDT code D0150, but at the same time, D0140 for a problem-focused exam seems like less than the work he is doing. In this particular example, would you recommend D0150 or D0140?
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Is there a guideline for a dental provider on signing off on documentation when patient is seen? If patient is seen mutiple days, Can one documentation be used or does each day need to be initialed and/or signed by the dentist?
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Our office took a panorex xray for a patient for purposes of teeth extraction at the oral surgeon. The patient wants me to send the Panorex xray claim to medical insurance since it is related. What code do I use for the Panorex and what would be the diagnosis code I put on the 1500 form?
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can insurance companies create their own billing for FMX? the CDT books says usually consist of 14-22 PA's and BW's but I'm being told by the dental biller that some insurances want the FMX code when less than 14 x rays are done. I would like clarification if this is ever appropriate to do. thanks.
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how do I sign up for the CDC exam
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I need to know the correct way of handling failed and/or ongoing procedures and how to bill for them. This has been a debate in our office. If a patient's restoration has failed, whatever the reason, and they have insurance, do you report that to the insurance company? For example, a patient gets an amalgam filling and six months later it needs to be redone. What is the most appropriate course of action, doing an adjustment in house, or filing it to the insurance company and adjusting it off afterwards? Some do not want to file and some do. If it was a self pay patient we would adjust it off and not make them responsible. Our insurance patient's are not responsible either, but is it necessary to report it to the insurance company? Please let us know the most appropriate course of action. Thank you.
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wondering if there is a dental chart audit form available to print or download? or maybe direct me to a site or organization that might have one.
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(Once you purchase the exam it will be released within 2 business days of purchase.) How will I know that the exam has been released for me to take?
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how many CEUS do I need to renew membership?
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I would like to know if a scaling and root planning has been done on only 1 or 2 teeth on the right upper quad are we required to still do periodontal maintenance on the entire mouth and bill for that. Is it possible to bill for only those two teeth for periodontal maintenance and then a regular prophy for the rest of the mouth?
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