D0150 is for a comprehensive oral evaluation on a new patient or an established patient requiring a comprehensive re-evaluation. This is the thorough, detailed examination that covers all oral structures: teeth, periodontal tissues, hard and soft tissues, TMJ, occlusion, and oral cancer screening. Typically used for new patients or patients who haven't been seen in 3+ years.
D0150 is for a comprehensive oral evaluation on a new patient or an established patient requiring a comprehensive re-evaluation. This is the thorough, detailed examination that covers all oral structures: teeth, periodontal tissues, hard and soft tissues, TMJ, occlusion, and oral cancer screening. Typically used for new patients or patients who haven't been seen in 3+ years.
Do NOT use D0150 for: Established patients returning for routine recall (use D0120). Problem-focused visits for a specific complaint (use D0140). Patients with periodontal disease needing a periodontal-focused evaluation (use D0180).
Click any code to see the difference.
Comprehensive evaluation covering all oral structures. Thorough baseline exam. Used for new patients or re-evaluation after extended absence.
Periodic evaluation for established recall patients. Focused on changes since last visit. Shorter, more routine than D0150.
Most plans cover D0150 once every 3 years for the same provider. If you bill it every year on the same patient, it gets denied. Use D0120 for subsequent recall visits after the initial comprehensive evaluation.
D0150 and D0120 are mutually exclusive. You cannot bill both on the same date of service. One comprehensive and one periodic evaluation on the same patient on the same day will result in a denial of one or both.
A comprehensive evaluation requires documentation of all oral structures examined. Hard tissue findings, soft tissue findings, periodontal screening, occlusal analysis, TMJ assessment, and oral cancer screening. A note that says "comprehensive exam, no findings" isn't sufficient.
Document findings for all areas: teeth (caries, existing restorations, fractures), periodontal (pocket depths or screening), soft tissue (oral cancer screening), TMJ, occlusion.
Complete medical history taken and documented. Medications, allergies, systemic conditions.
Comprehensive treatment plan based on findings. This supports the medical necessity of the comprehensive evaluation.
Full mouth series (D0210) or panoramic (D0330) often taken at the same visit. Billed separately.
D0150 isn't only for new patients. It's also appropriate for established patients who haven't been seen in 3+ years, patients with a significant change in health status requiring a comprehensive re-evaluation, or patients transferring care from another provider within the same practice. The key is that the evaluation must be truly comprehensive, covering all oral structures, not just a focused check of specific concerns.
Some payers allow D0150 once per provider, others once per practice. If a patient sees Dr. Smith for a comprehensive exam and then switches to Dr. Jones at the same practice, some plans allow Dr. Jones to bill a new D0150. Others consider it per-practice and will deny it. Know your patient's plan rules before billing a second D0150.
Treatment plan documentation strengthens the D0150 claim. A comprehensive evaluation should lead to a treatment plan. If the payer audits the D0150 and finds no treatment plan in the chart, it looks like a periodic evaluation (D0120) was billed as a comprehensive evaluation for higher reimbursement.
Claims getting denied? We fix the coding and documentation patterns that cause it.
Learn about our billing servicesD0150 is the CDT code for a comprehensive oral evaluation. It is a thorough examination of all oral structures typically performed on new patients.
Most plans cover D0150 once every 3 years per provider. Subsequent recall visits use D0120.
No. They are mutually exclusive evaluation codes. Only one evaluation code per date of service.
Search all 206 CDT codes in our dental coding guide.