Dental Radiation Safety Certification
About This Event
This virtual course provides dental auxiliaries with knowledge regarding production and safe use of ionizing radiation in the dental office. It satisfies the Virginia Board of Dentistry’s Radiation Certification requirement (18VAC60-30-80). Topics include nature and interactions of radiation, natural and man-made radiation and dose limits, principles of justification/optimization/dose limitation, patient selection criteria, imaging modalities, equipment factors (collimation, filtration, kVp, mAs), retake radiographs, operator protection (position, distance, shielding, dosimetry), examples of radiation-induced damage, and the importance of continuing education. Format: lecture and Q&A. Designated for 4.00 continuing education credits by VCU School of Dentistry (ADA CERP Recognized Provider).
Learning Objectives
- Describe how ionizing radiation is produced in an x-ray generator.
- Discuss the various modes of interaction of radiation with matter.
- Discuss selection criteria for dental radiographic studies.
- Describe occupational and public dose limits.
- Discuss practical principles of radiation protection for the patient and for the operator.
- Describe circumstances under which retake radiographs should be made.
- Discuss effects of low-dose radiation.