D9239 — IV moderate (conscious) sedation — first 15 min
D9239 covers the first fifteen minutes of intravenous moderate sedation, where the patient stays conscious but deeply relaxed.
One of eight anaesthesia and sedation codes. If you are trying to understand the treatment, start with the anaesthesia and sedation guide; if you are trying to understand this line on your estimate, you are in the right place.
The rest of this page deals with the specifics: the requirements written into the code, the usual range of fees, the typical benefit outcome, and how to tell it apart from its closest relatives.
What D9239 specifies
Counted — in fifteen-minute units, so the total depends on how long the appointment actually runs rather than on what was done.
D9239 compared with its closest relatives
D9243 — IV moderate (conscious) sedation — each added 15 min: It is the each-additional line that follows it.
D9230 — Nitrous oxide (laughing gas): It is nitrous oxide, the inhaled gas that takes the edge off anxiety without putting the patient under.
D9248 — Oral (non-IV) conscious sedation: It is sedation given as a tablet or a liquid rather than through a vein, common for children and very anxious adults.
D9223 — Deep sedation / general anesthesia (per 15 min): It covers each further fifteen minutes of deep sedation or general anaesthesia after the first.
D9239 sits in a group of eight codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. Reviewers compare the narrative against the code rather than the other way round, so the question worth asking is what the notes will say.
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 |
|---|---|
| D9239 | IV moderate (conscious) sedation — first 15 min — this page |
| D9215 | Local anesthesia with a procedure |
| D9219 | Evaluation for sedation/general anesthesia |
| D9222 | Deep sedation / general anesthesia, first 15 min |
| D9223 | Deep sedation / general anesthesia (per 15 min) |
| D9230 | Nitrous oxide (laughing gas) |
| D9243 | IV moderate (conscious) sedation — each added 15 min |
| D9248 | Oral (non-IV) conscious sedation |
Questions about D9239
What does dental code D9239 mean?
On a claim, D9239 tells the insurer that what was performed was IV moderate (conscious) sedation, first 15 min.
What is the typical fee for D9239?
Between $250–$700 in most practices — and that is the figure before any benefit is applied, not what you would pay at the desk.
Does dental insurance cover D9239?
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 D9239 and D9243?
D9243 is IV moderate (conscious) sedation, each added 15 min: it is the each-additional line that follows it. Apart from that, the two describe the same treatment — which is why the notes for the visit matter more here than the code itself.
Also known as: dental sedation, laughing gas, nitrous oxide, IV sedation, general anaesthesia, dental anxiety.