AWARENESS AMONG DENTAL PRACTITIONERS TOWARDS RADIATION HAZARDS AND PROTECTION IN ABHA CITY, SAUDI ARABIA

Background: Dental X-ray is a fundamental part of dentistry. It contributes to the establishment of a definitive diagnosis and the proposed treatment plan.

Several modalities are used, ranging from conventional to cone-beam computed tomography with varieties of doses absorbed by the living tissue.

Methods: Self-structured questionnaire was established and distributed among 119 dental practitioners working in private and government hospitals through Google® forms. Final-year graduate students of King Khalid University in Abha, Aseer region, Saudi Arabia, were involved as well.

Results: A total of 119 participants were included in this prospective survey with a mean ±S.D.ageof 33.30 ± 3.6. There is a significant difference (P<0.05) among the participants in their responses to the most sensitive organ to X-ray, whether the handheld portable X-ray unit was safer than the traditional one, and their knowledge about handheld portable X-ray units. Additionally, there is a significant difference in the responses to whether they used a monitoring device, the distance kept while taking X-rays, and whether they have the patients wear a thyroid collar.

Conclusions: The overall extent of awareness of the participants of the dental X-ray hazards, protection measures being followed, and the modes of updating knowledge were found to be satisfactory. The study results will help practitioners to improve their knowledge and to consider protective measures strictly.

Keywords: Dental radiology; Radiation hazards; Radiation protection; Dental X-ray; Radiation biology.