In Dentistry, Radiography (the making of radiographs by exposing an image receptor) is very common. “Radiographs and other imaging modalities are used to diagnose and monitor oral diseases, as well as monitor dentofacial development and the progress or prognosis of therapy.” (Association, 2012). Even though radiation exposure from the dental radiographs is low, the patients and the ADA (American Dental Association) believes that there are some safety tips that must be followed in order for the patient to feel comfortable with getting the radiograph every six months to a year. Modern x-ray equipment is programmed to reduce the amount of radiation. X-rays in dentistry can be performed by using digital imaging or conventional film. Digital imaging continues to develop and is being more commonly used. In this paper I am going to explain how x-rays have became safer over time, what steps dental assistants use to prevent exposure on the patient as well as the office staff, and some safety tips.
There are several ways to minimize the exposure of the x-ray in the dental offices and it is the responsibilities of the dental staff to follow the ALARA. ALARA stands for As Low As Reasonably Achievable. “ALARA implies that any radiation dose that can be reduced without major difficulty, great expense, or inconvenience should be reduced or eliminated. “ (Evelyn Thomson, 2012). Some examples of practicing minimizing the radiation exposures are by giving the patient a lead apron, using high speed films, using the fastest image receptor, and limiting the number of images obtained.
The film speed plays a major role in the reduction of the radiation. There are three different types of film speeds. The film speeds consists of the D-speed, E-Speed...
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... The operator should follow all patient protection measures, try not to have any contact with the tubehead during exposure, avoid any retakes, do not hold onto the image receptor while taking the radiograph, use protective barriers, remain 6 ft away, and use the radiation monitoring.
The amount of radiation exposure has been reduced because of the amount of steps that the dental staff takes to ensure that the patient and the dental staff are safe. It is a must that we follow those steps.
Works Cited
Association, A. D. (2012). Dental Radiographic examinations: Recommendationfor patient selection and limiting radiation exposure. U.S. Department oh Health and Human Services , 29.
Evelyn Thomson, O. J. (2012). Essentials of Dental Radiography for Dental Assistants and Hygienists. New Jersey: Pearson.
Parsa, F. (n.d.). Safety of Dental Xrays. Integrative Dentistry .
In the radiology profession first you must write the patient’s file. This includes information about insurance, medical history, what the required x-ray is for and where it is going to be taken on the body. Writing in this way is similar to writing a small research paper. You must do research on the patients and there history and what insurance they have. Writing the report is important because the information must be accurate so the patient can be helped as much as possible. If the information about medical history is incorrect it can cause a huge problem for the patient. For example, if the patient is claustrophobic they would need to get an open room x-ray where the patient isn’t in an enclosed tube so they don’t have a panic attack and potentially injure themselves and others. It is very important to make sure the report has the correct area of where the x-ray needs to be taken. Having the wrong part of the body x-...
The Faculty of General Dental Practice is responsible for continued professional development of dental clinicians. It is committed to improving standards of patient care within dentistry by providing up to date publications and guidelines for clinicians. The standards and guidelines by the FGDP are evidence based and are recognised as authoritative statements of good practice within the profession (REF). The FGDP have produced standards and evidence-based guidelines detailing the Selection Criteria for Dental Radiography (REF).
After the treatment and procedure is complete, patients leave with healthier, more beautiful teeth, giving them the confidence to ask someone out on a date or the confidence to smile on an important job interview. Dentistry is and has been for centuries, an important aspect of people’s ...
If one is affected by cancer, there are treatments to help take away this illness affecting their body. This essay is about a specific type of treatment for cancer, radiation therapy. There are different types of forms of particles for radiation, for example, protons and waves like x-rays and visible light. These types of radiations are grouped on how much energy they contain because they can cause different effects. A low type of energy radiation can be radio waves and heat, also known as non-ionizing radiation.
What would Wilhelm Roentgen, the father of X-ray, say about the technological discoveries in radiology today? Since the start of X-rays in 1895 significant advancements have revolutionized the field of radiology. One illustrates how different scanners have improved, in addition how picture archiving communication system can assist doctors, and finally the outlook on the future of radiology.
Phinney, D. J., & Halstead, J. (2004). Instructor's Manual to Accompany Delmar's Dental Assisting: A Comprehensive Approach (2nd ed.). Forence, KY: Thomson/Delmar Learning.
