Summary & Overview
CDT D0150: Comprehensive Oral Evaluation, New or Established Patient
CDT code D0150 denotes a comprehensive oral evaluation for a new or established patient and represents a core diagnostic encounter in dental practice. Nationally, this code signals a full-mouth assessment used to establish baseline oral health, identify disease or treatment needs, and guide care planning. Its role in the care pathway makes it relevant to utilization, coding accuracy, and coverage determinations across payers.
Major commercial payers addressed include Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna Health, and UnitedHealthcare. Readers will find an overview of clinical context for the service, common diagnostic scenarios that accompany comprehensive evaluations, and how this evaluation relates to other dental assessment codes. The publication summarizes payer coverage patterns, modifier usage where applicable, and common coding comparisons to related evaluation and radiography codes.
This summary provides clinicians, billing staff, and policy analysts with concise guidance on the clinical intent and administrative role of CDT code D0150, clarifies distinctions from limited or periodic evaluations, and outlines what to expect in payer interactions and documentation needs. Data not available in the input is noted where applicable.
Billing Code Overview
CDT code D0150 is a comprehensive oral evaluation performed for a new or established patient. This evaluation is a dental diagnostic service that involves a thorough assessment of the patient’s oral and dental health, typically including a complete history, assessment of hard and soft tissues, occlusion, and a treatment plan when indicated.
Service Type: Dental diagnostic service
Typical Site of Service: Dental Office (POS 11)
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
A 45-year-old patient presents to a dental office (POS 11) for a first-time comprehensive oral evaluation. The patient reports intermittent tooth sensitivity and occasional gingival bleeding. The dentist performs a full medical and dental history, a thorough extraoral and intraoral examination, periodontal assessment, and documents occlusion and existing restorations. Radiographs (as indicated) and a treatment plan are developed during the visit. The visit is coded as CDT code D0150 for a comprehensive oral evaluation for a new or established patient.
Coding Specifications
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Modifiers
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52(Reduced Services): Use when the comprehensive examination service is partially reduced or not completed as documented (for example, limited components completed compared with the full service description). -
76(Repeat Procedure by Same Dentist): Use when the same dentist repeats the comprehensive oral evaluationD0150for the same patient on the same date of service or within a clinically appropriate timeframe as documented. -
Associated Provider Taxonomies
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