DENT 201: Dental Radiology

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2025
Credits: 2
Total Contact Hours: 67
Lecture Hours : 21
Lab Hours: 46
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 42
Total Student Learning Hours: 109
Prerequisite: DENT 100, DENT 104 (or concurrent enrollment) and DENT 122.
Transferable to CSU: No
Transferable to UC: No
Grading Method: Standard Letter

Catalog Course Description

This course encompasses the preclinical and clinical instruction in radiation safety, exposing radiographs utilizing digital methods and mounting of traditional radiographs. 21 lecture hours, 46 lab hours.

Course Objectives

  • produce all radiographs necessary to meet state criteria while maintaining safety and infections control precautions for patient, operator and other dental personnel
  • demonstrate knowledge of the science and theory of radiation
  • demonstrate the process of mounting, evaluating, and modification necessary to render diagnostic radiographs
  • demonstrate the knowledge and pre-clinical skill of Computer-Aided Imaging

Major Course Content

  1. Effects of Radiation Exposure
    1. Ionizing radiation
    2. Concern with potential radiation effects
    3. Short and long term effects of radiation
  2. Radiation Protection
    1. Professional concern and responsibility
    2. Radiation safety
    3. Terminology
    4. Radiation monitoring
  3. Dental X-ray Components
    1. Types of dental x-ray machines
    2. Parts and components
    3. Production of x-rays
    4. Principles of x-ray tube operation
  4. Infection Control
    1. Necessity for infection control
    2. Guidelines for infection control
    3. Benefits of infection control
    4. Infection control terminology
    5. Infection control procedure
  5. Identification of Anatomical Landmarks for Mounting Radiographs
    1. Importance of identification of anatomical landmarks
    2. Appearance of normal landmarks
    3. Mounting radiographs
  6. Preliminary Interpretation of the Radiographs
    1. Preliminary interpretation by auxiliary personnel
    2. Radiographic appearance of dental restorative materials
    3. Radiographic appearance of dental caries
    4. Radiographic appearance of anomalies
  7. Quality Assurance in Dental Radiology
    1. Quality assurance and control
    2. Requirements for an acceptable and preventative measures
    3. Causes of substandard radiographs and preventative measures
    4. Quality assurance testing methods
    5. Benefit of quality assurance programs
  8. Identifying and Correcting Faulty Radiographs
    1. Inadequacies caused by faulty exposure technique
    2. Inadequacies attributable to incorrect positioning of the PID
    3. Inadequacies attributable to miscellaneous errors in exposure techniques
    4. Inadequacies caused by faulty processing techniques
  9. Intraoral Radiographic Procedures
    1. Fundamentals of shadow casting
    2. Principles of the paralleling technique
    3. Principles of the bisecting technique
    4. Points of entry
    5. Disinfection and sterilization
  10. Periapical Examination
    1. Placement of the digital image receptor (sensor)
    2. Sequence of digital sensor positioning
    3. Digital sensor holding devices for paralleling and bisecting technique
    4. Endodontic radiography technique
  11. Interproximal or Bitewing Examination
    1. Fundamentals of interproximal radiography
    2. Methods of holding the interproximal digital sensor in position
    3. Posterior interproximal exposures
  12. Digital Radiography
    1. Terminology
    2. Digital imaging
    3. Fundamentals concepts
    4. Characteristics of a digital image
    5. Methods of acquiring digital image
  13. Radiology for Children
    1. Role of radiography in protecting the deciduous teeth
    2. When to expose radiographs on children
    3. Technique
  14. Radiography for Edentulous Patient
    1. Importance of edentulous radiography
    2. Technique for edentulous survey
  15. Panoramic Radiography
    1. Fundamentals of panoramic radiography
    2. Correct head positioning
    3. Operational procedure of the panoramic radiography
    4. Advantages and disadvantages of the panoramic radiography
  16. Computer-Aided Imaging
    1. Purpose
    2. Procedure

Lab Content

  1. Radiation safety
  2. Bitewing techniques
  3. Periapical radiographs using paralleling techniques
  4. Periapical radiographs using bisecting techniques
  5. Infection control
  6. Pediatric Radiographs
  7. Film mounting
  8. Evaluation of radiographs and correction of faulty radiographs
  9. Digital radiography
  10. Computer-Aided imaging

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

Perio-Pro operations manual Electronically provided

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

See above

Examples of Outside Assignments

1. Describe the two accepted theories on how radiation damages biological tissue.
2. What is the MPD for dental personnel and the general public?
3. You are to take a full set of x-rays on an adult patient, describe the steps you will take: a. to set up the x-ray machine b. for infection control c. to set up the tray d. to prepare the patient for taking x-rays.
4. Describe the principles of the paralleling technique.

Instruction Type(s)

Lab, Lecture, Online Education Lab, Online Education Lecture