Dental anesthesiologists get provider codes

The American Society of Dentist Anesthesiologists (ASDA) has been assigned provider codes by the National Uniform Claim Committee (NUCC).

Provider taxonomy code 1223D0004X defines dentist anesthesiologists as "a dentist who has successfully completed an accredited postdoctoral anesthesiology residency training program for dentists of two or more years duration, in accord with Commission on Dental Accreditation's Standards for Dental Anesthesiology Residency Programs, and/or meets the eligibility requirements for examination by the American Dental Board of Anesthesiology."

According to the ASDA, this designation is critical in helping patients with intellectual and developmental challenges and young children with severe dental disease obtain insurance reimbursement for office-based anesthesia services. Although it was previously possible to file insurance claims for these services, there was no way to distinguish the advanced training and services of the dentist anesthesiologist from other dental providers, frequently resulting in delay or denial of insurance reimbursement for these patients the ASDA noted.

The NUCC, chaired and hosted by the American Medical Association, is responsible for establishing national standards of content and data definitions for noninstitutional healthcare forms in the U.S.