Answer to Question #13348 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

Category: Medical and Dental Equipment/Shielding — Shielding

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

Q

I have a question about x-ray safety in a dentist office. I was recently at the dentist with my children. After their appointment I had to speak to the dentist. We spoke outside of the examination rooms which do not have any doors, and I could see a patient in the chair. My question is, because of the fact the examination rooms did not have any doors, is there a chance of being exposed to radiation from the x-ray machines that are in the rooms if they were in use?

A

The exposure you could possibly receive would be of no significance for several reasons. The first is that you do not receive the radiation on a regular basis, such as daily or even weekly. The dental technician taking the x rays does so daily and then has to think about the total dose they might receive over their lifetime. If you received any on that one occasion, even in addition to medical x rays you receive in your lifetime, that is not enough exposure to have any effect. The second reason is that the intensity of the radiation from dental x rays, while low to start with, decreases rapidly with distance. If you were outside the room, the radiation level would have been very low. So, you have nothing to worry about from that exposure.

Bruce Thomadsen, PhD, DABR

Ask the Experts is posting answers using only SI (the International System of Units) in accordance with international practice. To convert these to traditional units we have prepared a conversion table. You can also view a diagram to help put the radiation information presented in this question and answer in perspective. Explanations of radiation terms can be found here.
Answer posted on 2 March 2020. The information posted on this web page is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may affect the applicability of concepts, materials, and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice. To the best of our knowledge, answers are correct at the time they are posted. Be advised that over time, requirements could change, new data could be made available, and Internet links could change, affecting the correctness of the answers. Answers are the professional opinions of the expert responding to each question; they do not necessarily represent the position of the Health Physics Society.