How to read a dental treatment plan

A treatment plan can arrive as a dense page of codes and numbers. Read slowly and it usually follows a pattern: which tooth, what work, in what order, and what it is expected to cost.

Tooth numbers

In the United States, permanent teeth are usually numbered from one to thirty-two, starting at the upper right at the back and working around to the lower right. Baby teeth often use letters. The number tells you which tooth each line is about.

Procedure codes

Each item usually carries a short code that insurers use, with a description beside it. If the description is unclear, ask the practice to explain it in plain words. It is your plan, and you are entitled to understand it.

Phases

Bigger plans are often split into phases: urgent work first, then repairs, then anything elective. Ask why the order is what it is, and whether any phase could move.

• Which items are urgent, and why
• What happens if an item waits
• Whether there is another option for any item
• What your coverage is expected to pay, and what is left

Take the plan home. A decision made the next day is still a decision.

Getting a second opinion

For larger work, asking another dentist to look is a normal step. Ask for copies of your X-rays to take with you; practices can usually provide them.