AGD leaders Ralph A. Cooley, DDS, FAGD, and Arlene O’Brien, DMD, FAGD, attended the March 7 American Dental Association (ADA) Code Maintenance Committee (CMC) meeting to provide input and counsel on requested changes to the CDT Code. Both are members of AGD’s Legislative and Governmental Affairs (LGA) Council and serve as delegate and alternate to the CMC, respectively, on behalf of AGD’s Dental Practice Council (DPC). In their roles, they advocated for general dentistry while championing three requests for new listings that were submitted by AGD. 

The following new CDT Codes, which will be available for use beginning Jan. 1, 2026, were approved during the meeting:
1. Nomenclature: Duplication of complete denture – maxillary; descriptor: Does not involve all steps used in initial fabrication.
2. Nomenclature: Duplication of complete denture – mandibular; descriptor: Does not involve all steps used in initial fabrication.
3. Nomenclature: Cleaning and inspection of occlusal guard – per appliance; descriptor: This procedure does not include any adjustments.

The CMC reviewed over 90 codes over the course of the day, and 45 organizations were at the table to represent the insights and experiences of the dental community.  

The next step in this process is to communicate to key groups that these codes have been added and to provide guidance on how to use the new or revised codes correctly. This may involve webinars, newsletters, or training sessions. These resources will be available in 2026.

“Although dentists use these codes every day in the practice, they may not realize how they are defined or how they come about,” said Cooley. “The CMC is the organization that makes that happen, and AGD has a seat at the table. This is just one way in which AGD and the DPC advocate for the general dentist on matters that affect how they practice every day.”

O’Brien added, “AGD members can look forward to some new codes about duplication of complete dentures, including one for maxillary and one for mandibular, as well as another code for cleaning and inspection of an occlusal guard, which are all procedures that general dentists do on a daily basis.”

The code suggestions were developed after the AGD Dental Practice Council's 2023–24 Subcommittee on the Comprehensive Review of the CDT Code conducted a thorough review of the 2024 CDT Code. Its analysis of that information resulted in the identification of several areas in which AGD members — and other dentists — would benefit by having additional codes available to record patient treatment. 

AGD’s most recent request for a new CDT Code, D6089, “accessing and retorquing implant loose implant screw – per screw,” was adopted in 2023 and became effective Jan. 1, 2024. 

In 2024, the CMC approved 24 changes to CDT code entries in CDT 2025. Those included 10 additions, eight revisions, two deletions and four editorials. Details of each accepted action request (code number; nomenclature; descriptor) as submitted or as amended by the CMC were published in the CDT 2025 manual. 

The CMC meets annually to discuss and vote on proposed changes to the CDT Code. Decisions under the CMC’s purview consist of adding new nomenclatures and descriptors, revising existing nomenclatures or descriptors, and deleting full CDT Code entries (nomenclature and descriptor or descriptor only). AGD is one of 20 organizations that vote on the recommendations. Each year, AGD's delegate and alternate delegate to the CMC review each suggested code change and offer independent recommendations. They then discuss their responses and develop consensus recommendations that are presented to the DPC. That council’s members then discuss the recommendations and determine what stance AGD should take in response to each code action request. 

CDT CODE MAINTENANCE PROCESS

AGD members interested in requesting changes to the CDT Code are encouraged to visit ada.org/cdt and review the information on that page, including the information relating to “Request a Change to the Code.” That resource includes instructions and the forms that must be completed in order to request a change. Members interested in requesting that AGD review, or possibly endorse, their recommended change to the CDT Code should submit that information to dentalpractice@agd.org as soon as possible, preferably by May 1. 

The DPC will review the information, offer feedback and advise whether the organization is able to take an official position. Code action requests received by the CMC by Nov. 1 will be considered at the CMC meeting the following March.

LEARN MORE ABOUT AGD'S ROLE IN CODE MAINTENANCE

Listen to Drs. Cooley and O'Brien share their details about the rigorous process of creating this code and how it benefits dental professionals and patients alike. They were guests on the AGD Podcast Series earlier this year. Take a listen.

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AGD would like to express its gratitude to Dr. Cooley, Dr. O'Brien and the Dental Pracitce Council for their efforts on behalf of AGD and general dentistry. We cannot serve our profession without the leadership of these individuals. Thank you!