Important information for our Government Programs providers about teledentistry

We are actively monitoring information about coronavirus (COVID-19) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), American Dental Association (ADA) and other public health agencies to provide updates to our providers, customers and enrollees and to ensure their health and safety.

The ADA and other government agencies recommend postponing elective procedures at this time. Out of respect for these guidelines and for everyone’s health and safety, please use teledentistry to assess your patients for non-emergency consults, as well as for diagnosing emergency situations, before they come into the office.

Delta Dental will accept claims for services delivered through teledentistry. Under Delta Dental policy, the teledentistry codes (D9995 and D9996) are considered descriptive only and are not a billable item to the patient or reimbursed by Delta Dental. Claims for teledentistry should list the appropriate evaluation procedure code, such as D0140, D0170, and on a separate line, the teledentistry code D9995 for real-time interactions (synchronous – e.g., telephone consultation or digital visual interactions) and D9996 for text, photo or other non-live interactions (asynchronous.) Please refer to the applicable program Dental Office Handbook for plan coverage. Standard dental policy will apply to the evaluation codes.

In response to government orders to shelter in place, and to limit the spread of the virus, we have shifted most of our employees to work from home. As a result, we are strongly urging all providers to submit claims through our online tools — Member Portal for Federal Government Programs or Provider Tools — to ensure you are paid as quickly as possible. We will be prioritizing electronic submissions and will address paper submissions as our capacity allows.

We sincerely appreciate your care for our members. Please stay healthy and safe during this crisis.