HCD Headlines 3-23-2026
- Rachael
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Clinic Restoration Schedule
April has a lot in store for us including the restoration of our clinic due to the flooding that happened last year. Per our discussion regarding your role as team members, here is a more detailed plan regarding our expectations for everyone to ensure this project runs smoothly.
Thank you for meeting with us today regarding the plans for restoration 4/9-4/24/26. Here is everything we discussed today.
TEAM NEEDS
4/9 Everyone here at 7:30AM
Box all items in each operatory in one tote. Store in DCH office.
Move all lobby furniture to one side to allow space for incoming boxes and/or staging area. Cover with tarp.
Remove couplers from delivery system in OP1/OP3
Tape off op2 and op4 to avoid confusion
Move monitors/computer towers to DKM office
4/24 - Everyone here at 7:30AM
Restock cabinetry
Prepare for reopening on 4/27
PATIENT CARE
We will send out a newsletter to patients regarding emergency care 4/9-4/17 will be with Huffman Family Dental or Peak Health Dentistry.
Emergency care for 4/20-4/24 will be DKM in ops 2-4 as needed.
I will be available every day the clinic is closed. DKM will be available as needed during the 2nd week.
A lot of things will happen while the office is closed. We may need you on call for assistants and/or admin the 2nd week. Please make yourself available during time in order to help take care of our patients and our practice.
April Schedule
As of today, we have new organization on our doctor teams. DAW's team is welcoming Lauren as their new the Scheduling Coordinator. DCH's team is welcoming Ze as their new Scheduling Coordinator. They will follow their current schedule until we return at the end of April.
We are still keeping our eyes open for a Hygiene Coordinator. If you know of anyone looking for a change or a break into dentistry, please let me know.
You will also notice the team meetings have been shortened for the month of April. This will allow us to see more patients due to the major change in our schedules.
SRP Narratives
I received this information from Guadalupe, and I think this is a great information for all the team. Let me know what you think.
>>>>
If you have ever thought, “They clearly needed SRP, why is it getting denied?”
You are not alone.
Here is the not so glamorous truth. Many dental plans now use automated claim screening software and AI tools to review perio claims for required documentation. That means the claim is often being checked for specific data points and keywords before any human ever looks at it. If those boxes are not clearly documented, the claim is more likely to be denied or kicked back for more information.¹
Box 1, radiographic bone loss
Before we spiral about pocket numbers, start here. Payer policies want radiographic bone loss and clinical attachment loss documented, and they may deny without it. *You need roots to scale for SRP.*¹
Also, quick hygienist reminder. X-rays are not just about clearing contacts. You must make sure your images show the alveolar crest clearly enough to support your diagnosis and your claim.
And yes, here is the number that makes everyone argue. Most policies only require a 4 mm pocket or greater. Four. Not five. 😅¹
Box 2, your words matter more than you think
A claim narrative that uses the language payers are scanning for tends to perform better than vague phrases like “deep cleaning needed.”
Use words like:
Radiographic alveolar bone loss
Clinical attachment loss (CAL)
2018 AAP classification with Stage and Grade²
Active inflammatory periodontal disease
SRP including, root surface debridement is medically necessary
Radiographs can underestimate true bone loss, depending on the type of image and anatomy. One review reported underestimation ranges up to about 32% in panoramic views, and up to 23% in bitewings.³
Copy paste narrative starter
“Patient presents with Stage [II or III] periodontitis per the 2018 AAP classification, with clinical attachment loss of __ mm and radiographic evidence of alveolar bone loss in the treated areas. Due to recession, probing depths may underestimate severity. Root surface debridement is medically necessary to debride contaminated root surfaces and control active inflammatory periodontal disease. D4341 or D4342 is appropriate based on attachment loss, radiographic bone loss, and the need for root surface debridement.”¹²
Stay Awesome!
Tosha, RDH
CBCT Patients - Review
Thank you all for your help with our last team meeting while the doctors and I stepped away. There were a few items regarding CBCT patients that needed clarification.
This protocol is for new patients that are requesting a CBCT either on their own or by way of a professional referral. To help keep it simple, this is only referring to new patients (NP) and requests for CBCT.
If the NP wants a CBCT at the request of a medical professional, the patient will need to have a referral sent to us by the requesting provider first. When they come in, their appointment will include a limited exam, CBCT (D0364-D0368), and a diagnosis report (D0391).
If a NP calls for a CBCT but doesn't have a referral, they must be setup as a new patient via a comprehensive exam.
The only exception at this time is for Evergreen Dental patients. They can take an image here without other requirements. Their health history and demographic paperwork can be requested via the form below. The patient doesn't have to complete all of our paperwork so long as this is completed and EVG has sent the patient's info over.
Please send your team members "flowers" to show that you've read through the headlines today.
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