Assessment of radiation protection practices in dental clinics in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Radiation use has increased, including increased demand for dental rays where radiosensitive organs (thyroid gland and eyes) are often exposed. Therefore, dental clinic workers' awareness and practices of radiation therapy require assessment. We therefore assessed the awareness of radiation protection protocols among dental clinic workers in Jeddah. Questionnaires were completed during visits to different dental institutions and clinics, including educational institutions and private and general medical centres. The questionnaire assessed dental workers' perceptions of radiation exposure and the risks associated with dental radiography. Differences between categorical data were analysed using the chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test, as appropriate. Of 300 participants who completed the questionnaires, (most in their 20s [132, 44 %]; 30s [107, 36 %]) were general dentists, followed by dental assistants, radiographers, and endodontists. There were 133, 106, 38, 10, and 4 participants working at private institutes, university hospitals, regional general hospitals (>300 beds), general sector (<300 beds), and other hospital types, respectively. Overall, 55, 97, 66, 39, 18, and 25 participants had <1, 1–5, 6–10, 10–15, 16–20, and >20 years of experience, respectively. More than half of dental clinic workers were highly knowledgeable about radiation protection, aware of its significance for both patients and staff. However, general hospital dental practitioners had the least radiation protection practices; therefore, general hospice radiation protection awareness is recommended.