Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT Code)
Purpose
The purpose of the CDT Code is to achieve uniformity, consistency and specificity in accurately documenting dental treatment. One use of the CDT Code is to provide for the efficient processing of dental claims, and another is to populate an Electronic Health Record.
On August 17, 2000 the CDT Code was named as a HIPAA standard code set. Any claim submitted on a HIPAA standard electronic dental claim must use dental procedure codes from the version of the CDT Code in effect on the date of service. The CDT Code is also used on paper dental claims, and the ADA's paper claim form data content reflects the HIPAA electronic standard.
Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature CDT Code
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Annual Review & Revision
The Council on Dental Benefit Programs (CDBP) has ADA Bylaws responsibility for CDT Code maintenance. To fulfill this obligation CDBP established its Code Maintenance Committee (CMC), a body that includes representatives from various sectors of the dental community (e.g., ADA; dental specialty organizations; third-party payers). CMC members, by their votes, determine which of the requested actions are incorporated into the CDT Code.
Please see Code Maintenance Committee (CMC) page for information about the CMC's members and reports of CDT Code maintenance actions taken at past meetings.
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2019 CMC Meeting and Action Reports
The Code Maintenance Committee (CMC) convened its Annual Meeting on March 14, 2019 to determine which action requests on its agenda would be accepted for inclusion in CDT 2020. This version of the code set is effective January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. There are two reports now available to review and download that document the CMC’s actions.
The “Summary of CMC Accepted Actions…” is a listing of only accepted actions. There are 63 changes to be included in CDT 2020 – 37 additions, 5 revisions, 6 deletions and 15 editorial.
The “Report of March 2019 Code Maintenance Committee Meeting Decisions on Action Requests” details the committee’s action on all requests addressed during the meeting. It includes the CMC’s rationale for those rejected by the committee.
Meeting Inventory
The March 2019 CMC Inventory contains the requests for CDT Code additions, as well as deletion of or significant revisions to existing CDT Code entries.
Please see Code Maintenance Committee (CMC) page for reports of CDT Code maintenance actions taken at past meetings.
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Next CMC Meeting
The next annual Code Maintenance Committee (CMC) meeting is scheduled to convene at ADA Headquarters in Chicago on March 12 – 13, 2020 (Thursday- Friday). Proceedings begin on March 12th at 8:30 AM in the 2nd floor Auditorium. The meeting will formally adjourn when the CMC has addressed all agenda items, which may be accomplished in less than the two days set aside.
- This an open meeting that includes public comment and discussion of any CDT Code Action Request before the committee.
- The CMC meeting is when member organization representatives discuss and vote to accept, amend or decline each action request
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CDT Code Maintenance Timeline
CDT Change requests may be submitted at any time, and the date received determines the CDT Code version that may incorporate the requested action. The annual closing date for submissions is on the CDT Code Maintenance timeline. Any requests received after the closing date will be addressed in the next annual maintenance cycle.
Contact Us
Telephone: ADA Members, please use the toll-free number on the back of your membership card; Direct dial, 312.440.2500
Email: dentalcode@ada.org