Structures dental treatment planning with phasing, cost estimation, and alternative options presentation. Use when creating treatment plans, phasing dental work, or presenting treatment options.
Structures dental treatment planning with phasing, cost estimation, CDT coding, and alternative options presentation following ADA informed consent standards.
Treatment plans are the contractual bridge between diagnosis and execution. A poorly structured plan leads to phasing errors (restorative before perio stabilization), insurance claim denials from incorrect CDT sequencing, patient confusion about costs and timelines, and malpractice exposure from undisclosed alternatives. This skill enforces evidence-based phasing protocols, ensures every procedure is mapped to the correct CDT code, and requires documentation of alternatives and their trade-offs per ADA informed consent principles.
Organize the problem list from the examination into treatment urgency tiers.
Structure the plan into sequential phases following established dental treatment sequencing.
Map every planned procedure to the correct CDT code with fee estimates.
Document at least one alternative for each major treatment decision per ADA informed consent standards.
When the treatment plan involves multiple specialties, document the coordination sequence.
Prepare the treatment plan for patient presentation and signature.
Before presenting to the patient, verify:
| # | Audit Item | Pass Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Problem-plan alignment | Every diagnosis has a treatment entry or documented deferral reason |
| 2 | Phase sequencing | Disease control precedes definitive treatment; re-evaluation documented |
| 3 | CDT code accuracy | All codes match current-year CDT; no bundling violations |
| 4 | Fee transparency | Patient portion calculated per phase with insurance estimation |
| 5 | Alternatives documented | At least one alternative per major treatment decision |
| 6 | Informed consent complete | Risks, benefits, alternatives, and no-treatment consequences documented |
| 7 | Pre-authorization flagged | Procedures needing pre-determination identified with supporting documentation listed |
| 8 | Specialist coordination | Referral sequence and dependencies documented when applicable |
| 9 | Patient acceptance recorded | Signed treatment plan with authorized phases clearly marked |
| 10 | Timeline realistic | Healing periods (implant osseointegration, post-SRP re-evaluation) accounted for |