Public Perception and Viewpoints of Dental Radiograph Prescriptions and Dentists' Safety Protection Practice

The exposure of patients to ionizing radiation used in dentistry comes with a subtle risk of a stochastic effect, but there is tremendous benefit obtained from radiographic investigation for diagnosis, management, and monitoring of the treatment offered. The aim of this study was to assess the viewpoint of the population concerning the prescriptions and practices in dentistry associated with dental radiographs and the safe use of ionizing radiation in dental clinics. Validated and pretested structured self-administered questionnaires with 11 items were used. An electronic version of the questionnaire was created using Google Forms and distributed online through social media outlets. A total of 437 patients completed the questionnaire which contains questions about their demographic data and their perception of the practice of dentistry regarding hazard from dental radiographs. The collected data were analyzed statistically. Up to 88.6% of the study participants underwent dental radiography for various dental treatments. A majority of them relied on the dentist for the type of requested radiograph, 40% of them reported that dentist never explained the hazards associated with radiography. More than half of the participants (55%) never or hardly ever asked about safety measures before undergoing radiography. Most of the participants approved of radiography and never refrained. There is a spectrum of perceptions by the population. Continuous patient education is recommended to enhance awareness regarding this matter. Community perception assists in correcting wrong beliefs and ensuring improvement.