Dental examination

This code signifies a routine dental check-up or examination performed to assess the overall health of a patient's teeth, gums, and oral cavity. It typically involves a visual inspection, probing, and potentially charting of existing conditions or new findings, without the primary purpose of treating a specific complaint or disease.

Apply this code for patients presenting for a periodic dental check-up, a new patient dental evaluation, or a pre-procedural dental clearance when no specific oral disease or symptom is being investigated or treated. It is appropriate for preventive dental care encounters.

• Do not use this code if the patient presents with a specific dental complaint (e.g., toothache, gum bleeding); instead, code the presenting symptom or diagnosed condition.
• This code is for the examination itself, not for any subsequent dental procedures performed during the same visit.
• Consider using a more specific code if the examination is for a particular purpose, such as an orthodontic evaluation or an examination for a dental implant.