title: Oral Radiology Safety Standards Adopted by the General Dentists Practicing in National Capital Region (NCR).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With advancement in diagnostic techniques, the utilization of radiologic examination has risen to many folds in the last two decades. Ionizing radiations from the radiographic examination carry the potential for harm by inducing carcino-genesis in addition to the diagnostic information extracted. Radiation doses utilized in the course of dental treatment might be low for individual examinations but patients are exposed to repeated examinations very often and many people are exposed during the course of dental care. Therefore, principles of radiation protection and safety are necessary for the dentists to follow to ensure minimum and inevitable exposure.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the knowledge and behaviour of general dentists practicing in the National Capital Region (NCR) regarding radiation safety during oral radiographic procedures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was a questionnaire based cross-sectional study. A total of 500 general dentists were contacted to participate in the study. The target population entailed of general dentists practicing in the National Capital Region. Data was computed and tabulated in Microsoft excel sheet and statistical analysis was performed with the help of SPSS version 21.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total response rate recovered was 70.6% and the respondents comprised of 59% and 41% males & females respectively. Only 64.8% of the general dentists contemplated thyroid to be the most important organ for radiation protection. Only 28.8% of the general dentists followed the position & distance rule appropriately.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results showed that the knowledge and behaviour of the general dentists and the practices adopted by them regarding radiation safety is not satisfactory. To ensure the following of basic and necessary guidelines for radiation safety and protection, strict rules with penalties should be implemented by the state councils and new and interesting methods of education for this spectrum of the field should be introduced.
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Hospital & Research Centre , Greater Noida, India .
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.affiliation: Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Hospital & Research Centre , Greater Noida, India .
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jayaprakash
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Public Health Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Hospital & Research Centre , Greater Noida, India .
authors.forename: K K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Shivalingesh
authors.affiliation: Reader, Department of Public Health Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Hospital & Research Centre , Greater Noida, India .
authors.forename: Vartika
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Agarwal
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Hospital & Research Centre , Greater Noida, India .
authors.forename: Bhuvandeep
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Hospital & Research Centre , Greater Noida, India .
authors.forename: Richa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Senior Lecturer, Department of Public Health Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Hospital & Research Centre , Greater Noida, India .
authors.forename: Abhinav
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Post Graduate Student, Department of Public Health Dentistry, I.T.S. Dental College, Hospital & Research Centre , Greater Noida, India .
authors.forename: Sumedha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kushwaha
keywords: Dental practice patterns; Diagnostic radiations; Occupational hazards; Radiation hazards; Radiation protection; Survey