Filed a clean D2740 with PA, bitewing, and a tidy narrative, and the EOB still said ‘tooth not present’ — funny, because it was the one with the big arrow on the X-ray. Spent 18 minutes explaining that a pre-auth isn’t a guarantee of payment, then reopened the claim with the same image and a bigger arrow; anyone else keep spare arrows for magical disappearing teeth?
When I get the “tooth not present” denial on a D2740, I resubmit with a quick intraoral photo showing the tooth and crown plus the PA, and in ADA Box 35 add “Tooth #X present — please update missing-tooth table,” which usually clears the flag. Caveat: I still call the provider line first so they note the record — turns those 18‑minute explanations into a 2‑minute override; you seeing the same with your payer?
I landed a remote tax gig last quarter by applying within 12 hours and front-loading SALT wins in the first lines — “apply promptly” is real; set alerts and keep a tailored cover-letter template so you can hit send before the plaque sets in. Small caveat: many “remote” roles still want a specific state license or ET hours, so double-check the fine print on @legaljobs posts before investing time.
I beat that exact EOB by asking the rep for a ‘tooth history override’ on #14 and dropping the call ref number in the ADA claim Remarks on the resub — paid on review. If they hedge, an intraoral with a paper label “#14” in frame has been my tiebreaker; @d_briggs91, have you tried that?