Adding procedure codes

Procedure codes represent the services that you render and products that you sell. Your Dentrix Ascend database comes with all the current procedure codes, which are updated automatically as needed, but you can add your own custom procedure codes to your organisation.

Note: When you add a procedure code, Dentrix Ascend automatically adds it to every fee schedule in all locations of your organisation. Additionally, the fee for the procedure code in the current location's preferred fee schedule will be the same as the procedure code's default fee. However, all other fee schedules in all locations will have a �0.00 fee for the procedure code, so you must manually specify a fee for the procedure code in every other fee schedule in every location.

To add a procedure code

How to get there

If you are not already viewing the correct location, select it on the Location menu.
On the Settings menu, under Production, click (or tap) Procedure Codes & Conditions.
The Procedure Codes & Conditions page opens.

On the Procedure Codes tab of a location's Procedure Codes & Conditions page, click (or tap) Add Procedure Code.
Note: You may want to verify that the procedure code that you want to add does not already exist before attempting to add it. You can do this before or after clicking (or tapping) Add Procedure Code. To do it before, with All selected in the View list, type a code or description in the Search for specific procedure box.
The Create Procedure Code dialogue box appears.
Leave Procedure code selected as the Code type. You cannot change the code type once you save the procedure.
Specify the code, description, office code, category, location's fee, and treatment area; and set up the other options as needed.
Set up the following options:
- Code - Enter the code for the procedure. You can search for procedures by the code wherever you can select a procedure. You cannot change the code once you save the procedure code. If you enter an existing procedure code, enter a suffix for the code (for example, if you want to create an alias code for CRN, you can create a procedure with "1" as the suffix) in the additional box that appears. An alias code is a procedure code followed by a period (.) and then a custom alphanumeric value up to five characters in length. Having an alias code (alternate code) allows you to have duplicate procedures in your organisation's database, so you can, for example, charge different rates for similar procedures but have the same procedure code show on claims.
- Description - Enter a description for the procedure. You can search for procedures by the description wherever you can enter a procedure.
- Office Code - Enter the code, either a shorthand version of the code description or a custom code, for this procedure.
- Category - Select the category that this procedure belongs to. There is also an option to specify that this procedure is a product (such as a power toothbrush or a home bleaching kit) that will not be billed to third parties.
- Include in favorites - Favourite procedures are the ones that you use most commonly. Turn this switch On to mark this procedure as a favourite so that you have quick and easy access to the procedure when you are charting procedures. Favourites have a yellow star next to them in the list of procedure codes on the Procedure Codes & Conditions page.
- Assign to - The default for how this procedure is to be billed is determined by the selected procedure filter during the posting of this procedure, so leave Private selected. You can change the assignment for a posted procedure as needed.
- Location fee - Enter the default amount that you charge at this location for this procedure.
- Treatment area - Select the treatment area that this procedure corresponds to: Tooth, Mouth, Surface, Quadrant, Root, or Arch. This option is not available if the selected Category is Products.
- Charting symbol - According to the selected Treatment area, select how you want this procedure to be charted (only the symbols that are applicable for the selected treatment area appear in the list):
  - Tooth, Quadrant, or Arch - None, 3/4 Crown - hatched, 3/4 Crown - outline, 3/4 Crown solid, Apicoectomy, Bridge - hatched, Bridge - outline, Bridge retainer crown - hatched, Bridge retainer crown - outline, Crown - hatched, Crown - outline, Crown solid, Denture - hatched, Denture - outline, Denture - solid, Extraction, Implant - blade, Implant - cylinder, Pins, Posts, Root canal, Sealant, Bridge - solid, or Bridge retainer crown - solid.
  - Surface - None, Surface restoration - dotted, Surface restoration - hatched, or Surface restoration - solid.
  - Root - None, Apicoectomy, or Root canal.
  - Mouth - Not applicable.
- NHS Clinical Data Set Default - Select the default clinical data set for NHS claims with this procedure. With a default data set selected, this procedure is available for posting to an NHS patient's record. When you are creating a claim, you can change the data set as needed.
  Important: Be aware that if you post a multi-code in an NHS patient's clinical record (from the Chart or Quick Exam tab), and that multi-code includes some procedures without a default data set specified, those procedures will not be posted. Similarly, if you post a multi-code in an NHS patient's financial record (from the Ledger page), and that multi-code includes some procedures without a default data set specified, those procedures will not be posted unless you change the Assign to selection to Private or Third Party (if available).
- Treatment Category Default - Select the default treatment category for NHS claims for this procedure. When you are creating a claim for this and other procedures, the default category of one of those other procedures may take precedence over the default category of this procedure (for example, Band 2 takes precedence over Band 1). However, you can change the category on the claim as needed.
Click (or tap) Create.

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