How we
help keep it to a minimum:
Dental
x-ray studies (radiopgraphs) are an invaluable source of diagnostic information.
But it is important that exposure to radiation be kept "As Low As Reasonably
Achievable" (ALARA). We do this in several ways:
We
make dental radiographs only as necessary to meet diagnostic needs.
We
have patients wear protective thyroid colars and aprons when exposing x-ray
films.
We
use new, high-speed Kodak x-ray films that require only a fraction of the
exposure of previous films.
We
adhere to careful processing practices to obtain all the exposure-reduction
advantages of these new films.