Dosimetry Monitoring of Dental X-Ray Equipment

Federal rules set the threshold for when radiation dosimetry monitoring becomes mandatory in a dental office — see Are Dosimetry Badges Required in Dental Offices? for the full breakdown of that threshold and how it applies. This piece focuses on the practical side: which equipment and staff should be monitored, and how to keep the records that back it up.

If dental offices choose not to monitor occupational radiation levels on a continual basis, documentation for not monitoring must be maintained in case of an inspection. To meet this requirement, dental offices should establish a baseline of radiation exposure — see Baseline Dosimetry Monitoring for how that process works. DHCP who operate the x-ray equipment should be monitored for baseline exposure, as well as any other DHCP who may receive incidental exposure to radiation, i.e. a receptionist whose desk is against a wall next to an x-ray room. However, because the maximum allowable dose is lower for pregnant employees and because of the emotional factor involved, continuous monitoring is strongly recommended for declared pregnant employees for the duration of the pregnancy.

Always follow x-ray dosimetry vendor instructions on how to perform the monitoring. The baseline procedure should be repeated periodically and whenever changes are made that might affect radiation safety to DHCP. If requested, dental employers must provide a report of occupational exposure monitoring results to all individuals being monitored. Employee exposure monitoring records must be kept for the duration of employment plus thirty years.

OSHA Review, Inc. provides Dosimetry Monitoring Services.