Occupational radiation exposure for dental radiation workers and diagnostic radiology workers in Albania

Abstract

The development of dental radiology in Albania has been over a century. Medical imaging isessential to dental practice. X-rays examinations help dentists to diagnose, plan treatments and monitorboth treatments and lesion development. This study explored mainly the profile of dental radiation workerscomparing it with the diagnostic radiology workers and their occupational radiation exposure in Albaniafor the period 2016 to 2020. The assessment and analysis procedures of this study were carried out at thepersonal dosimetry laboratory, Institute of Applied Nuclear Physics. The total number of monitored dentalradiation workers increased from 39 in 2016 to 82 in 2020. The annual collective effective exposure dosefluctuated from 26.84man-Sv to 70.14man-Sv, and it showed an increasing trend. In addition, the averageannual effective exposure dose of total monitored dental radiation workers varied from 0.73mSv to0.87mSv. The total number of monitored diagnostic radiology workers increased from 196 in 2016 to 332in 2020. The annual collective effective exposure dose fluctuated from 240.99man-Sv to 358.03man-Sv,and it has showed an increasing trend. The average annual effective exposure dose of total monitoreddiagnostic radiology workers varied from 1.08 mSv to 1.40 mSv. The results of the measured annual dosewere well below the international recommended dose limit of 20 mSv.