Caries detection has gained recognition over the years, and the Code Maintenance Committee of the American Dental Association has recently approved an insurance code specifically for a “nonionizing diagnostic procedure capable of quantifying, monitoring, and recording changes in structure of enamel, dentin, and cementum.”1 The new CDT code, D0600, took effect on January 1, 2017. The CDT is a HIPAA standard code set. Any claim submitted on a HIPAA standard electronic dental claim must use dental procedure codes from the version of the CDT that is in effect on the day of service.
The ADA notes that caries detection has become much more precise, individualizing treatment specific to the patients’ needs. The ADA notes, “The formerly practiced paradigm of ‘drill and fill,’ drilling out pits and fissures or surgically removing decayed and diseased tissue and placing permanent restorations, does not address the full continuum of the caries disease process, including microbial activity and the balance between enamel remineralization and demineralization.”2
DEXIS™ CariVu™ does not use any ionizing radiation, and supports the identification of occlusal, interproximal and recurrent carious lesions and cracks. The transillumination caries detection device captures images that reveal the extent of caries and helps to determine the actual structure of any carious lesions with a 99% accuracy rate.3Knowing which lesions can be monitored over time or which require immediate treatment helps both the clinician and the patient to plan for present and future dental procedures. And now, with this new code for insurance reimbursement, CariVu caries detection can be accurately coded and reimbursed, a win-win situation for both the dentist and the patient.
The ADA also notes that “Systematic methods of caries detection, classification, and risk assessment, as well as prevention/risk management strategies, can help to reduce patient risk of developing advanced disease and may even arrest the disease process.”2DEXIS CariVu achieves caries detection goals and along with DEXIS digital radiography and intra-oral photography adds an extra level of imaging for a comprehensive diagnosis that patients can trust.
1American Dental Association. Committee adds 11 new codes to CDT. ADA News. March 15, 2016. http://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2016-archive/march/eleven-new-codes-added-to-cdt-2017. Accessed January 17, 2017.
2American Dental Association. Oral Health Topics: Caries Risk Assessment and Management. http://www.ada.org/en/member-center/oral-health-topics/caries-risk-assessment-and-management. Updated September 9, 2016. Accessed January 17, 2017.
3Kühnisch J. Benefits of the DIAGNOcam Procedure for the Detection and Diagnosis of Caries [study project]. Munich: Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich; 2013.
Indications for use for CariVu can be found at www.dexis.com/ifu
About company: DEXIS is an award-winning industry leader that provides digital imaging equipment to the dental community. Learn more about how their unique hardware and software solutions benefit both patients and practices at DEXIS.com.
