Are you new to teledentistry and trying to decide how you may use and appropriately code for services provided to your patients during Covid-19?
Here are 4 common scenarios in teledentistry between provider(s) and/or patients with coding guidance based on updates from the ADA:
Scenario 1: Patient contact with dentist who provides the consultation using audio means only
- CODING: D0190 (screening) or D0999
Scenario 2: Patient contact with dentist who provides the problem focused evaluation using audio and visual means
- CODING: D0140 or D0170 or D0171
Scenario 3: Patient contact with triage call center who then forwards to dentist who provides the problem focused evaluation using audio and visual means
- CALL CENTER CODING: D0190 (screening) or D0999
- DENTIST CODING: D0140 or D0170 or D0171
Scenario 4: Patient contact with dentist who then forwards to specialist who provides the problem focused evaluation using audio and visual means
The referring dentist can be a GP or a specialist who is referring to another specialists.
- GP DENTIST CODING: D0190 (screening) or D0999
- GP OR SPECIALIST CODING: D0140 or D0170 or D0171
Combine Scenarios 1-4 with Teledentistry Codes
In all scenarios above, the relevant teledentistry code should be included.
- D9995: Real-time synchronous, live audio and video communication.
- D9996: Asynchronous, or ‘store and forward’ communication such as secure patient portal messages or cloud-based asynch review of diagnostic imagery.