TY - JOUR
T1 - Estimation of x-ray radiation related cancers in US dental offices
T2 - Is it worth the risk?
AU - Benn, Douglas K.
AU - Vig, Peter S.
N1 - Funding Information:
We acknowledge the expertise and encouragement of Dr. Ruben Pauwels, associate professor at Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Denmark, who assisted us with the lifetime attributable risk of cancer calculations. Thanks also to Dr. David C. Spelic, medical physicist, who provided invaluable information about the NEXT study and also reviewed a draft of our article.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2021
Y1 - 2021
N2 - Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the possible number of cancer cases produced during 2019 in US dental offices from radiography, estimate the possible reduction in those rates resulting from use of intraoral rectangular collimation and selection criteria, and determine the frequency and quality of website radiation risk information and informed consent forms. Study Design: An analysis of dental radiation examinations in 2014 to 2015 US national survey data, Nationwide Evaluation of X-ray Trends, and National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements surveys was performed, in addition to an analysis of 2008 to 2020 Journal of Clinical Orthodontics national orthodontic surveys for radiographic examination frequencies. Lifetime attributable cancer risk estimates from US and European studies were used to generate the total dental and orthodontic office cancer totals. In total, 150 offices were examined online for the quality and frequency of risk information in websites and consent forms. Results: The 2019 estimate for all office cancers is 967. Collimation and selection criteria could reduce this to 237 cancer cases. Most cancers arise from intraoral and cone beam computed tomography examinations, with 135 orthodontic cancers over 21 months (average treatment time). Collimation and selection criteria could reduce this to 68. Only 1% of offices use collimators or informed consent for radiography. The website and consent information were of poor quality. Conclusions: Dentists are not following selection criteria or using collimators according to guidelines. Up to 75% of cancer cases could be avoided.
AB - Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the possible number of cancer cases produced during 2019 in US dental offices from radiography, estimate the possible reduction in those rates resulting from use of intraoral rectangular collimation and selection criteria, and determine the frequency and quality of website radiation risk information and informed consent forms. Study Design: An analysis of dental radiation examinations in 2014 to 2015 US national survey data, Nationwide Evaluation of X-ray Trends, and National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements surveys was performed, in addition to an analysis of 2008 to 2020 Journal of Clinical Orthodontics national orthodontic surveys for radiographic examination frequencies. Lifetime attributable cancer risk estimates from US and European studies were used to generate the total dental and orthodontic office cancer totals. In total, 150 offices were examined online for the quality and frequency of risk information in websites and consent forms. Results: The 2019 estimate for all office cancers is 967. Collimation and selection criteria could reduce this to 237 cancer cases. Most cancers arise from intraoral and cone beam computed tomography examinations, with 135 orthodontic cancers over 21 months (average treatment time). Collimation and selection criteria could reduce this to 68. Only 1% of offices use collimators or informed consent for radiography. The website and consent information were of poor quality. Conclusions: Dentists are not following selection criteria or using collimators according to guidelines. Up to 75% of cancer cases could be avoided.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.oooo.2021.01.027
DO - 10.1016/j.oooo.2021.01.027
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85102615280
SN - 2212-4403
JO - Oral Surgery Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology
JF - Oral Surgery Oral Medicine and Oral Pathology
M1 - 4568
ER -