D1330 is the CDT code for oral hygiene instructions. It covers personalized, in-person guidance on brushing technique, flossing, and other home care practices delivered by a dental professional to a specific patient. This is a distinct billable service, not a component of the prophylaxis visit. Coverage depends heavily on the patient's plan, so verification before billing is essential.
Last updated June 2026 · Reviewed by the PracticeAlpha billing team
Get help with D1330 claims →Patient presents with generalized plaque accumulation, bleeding on probing, or gingival inflammation. You spend dedicated time reviewing brushing angle, interproximal cleaning, and recommend specific aids. Document the instruction separately from the prophy note.
Patient has recently completed scaling and root planing (D4341 or D4342) and is transitioning to periodontal maintenance. Reinforcing oral hygiene habits at the first few maintenance visits supports tissue stability and can justify a D1330 claim.
Child with braces, a space maintainer, or first-time patient who needs instruction on age-appropriate techniques. Detailed guidance on cleaning around appliances or erupting teeth constitutes a distinct service beyond the routine cleaning visit.
Do NOT use D1330 for: General chairside conversation about brushing that is incidental to another service. Written home care instructions given without hands-on demonstration. Nutritional counseling (use D1310 instead). Tobacco cessation counseling (use D1320).
Many plans consider oral hygiene instruction part of the prophy visit and will not pay D1330 separately. If D1110 or D1120 is on the same claim, some payers automatically downgrade the D1330 to zero. Check the patient's plan benefits before billing both codes on the same date of service. When bundling is a known plan behavior, you may still document the service but choose not to submit it as a separate line.
Most plans limit D1330 to once per benefit year, and some to once per patient lifetime. Submitting D1330 at every recall visit will trigger denials for any visit after the first. Verify frequency limits at the time of insurance verification. Some plans tied to high-risk populations (pediatric, periodontal) may allow more frequent billing, but that must be confirmed in writing.
A generic note saying "OHI given" will not support a standalone D1330 claim if audited. The documentation needs to describe what was taught, what tools were recommended, the patient's current hygiene level, and patient response or understanding. Payers look for evidence that the service was individualized and meaningful, not a five-second remark at the end of the appointment.
Some plans simply do not include D1330 as a covered benefit. There is no workaround. Verify coverage during the insurance check before assuming payment. If the plan does not cover it, inform the patient of the fee before performing the service. Billing a non-covered code without notifying the patient is a collections problem waiting to happen.
Record the patient's plaque score, bleeding index, or hygiene status before instruction. This establishes clinical need and justifies why personalized instruction was provided at this visit.
List exactly what was covered: modified Bass brushing technique, proper flossing sequence, use of interproximal brushes, water flosser guidance, tongue cleaning. "Reviewed brushing and flossing" is too vague for a clean audit trail.
Document any specific products recommended, such as a soft-bristle brush, an electric toothbrush model, a particular floss type, or a prescription toothpaste. This shows the instruction was tailored to the patient.
Note the clinical reason why this patient needed individualized instruction: generalized gingivitis, fixed orthodontic appliances, fixed partial denture, implants, xerostomia, manual dexterity limitations, etc.
Record the time spent and the name of the provider or hygienist who delivered the instruction. For some audits, showing this service took meaningful clinical time (not 60 seconds) strengthens the claim.
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Learn about our billing servicesD1330 is the CDT code for oral hygiene instructions. It covers personalized, in-person guidance on brushing technique, flossing, and at-home care practices delivered by a dental professional. It is a distinct preventive service, not part of the prophy fee.
Coverage varies by plan. Many insurers cover it as a preventive service, but some bundle it into the prophy visit fee and will not pay it separately. Always verify the patient's specific plan before billing D1330 as a standalone service.
Yes, when the instruction is documented as a distinct service separate from the cleaning. Some plans will bundle it regardless. Verify the patient's plan before assuming separate reimbursement is available when both D1110 (or D1120) and D1330 appear on the same claim.
Most plans allow it once per benefit year. Some plans limit it further. A few plans with periodontal or high-risk patient provisions may allow more frequent billing. Check frequency limits at verification for every patient.
Document the patient's baseline hygiene status, specific techniques reviewed, products recommended, patient-specific risk factors that made individualized instruction necessary, and the name of the provider who delivered the service. Generic notes are not enough.
D1330 covers oral hygiene instruction: brushing, flossing, and mechanical plaque removal techniques. D1310 covers nutritional counseling for the control of dental disease. Both are preventive counseling codes but they address different content and are billed separately when both services are rendered.
Search all 206 CDT codes in our dental coding guide.