Contemporary radiation protection in dentistry: Recommendations of National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Report No. 177

Abstract

Radiation protection is not only a matter for science. It is a problem of philosophy, and morality, and the utmost wisdom.Lauriston S. Taylor, founder of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements 1 Taylor L.S. The philosophy underlying radiation protection. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med. 1957; 77: 914-919 PubMed Google Scholar Diagnostic imaging is an essential part of clinical dental practice. Every practitioner wants to use radiation in a safe and effective manner. The National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), a congressionally chartered nongovernmental agency, has taken the lead in establishing recommendations for radiation protection and safety in the United States, ranging from nuclear power plants to medical imaging, including dental diagnostic imaging. NCRP Report No. 177, Radiation Protection in Dentistry and Oral & Maxillofacial Imaging, was published in December 2019, 2 National Council on Radiation Protection and MeasurementsNCRP Report No. 177: Radiation Protection in Dentistry and Oral & Maxillofacial Imaging. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD2019 Google Scholar superseding NCRP Report No. 145, Radiation Protection in Dentistry, which was published in 2003. 3 National Council on Radiation Protection and MeasurementsNCRP Report No. 145: Radiation Protection in Dentistry. National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Bethesda, MD2003 Google Scholar In our commentary, we highlight the recommendations that are most immediate and relevant to clinical dental practice. Dr. Lurie is a professor and the chair, Oral and Maxillofacial Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dental Medicine, University of Connecticut, UCONN Health, 263 Farmington Ave, Farmington, CT 06030. Dr. Kantor is the Oliver M. Ramsey Endowed Chair in Health Sciences, Institute for Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Eau Claire, WI Dose ReductionThe Journal of the American Dental AssociationVol. 152Issue 5PreviewThe American Dental Association has been a leader in the responsible use of the various radiology modalities in clinical dental practice. I was very proud and pleased to see the article by Johnson and Ludlow (Johnson BK, Ludlow JB. Intraoral radiographs: a comparison of dose and risk reduction with collimation and thyroid shielding. JADA. 2020;151[10]: 726-734) and the accompanying commentary by Lurie and Kantor (Lurie AG, Kantor ML. Contemporary radiation protection in dentistry. JADA. 2020;151[10]:716-719) in October JADA both of which update previous ADA recommendations concerning patient safety and thyroid shielding. Full-Text PDF