Dental Radiography Safety Flashcards
6 cards from real NDAEB practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Dental Radiography Safety flashcards as text
What is the ALARA principle in dental radiography, and how does it apply to patient exposure?
Answer: As Low As Reasonably Achievable - minimize radiation dose while obtaining diagnostic images
ALARA stands for As Low As Reasonably Achievable. It is the guiding principle for radiation protection, requiring dental professionals to use every practical method to minimize patient and operator radiation exposure while still obtaining diagnostically useful images.
When exposing a periapical radiograph, what is the minimum safe distance the dental assistant should maintain from the X-ray source if not behind a barrier?
Answer: 2 metres (6 feet)
If a protective barrier is not available, the dental assistant must stand at least 2 metres (6 feet) from the X-ray tubehead and at a 90-135 degree angle to the primary beam to minimize scatter radiation exposure.
A patient who is 10 weeks pregnant requires dental radiographs for emergency treatment. What is the appropriate protocol?
Answer: Take radiographs with appropriate shielding (lead apron with thyroid collar) when clinically necessary for diagnosis, following ALARA principles
Dental radiographs can be taken during pregnancy when clinically necessary, using proper shielding (lead apron with thyroid collar) and ALARA principles. The radiation dose from dental X-rays is extremely low and directed away from the abdomen.
What type of radiation is primarily responsible for patient exposure during a dental X-ray, and what type poses the greatest risk to the dental assistant?
Answer: Primary radiation to the patient; scatter radiation to the assistant
The patient receives primary (useful) beam radiation directed at the area of interest. The dental assistant's main exposure risk is from scatter radiation - primary radiation that has been deflected by the patient's tissues in various directions.
Digital dental radiography reduces patient radiation dose compared to traditional film. By approximately what percentage is the dose reduced?
Answer: 50-80%
Digital dental radiography reduces patient radiation dose by approximately 50-80% compared to D-speed film and 30-40% compared to F-speed film, because digital sensors require significantly less radiation to produce a diagnostic image.
What is the purpose of a thyroid collar during dental radiographic procedures?
Answer: To protect the thyroid gland from scatter radiation, as the thyroid is highly sensitive to radiation-induced cancer
The thyroid collar shields the thyroid gland, which is one of the most radiation-sensitive organs in the body. The thyroid gland's location in the neck places it near the primary beam during many dental radiographic procedures.