• Radiation will be used strictly as an aid for diagnostic purposes. Individuals will not be exposed to radiation for teaching or training purposes. • No radiographic images will be taken on a routine basis. • All students exposing radiographic images will be supervised and evaluated by their clinical instructor. • Patient will not be subjected to retakes solely for students to demonstrate technical proficiency. • Students will be allowed to take one retake for any projection, but only if the radiograph is diagnostically necessary and authorized by either the clinical instructor or dentist. • No students or faculty shall hold the film in place for the patient during the exposure of the radiographic image. Appropriate film holding devices will be used. • Prescribed exposure techniques will be followed and the appropriate exposure times will be utilized. • Every exposure will be recorded in the patient’s chart. • Patients being exposed to radiation will wear a lead apron with a thyroid collar for intraoral images and a lead apron without a thyroid collar for all panoramic radiographs. Failure to use a lead apron when exposing patients to radiation for diagnostic procedures will result in a failure in professionalism and failure for the survey. • Lead aprons are not to be folded or crumpled. Lead aprons should be stored in a hanging position and not folded as this will damage the lead lining within the apron. The students are responsible for the full replacement value of the lead apron if it is damaged. Pregnancy and Radiation Students who are current members of the program or are selected to begin the program may voluntarily disclose a pregnancy to program officials. The student may also
choose not to disclose such information. The student will have the option to take a written leave of absence or to continue the program with or without modifications to their training. Students may also withdraw their declaration of pregnancy. This must be done, however, in written form with a student signature. If the student chooses to take a voluntary leave of absence, the student must document in writing, the date the student will leave and return. Failure to comply with the dates will be cause for dismissal from the program. The Program Director will provide any additional information to the student. The student may also voluntarily withdraw from the program if the student is pregnant. The withdrawal must be documented in writing and include the date of withdrawal from the program. This documentation is given to the Program Director. The Hodges University Dental Hygiene Program has adopted the conservative recommendation of restricting the dose of ionizing radiation to the fetus during the entire period of gestation to no more than 500 mrem. • Once the pregnancy is declared, the student will purchase an additional dosimeter badge to be worn over the developing fetus. At the student’s expense, the badge will be monitored monthly during the pregnancy. If a situation is identified in which the amount of exposure is approaching 500 mrem, the student’s training will require modifications such as wearing a lead apron to ensure the dose to the developing fetus does not exceed 500 mrem. • The student, at their option, with full awareness of a slight increased risk for the unborn child and assumption of said risk, decide to continue training in this area without modification. If the student chooses this option, the student must sign a statement acknowledging the student’s willingness to train in the area where the dose to the fetus might exceed 500 mrem. Students are not encouraged to select this option.
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Hodges University Student Handbook
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