CDT
Also written as: CDT — Current Dental Terminology
Abbreviation for Current Dental Terminology, the standardised code set published by the American Dental Association for documenting and billing dental procedures.
Full Definition
CDT stands for Current Dental Terminology, the official procedural code set maintained and published annually by the American Dental Association (ADA). Each CDT code is a five-character alphanumeric string beginning with the letter 'D' followed by four digits (e.g., D1110 for adult prophylaxis). CDT codes are used in clinical documentation, insurance claims, and public health reporting to standardise the description of dental services. Editors working on insurance correspondence, treatment plans, and coding manuals must verify that CDT codes are formatted correctly and correspond accurately to the procedures described in the narrative text.
Usage
Usage note: Always verify that the CDT code cited in a document corresponds to the procedure described. CDT codes change annually; editors should confirm the edition year when reviewing billing documents.
In Context
- "The insurance claim was rejected because the CDT code submitted (D1110) did not match the narrative, which described a full-mouth debridement." — Insurance claim document
- "All procedure descriptions in the fee schedule must align with the current CDT edition." — Practice management document