D0364 is the CDT code for a cone beam CT scan of less than one jaw, captured and read by the same provider.
- When to use: Your office takes and reads a focused scan of one site, such as a single implant site, an impacted tooth, or a suspected root fracture.
- When not to use: A full lower arch is D0365, a full upper arch is D0366, both jaws are D0367, capture only is D0380, and a read alone is D0391.
- Billing note: Never add D0380 or D0391 for the same scan, and name the anatomy a 2D film could not show so the reviewer sees the need.
What D0364 covers
D0364 reports a cone beam CT scan of a limited area, less than one whole jaw, where the same provider captures the image and interprets it. The one line covers the 3D scan and the diagnostic read, with a written interpretation in the record. Both conditions, the limited field of view and the single provider, must be true for D0364 to fit.
Common clinical situations for a limited CBCT:
- Locating a single impacted or ectopic tooth and its relationship to adjacent roots and nerves.
- Planning an implant at one site, where the bone volume and proximity to the sinus or the inferior alveolar canal matter.
- Evaluating a localized lesion, a suspected root fracture, or a focused endodontic problem that 2D films can’t resolve.
What D0364 is not
- A larger field-of-view scan. A full arch of the mandible is D0365, a full arch of the maxilla is D0366, and both jaws, with or without cranium, is D0367.
- Capture only or interpretation only. A scan taken by one provider and read by another is reported as D0380 (capture only, limited field of view) plus D0391 (interpretation only). See the next section.
- A 2D radiograph. A panoramic image is D0330 and a full-mouth intraoral series is D0210.
The CBCT billing guide covers the two variables that pick every cone beam code and the full code family.
D0364 versus the capture-only and interpretation-only codes
D0364, D0380, and D0391 can all apply to a limited scan, but they describe different scopes of work:
D0364 (capture and interpretation) is the single-provider path. Your office takes the limited scan, and your provider reads it and writes the interpretation.
D0380 (capture only) is for an office that takes the scan but sends it out to be read.
D0391 (interpretation only) is for the reading provider, such as an oral and maxillofacial radiologist, who receives a scan they did not capture and produces a diagnostic report.
In the practice management system, keep D0364 and D0380 as separate entries with labels that name the difference. A single generic “CBCT” entry is how a single-office scan ends up billed as both a capture and a separate read. The rest of the setup is in setting up cone beam codes in your PMS.
Why D0364 gets denied
Two patterns account for most denials on a limited scan.
The first is the duplicate line: D0364 submitted with D0380 or D0391 for the same scan. Delta Dental’s processing policy treats the D0391 fee as included in the capture-and-interpretation codes and reprocesses a same-office pair back to the combined code.
The second is necessity. Carriers pay cone beam as adjunctive imaging when a 2D film could not answer the clinical question, and a limited volume invites the reviewer to ask why a periapical did not settle it. Name the anatomy in the narrative: nerve or sinus proximity at a specific site, a suspected root fracture, a localized lesion that a flat image could not resolve.
Necessity standards, frequency windows, and plans with no cone beam benefit are covered in the guide’s coverage, necessity, and frequency section.
Documentation that supports the claim
Two documentation facts are specific to D0364:
- The chart must record that the captured volume was limited, less than one whole jaw, and name the imaged site. That is what separates D0364 from D0365 and D0366.
- A written interpretation report must exist in the record, because D0364 includes the read. A combined code with no report behind it is an easy audit finding.
The rest of what a cone beam claim needs is in the guide’s documentation that supports a cone beam claim section.
FAQs
- What is the dental code for a CBCT scan?
- There is a family of CBCT codes, picked by two questions: how big is the scanned area (the field of view), and did the same provider both take and read the scan? D0364 is a limited field of view, less than one whole jaw, captured and interpreted by the same provider. Larger scans use D0365 (full arch, mandible), D0366 (full arch, maxilla), or D0367 (both jaws). If one provider captures the scan and another reads it, capture and interpretation are billed under separate codes.
- What's the difference between D0364 and D0380?
- Interpretation. Both cover a limited field of view, less than one whole jaw. D0364 is capture and interpretation together: your office takes the scan and reads it. D0380 is capture only, used when someone else, typically an oral radiologist, interprets the scan and bills the read under D0391. Billing D0364 and D0380 for the same scan bills the capture twice.
- Can I bill D0364 and D0391 together?
- Not for the same scan. D0364 already includes the interpretation, and D0391 reports an interpretation by a provider who did not capture the image, so billing both double-bills the read. D0391 pairs with a capture-only code (D0380 for a limited field of view) when the office that took the scan and the reading provider are different. If your office captures and reads its own limited CBCT, bill D0364 alone.
- How is the field of view defined for D0364?
- Less than one whole jaw: a focused volume rather than a full arch. A complete arch moves up to D0365 (mandible) or D0366 (maxilla), and both jaws, with or without the cranium, is D0367. The field of view is a scan setting, not a billing judgment, so code what the machine captured and document the imaged area in the chart.
- Does insurance cover D0364?
- It depends on the plan, and CBCT coverage is more restrictive than routine radiographs. Many plans cover advanced 3D imaging only with documented clinical necessity, often tied to implant planning, surgical evaluation, or pathology, and many apply a frequency limit that can run 12 months or longer. Some plans don't cover CBCT at all. Verify the plan's necessity and frequency rules before the scan, and submit the interpretation report and clinical indication with the claim.
- Is D0364 a current CDT code?
- Yes. D0364 is active in CDT 2026. It is the smallest field of view (limited, less than one whole jaw) in the cone beam capture-and-interpretation series D0364 through D0368, which runs alongside the capture-only series D0380 through D0384 and the standalone interpretation code D0391.
Related codes
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CDT codes are maintained by the American Dental Association. This page is an editorial billing guide, not the official ADA code descriptor. Verify current coverage policies with each carrier before submitting claims.