D9987 is the CDT code for a cancelled appointment — an administrative code used to document that a patient cancelled a scheduled visit, often when the office charges a cancellation fee under its policy. It is generally a non-covered, internal-tracking code, not a clinical procedure.
Informational only — confirm the official CDT descriptor and your payers' rules independently. This is general guidance, not billing, coding, or clinical advice.
When to Use the D9987 Code
Use D9987 to record a cancellation — a patient who contacts the office to cancel a scheduled appointment, typically without adequate notice when your policy supports a charge. It is an administrative/adjunctive code for documenting the cancellation and, where allowed, supporting a cancellation fee to the patient's account.
Don't confuse it with the no-show code: a patient who simply fails to appear (without contacting the office) is documented with D9986, the missed-appointment code. D9987 is specifically for a patient-initiated cancellation. It is also not a code you submit to insurance for reimbursement — most carriers do not pay cancellation fees, so these are patient-responsibility charges governed by your office policy, and it does not apply to practice-initiated cancellations.
Documentation & Clinical Scenarios
Because D9987 supports a fee and a record rather than treatment, the documentation centers on notice and policy:
- The scheduled date/time and the provider/column affected.
- When and how the patient cancelled, and how much notice was given.
- Your cancellation policy and that the patient was informed of it (ideally a signed acknowledgment on file).
- The fee charged, if any, posted to the patient's account per your policy.
No clinical service is rendered, so there is no tooth number, radiograph, or narrative of care — the record is about the cancellation and the financial policy applied.
Insurance & Billing Tips
- Treat it as patient-responsibility, not a claim. Most plans do not reimburse cancellation fees, and many restrict billing the patient for cancelled covered-service appointments; D9987 is generally internal documentation.
- Have a written policy. A clear, signed cancellation policy — including a notice window such as 24 hours — is what makes a fee defensible.
- Distinguish notice from no-notice. Many offices only charge for late cancellations; document the notice given so the charge is consistent with policy.
- Don't bill insurance for the fee. Submitting D9987 to a payer for reimbursement is typically futile and may conflict with provider-contract terms.
- Apply it consistently across patients to avoid disputes or the appearance of unfair treatment.
Example Case
A patient calls two hours before a scheduled crown-seat visit to cancel. The front desk notes the appointment time and affected provider column, records that the patient gave only two hours' notice against the office's 24-hour policy, and documents the cancellation with D9987. Because the patient had signed the cancellation policy at intake, a late-cancellation fee is posted to the patient's account per that policy — not submitted to insurance. The office then works to backfill the open slot from its waitlist so the chair time isn't lost.
Patients call to cancel or reschedule, not to discuss a code. DentalReception AI answers and books those calls 24/7, offers to reschedule on the spot, fills the opened slot from your waitlist, and routes fee questions to your team. See how it handles no-show recovery, or book a demo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between D9987 and D9986?
D9987 documents a cancelled appointment — the patient contacted the office to cancel. D9986 documents a missed appointment (no-show) — the patient simply did not appear. Both are administrative codes used for tracking and, where policy allows, fees; the distinction is whether the patient gave notice or just failed to show.
Will insurance reimburse a D9987 cancellation fee?
Generally no. Most dental carriers do not pay cancellation fees, and D9987 is typically used internally to document the cancellation and post a patient-responsibility charge per your policy. Some provider contracts also restrict billing patients for cancelled covered-service appointments, so review your payer agreements before charging.
Does D9987 apply if the office cancels the appointment?
No. D9987 is for a patient-initiated cancellation. A practice-initiated cancellation is not coded this way and would not carry a patient fee. The code is meant to document that the patient cancelled the visit, usually so the office can apply a late-cancellation policy when adequate notice wasn't given.
Can we charge a fee for any cancellation?
Only if your office has a clear, communicated policy — ideally signed at intake — and most practices limit charges to late cancellations inside a defined notice window. A documented policy applied consistently is what makes a fee defensible. Charging without a written, acknowledged policy, or applying it unevenly, invites disputes and can create compliance concerns.
Confirm the current CDT descriptor and your specific payer policies before billing — browse the full dental code library or see our insurance verification feature.