Apart of becoming a new patient at a dental office is taking an x-ray and some may have question along with taking an x-ray, like “will I be affected by the x-ray?” or “will I get cancer?”, “how long will it take” “are x-ray’s safe?”, the list goes on and on. So in this paper we will talk about different types of radiation affects such as affects on children and pregnant women as well as some things that may help reduce some of the radiation that may harm the human body.
...why does the technologist step behind a shield to prevent exposure to themself?" The radiation dose for each exam is relatively small, but over time, the dose can add up. There are many state and federal regulations limiting the total radiation dose that may be received by people working with radiation. To comply with those regulations, the technologist must follow strict precautions to keep their cumulative exposure to a minimum.
Radiation therapists work closely with patients to fight cancer. According to Health Care Careers, Oncologists, Dosimetrists and nurses are some of the professionals that a radiation therapist works with while caring for a cancer patient. This group of professionals will determine a specialized treatment plan. The first step usually includes a CT scan performed by a radiologist to find the exact area that needs to be targeted with x-rays. Next, the therapist uses a special machine that emits radiation called a Linear Accelerator. They use this machine during a treatment called external beam therapy. During this process, the Linear Accelerator will project x-rays at targeted cancer cells or tumors. Another therapist will be in a different room monitoring the patient’s viral signs until the procedure is over. The external therapy l...
Jajou, I questioned the maintenance of his career. What I acquired was that dental practices all vary and this question does not have one general answer. Dr. Jajou currently owns his own practice, which means he his in charge of his office and pays his employees making his salary higher than common dentists. Professional organizations and conferences are not important in the overall outlook of dentistry. On the other hand, Dr. Jajou had plenty to say about the technology used in dentists’ offices. Digital dentistry, or the use of dental technologies, involves lasers, digital scanners, and x-ray machines. However, only dental laboratory technicians use this expert machinery. Dentists use drills, mouth mirrors, probes, forceps, brushes, and scalpels on patients. Later, I asked why he is excessively passionate about oral health from seeing how captivated he is to answer my questions. In the same manner he responds describing how oral health is a huge part of overall health because plaque can affect can cause heart problems and other major health issues beyond your
Within the field of radiology, there are: (1) radiologists who are physicians specializing in interpreting diagnostic images in connection with diagnosing illnesses and injuries and monitoring medical conditions in relation to many other areas of clinical medicine; (2) radiological nurses specialize in providing nursing services exclusively in connection with radiological medicine; (3) radiologist assistants are the first line of support for radiological physicians and perform many of the procedures and tests ordered by radiologists; and (4) radiological technologists operate and maintain some of the sophisticated medical imaging systems and tools and work side-by-side radiologist assistants and radiologists in conducting the diagnostic tests on patients.
Radiology technology is a science of using radiation to produce images. There are many jobs you can perform in diagnostic imaging usually a radiologic technologist will oft...
Nowadays the practice of dentistry is becoming more challenging and complex because of the information explosion regarding dental materials and equipment, increasing need for continuous professional development and an increasingly litigious society. Hence there has been a paradigm shift towards evidence-based healthcare .
The energy in ionizing radiation can cause chemical changes in the the cells that can lead to damaging them. Most of the cells can either permanently or temporarily become abnormal or they can just die. Radiation can cause cancer by damaging the DNA in the body. The damage of the cells can also depend on how long the organs are exposed (environmental protection agency, 2017, unknown). If someone has many exposures at one time that radiation in the body keeps adding on. As well as if its only a little bit of exposure in on day and years later you get exposed again it keeps adding on the radiation will never leave the body. Having radiation in your body doesn’t affect you right away but as you get older it starts to show and you feel it. Chronic exposure is when someone is exposed many time for long periods. When this happens the type of effects it will carry is having harmful generic change, cancer, tumors, and even cataracts. Partial health effects can also depend on if it was internal or external exposure. Internal exposure is when either by drinking, breathing, eating and even an injection cause radiation to get inside your body. External exposure is when taking an x-ray out of your body and letting it go through letting all the energy go as it goes in (environmental protection agency, 2017, unknown). In the dental world radiation gets into the patients when we take x-rays on there teeth. In order to avoid to much radiation on them we put a lead apron on them and make sure to cover their thyroid which is the most common way of getting cancer when taking an x-ray. When we take the x-ray we stand behind a wall at least 6 feet away to avoid ourself from getting
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2000) Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General .Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, 2000.