Summary & Overview
CDT D1110: Prophylaxis - Adult; Cleaning and Polishing of the Teeth
Headline: CDT code D1110: Adult Prophylaxis — routine professional teeth cleaning
Lead: CDT code D1110 covers professional adult prophylaxis — cleaning and polishing of the teeth — a common preventive dental procedure with broad national relevance for routine oral health maintenance and preventive care access.
What the code represents and why it matters: CDT code D1110 denotes an established preventive dental service aimed at removing plaque, calculus, and extrinsic stains to reduce risk of caries and periodontal disease. Nationally, this service is a frequent entry point for preventive dental benefit utilization and influences care patterns, utilization management, and preventive coverage policies across payers.
Key payers covered: The analysis includes major national payers: Aetna; Blue Cross Blue Shield; Cigna Health; Medicare; and UnitedHealthcare. These payers collectively shape coverage norms and patient cost-sharing for routine dental prophylaxis.
Overview of reader takeaways: Readers will find a concise clinical and billing description of CDT code D1110, comparisons to related preventive dental services, payer coverage context, common coding considerations, and typical sites of service. The content summarizes clinical intent, common diagnostic associations, and related codes that practitioners and billing professionals use alongside D1110.
Scope note: Data not available in the input for service-line metadata beyond what is stated.
Billing Code Overview
CDT code D1110 represents prophylaxis for adults, specifically the professional service of cleaning and polishing the teeth. The procedure is delivered within the field of dentistry and is typically performed in a dental office (POS 11). This service focuses on removal of plaque, calculus, and stains to maintain oral health and prevent disease.
Clinical & Coding Specifications
Clinical Context
An adult patient presents to a dental office (POS 11) for routine preventive care consisting of scaling, cleaning, and polishing of the teeth. The patient may be asymptomatic and seeking routine maintenance, or may have plaque/calculus or early signs of decay or periodontal inflammation identified on examination. The clinical workflow typically includes patient arrival and registration, medical history review, intraoral examination by the dentist or dental hygienist, prophylaxis treatment (removal of plaque and calculus, scaling and polishing), documentation of findings, and any preventive recommendations. Vital signs and informed consent for standard prophylaxis are recorded, and follow-up or adjunct procedures (for example, topical fluoride application or a comprehensive oral evaluation) are scheduled as clinically indicated.
Coding Specifications
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CDT code
D1110: Prophylaxis - adult; cleaning and polishing of the teeth. -
Common Modifiers
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52- Reduced Services -
Use when the prophylaxis service is partially reduced or not performed to full extent. Document the reason for reduction and the portion of the service performed.
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76- Repeat Procedure by Same Dentist -
Use when the same dentist performs the prophylaxis procedure more than once for the same patient on the same day; document justification and clinical circumstances.