Radiological protection in dentistry

Journal Article · Tue Jun 05 04:00:00 EDT 1973 · British Dental Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4803025· OSTI ID:4368145

Holliday, B.

Information that would allow an assessment of the standard of radiological protection in the United Kingdom is very limited. The Radiological Protection Service (now the National Radiological Protection Board) has provided a monitoring and advisory service to dentists for many years but very limited use has been made of this service. In a recent survey a total of 114 dentists was visited in representative practices in South East England and it was established that only 6.5 per cent of dentists in general practice do not use radiography as an adjunct to their practice (Smith, 1969). In the 88 x-ray sets which were examined, 24 per cent had less than the recommended thickness of aluminium filtration, while 25 per cent had a fixed field size which was larger than necessary for dental radiography, in addition 27 per cent of the timers were found to have an error of greater than 20 per cent in repetition of the pre-set exposure time. These figures are consistent with the results of surveys performed by the National Radiological ProteCtion Board at the request of dentists, but the sample has been small, i.e., a few per cent of dentists in general practice. It is also possible that these results are not typical as the dentist requesting such a survey may have a greater awareness than others of the need for protection.

• Research Organization: National Radiological Protection Board, Harwell, Eng.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-29-007974
• OSTI ID: 4368145
• Journal Information: British Dental Journal, Journal Name: British Dental Journal Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 134; ISSN 0007-0610
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

*BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY-- RADIATION HAZARDS
*PATIENTS-- RADIATION PROTECTION
61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY
DENTISTRY
X RADIATION
X-RAY SOURCES