D9222 — Deep sedation / general anesthesia, first 15 min
D9222 covers the first fifteen minutes of deep sedation or general anaesthesia.
eight codes describe anaesthesia and sedation, and this is one of them. What separates it from the other seven is the subject of this page; the anaesthesia and sedation guide covers the treatment itself.
Below is what the code actually specifies, the fee range to expect, how dental benefits normally handle it, and the specific differences between it and the codes it is most often confused with.
What the code commits to
Counted — in fifteen-minute units, so the total depends on how long the appointment actually runs rather than on what was done.
The nearby codes and how they differ
D9223 — Deep sedation / general anesthesia (per 15 min): It is the same procedure with one word changed: per rather than first.
D9219 — Evaluation for sedation/general anesthesia: It is the assessment appointment that decides whether a patient can safely be sedated or anaesthetised.
D9215 — Local anesthesia with a procedure: It is the local anaesthetic injection given with a procedure, normally included in that procedure's fee rather than billed separately.
D9230 — Nitrous oxide (laughing gas): It is nitrous oxide, the inhaled gas that takes the edge off anxiety without putting the patient under.
D9222 sits in a group of eight codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. A plan reads these codes as definitions, not as descriptions. If the notes for the visit do not match D9222 exactly, the claim is assessed as whichever of these the notes do match.
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.
| Code | Procedure |
|---|---|
| D9222 | Deep sedation / general anesthesia, first 15 min — this page |
| D9215 | Local anesthesia with a procedure |
| D9219 | Evaluation for sedation/general anesthesia |
| D9223 | Deep sedation / general anesthesia (per 15 min) |
| D9230 | Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) |
| D9239 | IV moderate (conscious) sedation — first 15 min |
| D9243 | IV moderate (conscious) sedation — each added 15 min |
| D9248 | Oral (non-IV) conscious sedation |
Questions about D9222
What procedure is D9222?
It is the entry for deep sedation / general anesthesia, first 15 min. A practice cannot use it for anything broader than that, which is what makes the code useful to you.
Is D9222 expensive?
The usual range is $250–$700. Anything well outside it is worth a question rather than an assumption.
How do dental plans handle D9222?
Usually yes, as adjunctive treatment at 0–80% — but coverage turns on your own policy, its annual maximum and any waiting period.
What is the difference between D9222 and D9223?
D9223 is deep sedation / general anesthesia, per 15 min: it is the same procedure with one word changed: per rather than first. That one difference is the whole distinction; the chair time, the materials and the appointment sequence are the same either way.
Also known as: dental sedation, laughing gas, nitrous oxide, IV sedation, general anaesthesia, dental anxiety.