ADA Code of Ethics: Veracity

D4346 Education Guidelines D4346 Guide – Version 4 – July 11, 2018 – Page 1 of 11 ADA Code of Ethics: Veracity This is the foundation for the ADA’s position – “Code for what you do, and do what you coded for.” Section 5 of the ADA Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct is particularly applicable when determining the treatment plan and procedure coding. [...] The procedure reported with CDT code – “D6081 scaling and debridement in the presence of inflammation or mucositis of a single implant, including cleaning of the implant surfaces, without flap” may be part of the treatment plan for a patient who also has moderate to severe gingival inflammation. [...] What do you mean by “Loss of attachment”? This term is defined (Stedman’s Medical Dictionary for Dental Professionals; 1st Edition, 2007) as: “Damage to the structures that support the tooth; results from periodontitis and is characterized by relocation of the junctional epithelium to the tooth root, destruction of the fibers of the gingiva, destruction of the periodontal ligament fibers, and loss. [...] If one quadrant of scaling and root planing is performed because there is bone loss only in that quadrant, can you report 4346 for the rest of the mouth on the same date of service? According to the D4346 descriptor this procedure “…Should not be reported in conjuction with prophylaxis, scaling and root planing [emphasis added] or debridement procedures.” In an exceptional situation the dentist co. [...] If radiographs on the date of service are not required as part of the D4346 procedure, what about periodontal charting – considering both patient record-keeping and claim submission? From the record keeping perspective the patient’s record should contain necessary radiographs and charting within the last year to document the state of inflammation, pocketing and loss of atachment or bone.