In Case You Missed It: Dental Hygiene Treatment Planning: New and Amended CDT Procedure Codes for 2025 by Kathy Forbes

In the fast-paced world of dental hygiene, staying current with industry practices and enhancing patient care are paramount. If you couldn't make it to the recent Viva Webinar featuring Kathy Forbes RDH, fear not! We've got you covered with a concise overview and some key highlights from the session. This invaluable webinar explored the prophy to perio conversion—an essential skill for modern hygienists.

Overview:

The webinar focused on empowering dental hygiene professionals to excel in converting prophy patients to perio treatment plans. Kathy Forbes RDH, an experienced speaker and advocate for transformative dental hygiene practices, shared her expertise and strategies for achieving this conversion with ease and authenticity. Her insights are a must-see for anyone looking to enhance their practice and patient outcomes.

1. Understanding the Need for Perio Care

Kathy emphasized the importance of proper periodontal care, "Seeing that patient at a four o'clock hour with 60% bone loss and recognizing their need for a different care plan is crucial." The session detailed the necessity of reevaluating traditional six-month recall

systems and highlighted the statistics on periodontal disease prevalence, urging hygienists to advocate for comprehensive care.

2. Navigating CDT Codes and Insurance Complexities

Understanding insurance implications is essential for patient care and practice profitability. Kathy explained, "What is the perio percentage? It's the proportion of periodontal procedures in relation to the total number of hygiene procedures performed." She detailed the use of CDT codes to assess and improve practice metrics. Encouraging practitioners to know their insurance plans, she said, "It's our responsibility to share the news and guide [patients] through the process."

3. The Power of Communication and Collaboration

Effective communication between dental professionals is key to successful patient outcomes. Kathy stressed the value of team alignment, "The key for great patient care is provider calibration. Everyone must be on the same page." By fostering strong collaboration among team members and ensuring consistency in care protocols, hygienists can better navigate difficult conversations and develop patient-focused treatment plans.

If you're eager to delve deeper and see how these strategies, along with the complexities of CDT codes, can transform your practice, catch the full webinar recording at VOCOLearning.com (and get FREE CE credits). It's a fantastic opportunity to learn from one of the leading voices in dental hygiene and incorporate these best practices into your own professional journey.