D7465 — Destruction of lesion(s) by physical or chemical method, by report
D7465 destroys a lesion by freezing, cautery or a chemical agent rather than cutting it out, so there is no specimen to send.
One of eleven biopsy and lesion excision codes. If you are trying to understand the treatment, start with the biopsy and lesion excision guide; if you are trying to understand this line on your estimate, you are in the right place.
What the code requires, what it costs, how it is paid, and how to tell it from its neighbours — each in its own section below.
D7465 in detail
Documentation — by report. A written narrative describing what was done and why no specific code applied has to accompany the claim. Submitted without one it is not assessed, it is simply returned.
D7465 compared with its closest relatives
D7441 — Excision of malignant tumor — lesion diameter greater than 1.25 cm: It is the specific code to use in preference to a by-report one.
D7440 — Excision of malignant tumor — lesion diameter up to 1.25 cm: It is the specific code to use in preference to a by-report one.
D7415 — Excision of malignant lesion — complicated: It is the complicated variant, requiring a supporting narrative.
D7414 — Excision of malignant lesion — greater than 1.25 cm: It is the specific code to use in preference to a by-report one.
D7465 sits in a group of eleven codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. A single word separates several of these codes, and a payer reads that word literally. If the record does not support D7465 specifically, the claim comes back — usually repriced to whichever neighbouring code the reviewer thinks was actually performed.
Every code in this group
These codes describe the same broad procedure and differ in one respect each. Each has its own page with its own fee range and coverage notes.
Questions about D7465
What is D7465 on my dental bill?
It is the entry for destruction of lesion(s) by physical or chemical method, by report. A practice cannot use it for anything broader than that, which is what makes the code useful to you.
What is the typical fee for D7465?
Between $250–$700 in most practices — and that is the figure before any benefit is applied, not what you would pay at the desk.
How do dental plans handle D7465?
Usually yes, as basic / major oral surgery treatment at typically 70–80% — but coverage turns on your own policy, its annual maximum and any waiting period.
What is the difference between D7465 and D7441?
D7441 is excision of malignant tumor, lesion diameter greater than 1.25 cm: it is the specific code to use in preference to a by-report one. The rest of the procedure is the same, which is why the two get substituted for one another on estimates.
Also known as: oral biopsy, mouth lesion, oral cancer, lesion excision, pathology.