Preventive resin restorations: practice and billing patterns of pediatric dentists.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine practice patterns of pediatric dentists for preventive resin restorations (PRRs) and if they believe a code should be added to the American Dental Association's current dental terminology (CDT) for the PRR.


METHODS
A 16-question survey sent to 475 pediatric dentists randomly selected from the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry database, addressed demographics, treatment planning, techniques in preparation and restoration, billing practices, and perceptions about the need for a CDT code for PRRs.


RESULTS
Two hundred thirty-eight (50%) surveys were returned, revealing that 72% of respondents perform PRRs and 64% feel that a PRR code should be added to the CDT Fifty-two percent believe not having a CDT code could cause dentists to perform more invasive dentistry to comply with billing requirements that Class I restorations be in dentin. PRRs are commonly treatment planned for deep pits and fissures with questionable decoy not entering dentin. Up to 50% of respondents could be erroneously billing for PRRs.


CONCLUSIONS
Most pediatric dentists perform preventive resin restorations in their office and believe that a code for the procedure needs to be added to the current dental terminology.
Savage
Bryan
B
Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Baylor College of Dentistry, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.
McWhorter
Alton G
AG
Kerins
Carolyn A
CA
Seale
N Sue
NS
D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000145:classification / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000379:methods; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003750:Dental Fissures / Q000145:classification / Q000517:prevention & control; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003792:Dental Records; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D005250:Fees, Dental; D005568:Forms and Records Control; D006801:Humans; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010377:Pediatric Dentistry / Q000191:economics*; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'; D014481:United States
D003188:Composite Resins; D003764:Dental Materials