D9243 — IV moderate (conscious) sedation — each added 15 min
One of the codes covering the range of pain and anxiety control in dentistry.
This code belongs to a set of eight covering anaesthesia and sedation. The clinical detail lives in the anaesthesia and sedation guide; the code-level detail is here.
The detail below covers what the code obliges the record to show, the range of fees, the likely insurance outcome, and a comparison drawn code by code.
The conditions built into D9243
Sequence — an "each additional" code. D9243 never appears on its own. It follows the primary code for the same procedure at the same visit and carries a lower fee. A claim showing it without a matching primary code above it will be rejected.
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.
Told apart from the codes it is confused with
D9239 — IV moderate (conscious) sedation — first 15 min: It is the primary line this one follows.
D9248 — Oral (non-IV) conscious sedation: It is the primary line this one follows.
D9230 — Nitrous oxide (laughing gas): It is the primary line this one follows.
D9223 — Deep sedation / general anesthesia (per 15 min): It is the primary line this one follows.
D9243 sits in a group of eight codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. The distinction is clinical, not administrative: each of these describes work that was genuinely done differently, and the fee follows the work.
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 |
|---|---|
| D9243 | IV moderate (conscious) sedation — each added 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) |
| D9239 | IV moderate (conscious) sedation — first 15 min |
| D9248 | Oral (non-IV) conscious sedation |
Questions about D9243
What is D9243 on my dental bill?
Iv moderate (conscious) sedation, each added 15 min. It belongs to the adjunctive general services section of the code set.
Is D9243 expensive?
Most private fees fall in $180–$500. Geography accounts for more of that spread than anything clinical.
How do dental plans handle D9243?
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 D9243 and D9239?
D9239 is IV moderate (conscious) sedation, first 15 min: it is the primary line this one follows. 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.