Chapter 5: Dental Radiation Health: Safety and Protection in the Digital Age, 2nd Edition 3 CE Hours
Release Date: March 14, 2022
Expiration Date: March 13, 2025
Author Laura Jansen Howerton, RDH, MS, is an instructor in the dental hygiene program at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh, North Carolina. She was a clinical associate professor at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill from 1998 to 2007 and at The Ohio State University from 1991 to 1998. Ms. Howerton received her education at The Ohio State University, where she earned a certificate in dental hygiene (1980), a bachelor of science degree in education (1980), and a master of science degree from the College of Dentistry, specializing in oral radiology and oral pathology (1991). She has broad How to receive credit ● Read the entire course online or in print. ● Depending on your state requirements you will be asked to complete: ○ A mandatory test (a passing score of 75 percent is required). Test questions link content to learning Colibri Healthcare, LLC implemented mechanisms prior to the planning and implementation of the continuing education activity, to identify and resolve conflicts of interest for all individuals in a position to control content of the course activity. Disclaimer The information provided in this activity is for continuing education purposes only and is not meant to substitute for the independent medical judgment of a healthcare provider relative Disclosures Resolution of conflict of interest
private practice experience in both general dentistry and faculty practice. Her teaching interests include oral radiology, oral pathology, and dental anatomy. Ms. Howerton is the coauthor of two textbooks: Radiographic Interpretation for the Dental Hygienist and Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques. Laura Jansen Howerton has disclosed that she has no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to this course book. AGD Subject Code - 138 objectives as a method to enhance individualized learning and material retention. ● Provide required personal information and payment information. ● Complete the mandatory Course Evaluation. ● Print your Certificate of Completion. Sponsorship/commercial support and non-endorsement It is the policy of Colibri Healthcare, LLC not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.
to diagnostic and treatment options of a specific patient’s medical condition.
©2023: All Rights Reserved. Materials may not be reproduced without the expressed written permission or consent of Colibri Healthcare, LLC. The materials presented in this course are meant to provide the consumer with general information on the topics covered. The information provided was prepared by professionals with practical knowledge of the areas covered. It is not meant to provide medical, legal, or professional advice. Colibri Healthcare, LLC recommends that you consult a medical, legal, or professional services expert licensed in your state. Colibri Healthcare, LLC has made all reasonable efforts to ensure that all content provided in this course is accurate and up to date at the time of printing, but does not represent or warrant that it will apply to your situation nor circumstances and assumes no liability from reliance on these materials. Quotes are collected from customer feedback surveys. The models are intended to be representative and not actual customers. INTRODUCTION Learning objectives After completing this course, the learner will be able to:
Identify methods for reducing patients’ and dental professionals’ exposure to radiation. Answer common patient questions regarding radiation health and safety.
Describe the biologic effects of radiation. Explain how radiation exposure is measured. Identify the different sources and amounts of natural and human-made radiation exposure.
Course overview
(Rundell, 2021). Dental patients and dental professionals alike will recognize this headline. The biologic risks of radiation exposure associated with dental radiographic examinations have been a recurring topic in the national news media. Several published but controversial studies have suggested possible associations between dental radiographic examinations and conditions such as meningiomas (Memon, et al., 2019) and thyroid cancer (Dentistry Today, 2019; Hwang, et al., 2020). The public, including the patients who dental professionals treat in their practices, becomes more alarmed with each successive report. Without question, x-radiation is harmful; it is a known carcinogen. There is considerable evidence in the literature that ionizing radiation increases the risk of certain types of cancers,
“Researchers link dental x-rays to brain tumors.”
— American Cancer Society, 2012; study referenced in Rundell, 2021
The preceding quote presents dental x-rays in an ominous fashion and suggests a definitive etiologic link between dental x-rays and the development of brain tumors. However, the study titled Dental X-rays and Risk of Meningioma by Claus, Calvocoressi, Bondy, Schildkraut, Wiemels, and Wrensch published in 2012 relied upon data collected from x-rays taken decades ago when higher doses of radiation were utilized and patient recollection of the quantity of x-rays taken
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Book Code: DHFL2624
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