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Dental Hygiene

I Am a Dental Assistant

11/04/2009

Question:

I am a dental assistant, but now i am 8 weeks pragnent it is safe to take dental xray to the patients

Answer:

Operation protection guidelines are the same for pregnant and non-pregnant radiographers. No extra precautions are necessary for pregnant dental radiographers. The dental radiographer must avoid the primary beam of radiation. If a wall is not provided to stand behind, then the radiographer must stand at least 6 feet away from the x-ray tubehead and at a 90 - 135 degree angle of the primary beam during x-ray exposure.

A personnel-monitoring device known as a film badge can be obtained from a film badge service company. The company evaluates the badge for exposure and then provides the dental office with an exposure report for each radiographer.

For more information:

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Response by:

The Ohio State University Constance R. Kuntupis, RDH, MA
Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry
Dental Radiology
Section of Primary Care
College of Dentistry
The Ohio State University
Constance R. Kuntupis, RDH, MA