Enhancing Radiography safety in dentistry- Key uptakes from ADA's updated recommendations

“When this happens, more radiographs need to be taken, and unnecessary X-rays are what we want to avoid,” said Dr. Purnima Kumar, D.D.S., Ph.D., professor of dentistry and chair of the Department of Periodontology and Oral Medicine at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and chair of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. “The central point of these recommendations is that clinicians should order radiographs in moderation to minimize both patients’ and dental professionals’ exposure to ionizing radiation.”

The recommendations also advise dentists to safeguard patients against unnecessary radiation exposure by:

• Ordering radiographs like X-rays to optimize diagnostic information and enhance patient care outcomes and making every effort to use images acquired at previous dental exams;
• Using digital instead of conventional X-ray film for imaging;
• Restricting the beam size during an X-ray exam to the area that needs to be assessed (an approach called “rectangular collimation”);
• Properly positioning patients so the best image can be taken;
• Incorporating CBCT only when lower-exposure options will not provide the necessary diagnostic information; and
• Adhering to all applicable federal, state and local regulations on radiation safety.

“We encourage dentists and their teams to review these best-practice recommendations, comply with radiation protection regulations and talk with their patients about any questions or concerns before ordering dental imaging,” Dr. Kumar said.

Reference:

Erika Benavides, Joseph R. Krecioch, Roger T. Connolly, Trishul Allareddy, Allison Buchanan, David Spelic, Kelly K. O’Brien, Martha Ann Keels, Ana Karina Mascarenhas, Mai-Ly Duong, Optimizing radiation safety in dentistry: Clinical recommendations and regulatory considerations, The Journal of the American Dental Association, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2023.12.002.