Awareness of Radiation protection protocols among General practitioners and Endodontists in Chennai- A Cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey

Objectives: To assess and evaluate the knowledge of dental professionals towards radiation protection protocols and recent advancements in radiation protection techniques. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinical dental practitioners and Endodontists in Chennai, in the month of January, 2019.The questionnaire consisted of 15 questions and was structured under the headings of knowledge, attitude and practice. The questionnaire was distributed via google forms and responses collected. A total of 304 responses were collected and assessed. Results: The safe distance between x- ray equipment and the optimization of staff and patient dose needs more awareness among General practitioners. More than half population of dentists were not sure of Quality Assurance testing of X ray equipment and its duration and the thickness of lead barrier to be used. Most of the dental practitioners know about conventional radiation protective equipment but fail to use them in regular dental practices due to their heavy weight and increased cost. Conclusion: Awareness should be created among the general practitioners regarding the hazardous nature of the cumulative effect of radiation. The use of these lead free aprons has reduced the amount of physical strain greatly but validation of their attenuating properties in comparison to lead aprons, needs more rigorous testing. The recent lead free jackets made of Xenolite have the advantage of being light weight and would also be a cost effective option.