Core buildup, including any pins note template
A complete, fill-in-the-blank D2950 note written around what insurance reviewers ask for — with the documentation checklist, the denial patterns, and an Open Dental auto-note format built in.
01 · Before you bill it
Know what the payer wants first.
The note should answer every item on the left — and read so that nothing on the right applies.
What documentation D2950 requires
Missing any of these is why the claim pends for records.- An explicit remaining-structure statement — walls counted or percentage estimated
- The magic sentence: necessary for retention, "not placed as a base"
- Pre-op radiograph showing the destruction before the buildup hid it
- Billed on the same date as the crown preparation
Why D2950 gets denied
The denial patterns payers actually use for this code.- Reads as a base or filler under a crown that could have been retained without it
- Billed alone, weeks before any crown appears on the ledger
- No pre-op film — the single most common reason for D2950 denial
02 · The template
Copy it, chart with it.
Square brackets are the blanks — replace each one as you chart. Switch the format to turn every blank into an Open Dental auto-note prompt.
DIAGNOSIS: [Tooth #] following [caries excavation / removal of failed restoration]: [fewer than two sound axial walls / less than 50% coronal structure] remains; insufficient structure to retain a full-coverage restoration without a foundation. NECESSITY: Buildup required for crown retention and resistance form — not placed as a base, liner, or filler. PROCEDURE: [Adhesive protocol]; [dual-cure core material / amalgam] placed [with/without pins — count if used]; prepared to ideal form for crown retention. PRE-OP FILM: Radiograph dated [date] showing [extent of destruction]. SAME-VISIT: Crown preparation completed — see [D2740/D2750] entry.
03 · Common questions
Frequently asked about D2950
Buildup with every crown?
Pins — do they change the code?
More templates
Or never fill in a blank again.
Molaris listens to the visit and drafts this exact note in your wording — placeholders already filled from what was actually said. You review, you sign, it files to Open Dental.
Book a 15-minute demo →Reviewed August 2026. These templates are original Molaris reference samples showing how the scribe structures documentation. They are educational examples, not billing, coding, or legal advice; payer requirements vary by plan and state. CDT codes are maintained by the ADA.