Procedure Code Edit 

See the New Procedure Code page for information on entering new procedure codes.

To edit an existing procedure code, go to the Procedure Codes window and double click on an existing code:

Time Pattern
The time pattern is changed by a slider on the left, with slashes for assistant time and X's for dr time. Single clicking on an X or / toggles to the other.

Procedure Code
The ProcCode is not editable. You can start with a new code or edit an existing code, but instead of deleting a code, you should just place it in the obsolete category where it won't get used. Notice that the code may be up to 15 digits. Any code starting with a D will be shortened to 5 characters before being included on an insurance claim. So, for example, you can have two different codes for nitrous with the difference being a letter that is added to the end of a standard D code. When sent to insurance, they will look like standard 5 digit codes.

You can fill in an alternate code for some Medicaid plans like DentiCal. Instructions on how to set up insurance plans to use alternate codes are in the Ins Plan Types section.

If there is a corresponding Medical code then you can enter it in at the top. But you cannot do this until you have already setup the medical code. A medical code is entered in just like any dental code, except using a standard CPT code instead of a D code. You would probably create a category for all your medical codes in the Definitions window, then assign all medical codes to that category. After entering the medical code, return to the corresponding dental code, and link the two by entering the medical code here.

Ins Substitution Codes
Sometimes, insurance companies reduce the allowed amount of a procedure. Put the substituted code in the box, and optionally set the "Only if" condition.

Posterior composites: Typically reduced to the corresponding amalgam coverage. Put the amalgam code in the box. Since this is usually only done if the composite was performed on a molar, set the condition to Molar.
Porcelain crowns: Typically reduced to full gold crown coverage. Put the FGC code in the box. Since this is usually only done if the crown is on a second molar, set the condition to SecondMolar. Many offices charge the same for both types of crowns, so this setting is not as important as the posterior composite setting.

Paint Type, Treatment Area, and Category
The Paint Type refers to the way a procedure is drawn on the graphical tooth chart in the Chart module.

Depending on which Treatment Area you select from the list, you will have different options when working with that procedure. For instance, if you select Tooth, you will not be given the option for surfaces, but only for a tooth number. Mouth is generic with no extra options.

The category list is user definable from the Definitions window, so the categories you see might be different than in your office.

Colors
The graphical tooth chart displays for each patient at the upper left of the Chart module. The colors are usually based on the status of each procedure, such as Treatment Planned or Completed. The colors are all customizable in Definitions. So you don't usually set colors for individual procedure codes. But there are rare situations where you might always want a particular procedure code to always show in one color. The best example of this is implants, where they look better if they are always gray rather than red, blue, or green. So you do have the option to set a color to override the usual status colors. Clear color will set this code back to the default behavior of using the status colors.

Check Boxes
There are four checkboxes for special circumstances.
Triggers Recall: For exams (usually periodic or complete) or possibly cleanings that you want to trigger a new recall in 6 months.
Do not usually bill to insurance: For codes other than standard D Codes, or codes that you don't usually want to get billed to insurance. crown seats, for instance.
Is Hygiene procedure: Lets you automatically assign procedures to the hygiene provider when scheduling an appointment with two providers. See the Appointment Edit section for an explanation of Hygiene provider.
Is Prosthesis: Causes extra fields to be available in the Procedure Edit window such as previous date and original vs. replacement. It also keeps these types of procedures from getting sent to insurance without filling in this information.

Fees
The fees for this procedure code are shown in list to the right. The fee schedules shown are the ones you defined in Definitions. Each procedure can have as many fee schedules as you want (there is no limit). You would generally set up one fee schedule for each insurance company you are contracted with as well as one fee schedule for your Usual Customary and Regular fees. To edit a fee, click once on the item in the list.

Notes
The default note is the template note which will be copied into a patient's chart each time that procedure is set complete. For instance, materials used, procedures followed; whatever would normally go in your chart notes. They always get edited at the time of the procedure, but putting them here saves a lot of extra typing. The usual way of setting a procedure complete is by Setting Complete the appointment it's attached to, although you can also set single procedures complete from the Procedure Edit window. You should enter ahead of time a typical entry including treatment performed, materials used, anesthetic, and informed consent, etc. Once an appointment has been marked complete, each procedure will have most of the notes filled in automatically, and the details would just need to be adjusted from within the Chart module. Additional ways of handling notes are described in the Notes section and the Quick Paste Notes section.

If you enter two quotes without anything between them, like this "", anywhere in your note, then it triggers some special functionality in the program. The default note still gets copied to the procedure note just like always. Then, it is expected that the clinical staff will enter something between the quotes. If they forget, then the procedure note is considered to be incomplete. You will see a big red "Incomplete Note" warning above the procedure note, and the procedure will show on the Incomplete Procedure Notes Report. Some examples of where you would use "" would be composite shade, crown shade, denture shade, due date, blood pressure, nitrous levels, etc. Anything you don't want users to forget to enter.

Notes and Times for Specific Providers
Different Providers frequently would prefer to have different default notes and different time allotments for each procedure. If so, click Add Note:

Select a provider, a time pattern, and a note. You may delete these notes without disturbing any patient data.