A clinical conversation about the updated recommendations to enhance radiography safety in dentistry.

Special Guest: Dr. Erika Benavides

For more information, show notes and transcripts visit https://www.ada.org/podcast

Show Notes

In this episode, we are having a clinical conversation about the updated recommendations to enhance radiography safety in dentistry.

We explore the major changes from previous guidelines, the rationale behind discontinuing patient shielding, the importance of patient‑centered imaging, and practical implications for dentists and academics.

Our guest is Dr. Erika Benavides, a Clinical Professor and Associate Chair of the Division of Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Radiology, and the Director of the CBCT Service at the University of Michigan, School of Dentistry. She is a Diplomate and Past President of the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (ABOMR). She also served as Councilor for Communications of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology and Chair of the Research and Technology Committee. Dr. Benavides is a Fellow of the American College of Dentists and has published multiple peer-reviewed manuscripts in the multidisciplinary aspects of diagnostic imaging. She has been a co-investigator in NIH funded grants for the past 10 years and recently served as the Chair of the expert panel to update the 2012 ADA/FDA recommendations for dental radiography. Her clinical practice is dedicated to interpretation of 2D and 3D dentomaxillofacial imaging.

The two-part recommendations were updated by an expert panel which included radiologists, general and pediatric dentists, a public health specialist, and consultants from nearly every dental specialty.

Dr. Benavides shares some of the main takeaways and new updates is that that lead aprons and radiation collars are no longer recommended. This recommendation includes all dental maxillofacial imaging procedures and applies to most patients.

Also, a recommendation to avoid routine or convenience imaging, and focus instead of patient-centered imaging, based on the patients' specific needs. And, when possible, previous radiographs should be obtained.

Dr. Benavides shares that imaging must be patient‑specific, not protocol-driven, and encourages dentists to ask the following questions before dental imaging: "Do we need this additional information? Is this additional information going to change my diagnosis, or it's going to contribute to the diagnosis and treatment planning?"

The group discusses some of the possible challenges, and opportunities, to implement these new recommendations.

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