D9223 — Deep sedation / general anesthesia (per 15 min)
D9223 covers each further fifteen minutes of deep sedation or general anaesthesia after the first.
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.
The sections that follow deal with the requirements, the fee, the claim, and the neighbouring codes — the last of which is where most of the confusion starts.
The specifics of D9223
Counted — by time, in quarter-hour increments. A long appointment produces several units of the same code on one claim, which is normal and not duplicate billing.
Not to be confused with
D9222 — Deep sedation / general anesthesia, first 15 min: It is the same procedure with one word changed: first rather than per.
D9219 — Evaluation for sedation/general anesthesia: It is the assessment appointment that decides whether a patient can safely be sedated or anaesthetised.
D9230 — Nitrous oxide (laughing gas): It is nitrous oxide, the inhaled gas that takes the edge off anxiety without putting the patient under.
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.
D9223 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 D9223 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 |
|---|---|
| D9223 | Deep sedation / general anesthesia (per 15 min) — this page |
| D9215 | Local anesthesia with a procedure |
| D9219 | Evaluation for sedation/general anesthesia |
| D9222 | Deep sedation / general anesthesia, first 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 D9223
What is D9223 on my dental bill?
On a claim, D9223 tells the insurer that what was performed was deep sedation / general anesthesia, per 15 min.
Is D9223 expensive?
Usually somewhere in $180–$500 as a gross fee. The code fixes what was done, not what it costs, so ask for the practice's own figure in writing.
How do dental plans handle D9223?
It is generally a covered benefit in the adjunctive category, 0–80%. Frequency limits and waiting periods are the usual reasons a claim is refused.
What is the difference between D9223 and D9222?
D9222 is deep sedation / general anesthesia, first 15 min: it is the same procedure with one word changed: first rather than per. Everything else about the appointment is identical, so the record has to show that one detail for D9223 to be the defensible code.
Also known as: dental sedation, laughing gas, nitrous oxide, IV sedation, general anaesthesia, dental anxiety.