Substance use screening in dental visits: when SBIRT is billable
Dental teams can screen, document and refer with confidence, but SBIRT billing depends on payer rules, provider type, code choice and time-based documentation.
Who needs one
Under the No Surprises Act, health care providers — dental offices included — must give a good faith estimate to patients who are uninsured or who choose not to use insurance, for services scheduled in advance or on request.
What to include
- Patient name and date of birth
- Description of the scheduled service and expected date
- Itemized list of expected items and services with codes and expected charges
- Provider and facility details
- Required disclaimers about the estimate and patient rights
Photo: cottonbro studio / PexelsMake estimates part of the workflow
Build estimate creation into scheduling for self-pay patients, store a copy in the record, and update the estimate if the plan changes.
How Dental Billing Community helps
We set up estimate templates and workflows in your PMS so self-pay patients get compliant estimates and fewer surprise bills.
Photo: Semih Demirbaş / PexelsFrequently asked questions
Does this apply to insured patients?
The good faith estimate requirement discussed here applies to uninsured and self-pay patients. Insured patients should still receive pre-treatment estimates as good practice.
Where can patients learn their rights?
CMS publishes patient information on medical bill rights and good faith estimates.
Sources & further reading
Educational content only — not legal, coding-certification or payer-specific advice. Code sets (CDT, CPT, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS) and payer policies change; always confirm against the current code manual and the patient's plan. CDT is © American Dental Association. CPT is © American Medical Association.
