D0220: Periapical X-ray, first image
The first single X-ray of a tooth showing the whole tooth, root tip included, often taken to diagnose one problem.
Billing notes
- Crown and buildup claims usually need a recent one from before treatment.
- Plans may limit how many are paid in a year or fold them into a full-mouth series.
For how plans pay this kind of service, typical limits and what to check before quoting, read the x-rays billing guide.
This is how plans usually handle this code, not how every plan does. The patient's own plan documents and the insurer decide what's paid.
Related codes
CDT is a registered trademark of the American Dental Association. Tabruns is not affiliated with or endorsed by the ADA. The descriptions here are our own plain-English summaries, not the ADA's official wording; use your current CDT manual or practice software for the official code set. Code numbers as of the CDT 2025 code set. The ADA revises the set every year, effective January 1.
Sources
Read November 11, 2026. Where a source describes one insurer's plans, we say so.
Get the patient's share in dollars, from the benefits page
The code says what was done; the plan decides what D0220 pays. Tabruns reads the coverage, deductible, yearly maximum, waiting periods and frequency limits from the insurer's portal and works out what the patient owes. Patient details stay on the office computer.
Not ready? Try the free patient portion calculator.