---
title: "What Is Current Dental Terminology? Dental Practice Glossary"
description: "Current Dental Terminology is the American Dental Association's standard code set for naming and reporting dental procedures on records and insurance claims."
url: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/current-dental-terminology
publisher: Copeland Consulting Services
email: drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com
contact: https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact
---

Insurance and network

# Current Dental Terminology

Current Dental Terminology is the American Dental Association's standard code set for naming and reporting dental procedures on records and insurance claims.

Current Dental Terminology, often shortened to CDT, is published by the American Dental Association. The ADA says the Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature assures consistency in documenting dental treatment.

The set holds the procedure codes called [CDT codes](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/cdt-code). Offices, insurers and software systems use it. A committee reviews requests for new or changed codes, and new editions come out on a set schedule.

Because the code set changes, offices should update their software and train staff each year. See [dental billing](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-billing). The ADA's site has the current rules and announcements.

[Next stepPractice consulting with Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact?topic=consulting)

## Related terms

-   [CDT code](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/cdt-code)
-   [Dental billing](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-billing)
-   [Dental claim](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-claim)
-   [American Dental Association](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/glossary/american-dental-association)

## Sources

1.  [American Dental Association: The Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature (CDT Code)](https://www.ada.org/publications/cdt)

## Talk with Dr. Copeland

[Contact Dr. Copeland](https://joncopeland.multisites.ai/contact)[Email](mailto:drcopeland@joncopelanddds.com)