Dental coding guide. Every CDT code, searchable.

CDT stands for Current Dental Terminology. It's the national standard code set for reporting dental procedures, maintained by the American Dental Association (ADA) and updated annually. Every dental claim submitted in the United States uses CDT codes to describe what was done. The code tells the payer what procedure was performed, and the payer uses it to determine coverage and reimbursement.

Every CDT code starts with the letter D followed by four digits. The first digit indicates the procedure category. D0 codes are diagnostic (exams, x-rays). D1 codes are preventive (cleanings, sealants). D2 codes are restorative (fillings, crowns). D3 is endodontics (root canals). D4 is periodontics (SRP, perio maintenance). D5 is prosthodontics (dentures). D6 is implants. D7 is oral surgery (extractions). D8 is orthodontics. D9 is adjunctive (anesthesia, emergency visits).

Using the wrong code is one of the most common reasons dental claims get denied. A D2740 (all-ceramic crown) submitted when the crown was actually porcelain fused to metal (D2750) triggers a denial. A D1110 (prophylaxis) billed on a patient who should be on D4910 (periodontal maintenance) gets flagged. The code must match the procedure, the material, and the clinical situation.

CDT 2026 includes 60 code changes: 31 new codes, 14 revised codes, 6 deletions, and 9 editorial updates. These went into effect January 1, 2026. If your practice management software isn't updated, you're submitting claims with outdated codes, which means denials.

The biggest change affecting general practices: D2391 was revised and D1352 was deleted. The D2391 descriptor no longer restricts the code to lesions penetrating into dentin. You can now use D2391 for any one-surface posterior composite regardless of lesion depth. D1352 (preventive resin restoration) was deleted because D2391 now covers that procedure. If your team was billing D1352, they need to switch to D2391 immediately.

New codes worth knowing: Point-of-care saliva testing, cracked tooth diagnostic testing, duplicate denture fabrication, single implant debridement with peri-implantitis, and occlusal guard cleaning and inspection. These fill gaps for services practices were already performing without the right codes.

Anesthesia codes were restructured. D9248 (non-IV conscious sedation) was deleted. Deep sedation and IV moderate sedation codes were clarified. Practices providing sedation should review the updated codes carefully.

Wrong crown code for the material used. D2740 is all-ceramic/porcelain only. If there's any metal substructure, it's D2750, D2751, or D2752 depending on the metal type. Mismatching the code and the material is an audit trigger and a denial cause.

Billing D1110 on a perio patient. If the patient has had scaling and root planing, subsequent cleanings should be D4910 (periodontal maintenance), not D1110 (prophylaxis). Payers look for SRP history and will deny or flag D1110 on a patient with prior D4341/D4342.

Using D2740 for a bridge retainer. A crown on a natural tooth is D2740. The same crown functioning as a bridge abutment is D6740. Function determines the code. This confusion causes more denials than almost any other coding error in restorative dentistry.

Billing D7210 without surgical documentation. If the operative note describes a simple forceps extraction, the payer downgrades to D7140. You lose the difference in reimbursement. Document what made it surgical: flap raised, bone removed, tooth sectioned.

Submitting deleted or outdated codes. D1352 was deleted for 2026. D9248 was deleted. If these codes are still in your software and someone selects them, the claim gets denied automatically. Update your system.