Healthcare Providers

Audio-Only Visits

Audio-only teledentistry is covered when the patient is unable to participate in an audiovisual visit in lieu of an in-person office visit. Dental providers should use D0190 with D9995 for audio-only dental telehealth visits.

Detailed information for how to bill for telemedicine visits can be found in the telemedicine section of this resource center (see the Dentists tab).

COVID-19 Vaccine Administration

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has amended an emergency declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act to authorize additional providers, including dentists and dental students, to vaccinate patients for COVID-19 nationwide. The final authority does rest with each individual state. Currently, dentists who practice in Maryland and Virginia may act as COVID-19 Vaccine Administrators, once they successfully complete training on the administration of COVID-19 vaccines.

Dentists who have met these qualifications are advised to use the appropriate medical diagnosis codes listed below in alignment with the specific COVID-19 vaccine dose administered when submitting the claim to their patient’s medical plan using the HCFA-1500 form*. If a claim is received by the patient’s CareFirst dental plan, a denial will be returned with the remittance referring the provider to the patient’s medical plan for billing.

*For FEP PPO Standard and Basic Option plans, dentists should use the appropriate dental CDT codes on the most current 2019 © American Dental Association claim form when submitting the claim to their patient’s FEP medical plan.

Testing Information

Teledentistry

As dental offices reopen for comprehensive care, CareFirst will continue to cover telehealth visits for problem-focused dental evaluations and follow ups using the teledentistry code for synchronous visits (D9995). Detailed information for how to bill for telehealth visits can be found in the telemedicine section of this resource center.