Challenges of Implementing a New Radiation Protection Program In Dentistry in Québec

In 2022, following a consultation with all stakeholders, Health Canada amended its guidelines on radiation protection in dentistry with the publication of a new standard entitled " Radiation Protection in Dental Practice: Safety Procedures for the Installation, Use and Control of Dental X-ray Equipment - Safety Code 30 (2022 ) ". The previous standards dated from 1999.

The objective of the 2022 standard is to update and standardize radiation protection practices across the country. It takes into account the new technologies available in dentistry, such as portable equipment, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital sensors. It also includes the most recent international radiation protection standards and the latest Canadian legislative changes (2018) concerning design, construction and operating criteria for dental X-ray equipment.

There are more than 2000 dental clinics in Quebec (including academic clinics and hospital clinics). Nearly 10 000 dental X-ray machines are in use throughout the province, including more than 500 CBCT. Radiation protection regulations for dentistry are from 1981, and no upgrades have been announced.

Although several elements of these new guidelines reinforce radiation protection practices, others are in opposition with Quebec regulations. In this context, medical organizations, professional orders and associations have taken an individual interest in the implementation, in whole or in part, of this new standard, targeting, for example, use of portable equipment (banned in Quebec’s private clinics), or quality control conducted by radiation protection experts. We present the case of the Ordre des hygiénistes dentaires du Québec, which has opted for a holistic approach that will both better equip its members and train the next generation in radiation protection. We will discuss these initiatives from the perspective of ALADA and the latest UNSCEAR data on population doses from medical procedures.