Search 163 common dental codes by number or procedure, with billing notes for each.
CDT codes are the five-character procedure codes that dental practices put on insurance claims so payers know which treatment was performed. This free tool lets you search by code number or keyword and open a full CDT coding guide for each one. Use it to confirm the right code before you submit, or to check why a claim came back denied.
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Get a free AR analysis →A CDT code is a five-character Current Dental Terminology code that starts with the letter D and identifies a specific dental procedure. The American Dental Association maintains the code set, and dental practices use these codes on insurance claims so payers know exactly which procedure was performed.
The American Dental Association updates the CDT code set once a year, with changes taking effect on January 1. Each annual release can add new codes, revise descriptors, and delete retired codes, so practices need to update their software every year to avoid submitting outdated codes.
CDT claims get denied for reasons like using the wrong code for the material or procedure, submitting a deleted or outdated code, missing documentation that supports the code, frequency limits, and coding a procedure that the plan does not cover. Matching the code to the clinical note and the payer rules prevents most of these denials.
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