Answer to Question #974 Submitted to "Ask the Experts"

The following question was answered by an expert in the appropriate field:

I am considering attending a dental assisting school. However, I just found out that I am pregnant. Should I be concerned about giving dental x rays while pregnant?

Radiation doses to dental office personnel have been very low, rarely exceeding 1 mSv per year and generally much less than that. In a facility that meets all current recommendations, the operator dose should be less than 0.1 mSv per year. The recommended occupational dose limit for pregnant personnel is 0.5 mSv per month, or 5 mSv during the pregnancy. So there should be little to cause concern.

For more details, see "Radiation Protection in Dentistry, National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements Report No. 145.

Julian Gibbs, DDS, PhD

Answer posted on 19 June 2001. The information and material posted on this Web site is intended as general reference information only. Specific facts and circumstances may alter the concepts and applications of materials and information described herein. The information provided is not a substitute for professional advice and should not be relied upon in the absence of such professional advice specific to whatever facts and circumstances are presented in any given situation. Answers are correct at the time they are posted on the Web site. Be advised that over time, some requirements could change, new data could be made available, or Internet links could change. For answers that have been posted for several months or longer, please check the current status of the posted information prior to using the responses for specific applications.