Our Nurses, Your Radiation Protectors - Beachside Dental Clinic

Our Nurses, Your Radiation Protectors

Though scary in name, radiation has contributed to the safety and quality of life for all Victorians through diagnostic, therapeutic and industrial uses. The downside is that using radiation in an inappropriate or unnecessary manner can be hazardous. To protect our health and safety, the Victorian government released a Radiation Act in 2005 which is what the 2017 regulations were based on.

Why is this important? The purpose of the legislation is to protect your safety whenever radiation is used. If you have ever taken an X-ray at the dentist, you’ve come into contact with radiation as it is used to take an image of your teeth! This is an important component of your oral exam as it allows your dentist to better evaluate your oral health. For example, they can detect problems that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Problems include loss of bone, cavities, decay between teeth and tumours. Time, expense, pain and money can all be saved in the future by taking a quick X-ray.

There’s no need to be scared! The radiation exposure levels for dental X-rays are so low they’re considered safe for children and adults. To be on the safe side though, the Radiation Act 2005 establishes a system of licensing users of radiation sources. Under that act, it is an offence to use a radiation source or conduct a radiation practice without a licence. This means that you must have a licence or certificate to authorise and conduct the use of radiation and its dosage limits.

Fortunately for you, three of our wonderful nurses at Beachside Complete Dental Care have completed their Certificate III in Dental Assisting, Certificate IV in Dental Radiology and a licence for the Cone Beam CT Radiation machine and CBCT machine – our fourth nurse is on her way too! This means that when it comes to operating our big X-ray machines you are in good hands. Our nurses are professionals and will always ensure your safety comes first.