Monday, May 7, 2018

A NEW CDT CODE TO ADD TO YOUR SCOPE OF SERVICE

Did you know that nearly 50% of the U.S. population has diabetes or are at high risk for developing diabetes? The CDC reports that of those at high risk, estimated at 86 million people, about 90% are unaware of their prediabetic condition.

Think about the impact dentists could have on the health of this enormous prediabetic and diabetic population if chairside glucose screening were available regularly, perhaps as part of the initial examination and every two to three years thereafter as part of a recare examination. While the ADA currently has no official policy statement concerning diabetes screenings, the Code Maintenance Committee of the ADA Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature approved a new CDT code in October 2017 for chairside glucose screening procedures.

DO411 Hb1Ac in-office point of service testing covers finger-stick glucose random capillary testing. Results of this chairside testing can be given to the patient’s physician for follow-up and may provide valuable treatment planning information for the dentist.

Also in 2017, the American Diabetes Association added “Screening in Dental Practices” to its written Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. This document mentions the fact that “periodontal disease is associated with diabetes” and recognizes the usefulness of chairside screening followed by referral to primary care physicians if necessary as a means of early diagnosis and treatment of prediabetes and diabetes.

Although the ADA has not issued an official policy statement about diabetic screening in the dental office, it does offer an online CE course about oral diseases and conditions related to diabetes. For information about the course, visit ADA CE Online and access the course by title, Diabetes Mellitus and the Dental Professional.

Also, following the CDT Code Committee meeting in late 2018, watch for news of a second CDT code dealing with chairside diabetic screening. The Committee may consider requests to cover diabetic screening in the dental office using glucometers rather than the significantly more expensive HbA1c screening devices. If approved, the Committee will issue a new CDT code to cover that procedure. Experts have commented that use of the less complicated, less expensive glucometer may encourage a number of dentists to add chairside screening to their scope of services, thereby adding an important tool in early diagnosis of prediabetes or diabetes.

No comments: