Dental Radiology

Course Description ¦ Prerequisites ¦ Typical Course Sequence ¦ Requirements for licensure
Additional information about the clinical ¦ FAQs about the clinical component
See when this course is offered ¦ Register for this course

Changes coming to the Dental Radiology Course in 2013. Click here for more information.

Course Description:

Picture of mannequin having radiographs taken

Our Dental Radiology course is approved by the Technologist Certification Section of the Bureau of X-Ray Compliance (in turn a part of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection) and is designed to prepare students to take the exam that will lead to becoming a Licensed Dental Radiologic Technologist (LDRT). In other words, you'll have an x-ray license to perform dental-specific procedures. You may also see the phrase Limited Dental Radiologic Technologist, which refers to the fact that you are limited to performing only dental-specific radiological procedures as opposed to performing radiological procedures on other parts of the human body.

The course is broken down into three components:

A didactic component
A laboratory component
A clinical component

The didactic component

The didactic (or instructional) component is the more traditional classroom time. It is here that you will first be introduced to the required radiology concepts and practices that you will need to know and be able to perform in order to obtain your license. In this part of the course students will learn about radiation physics, radiation biology, exposure and processing techniques, radiation safety, processing chemicals, and mounting films. Students will spend a total of 30 hours in a classroom setting and will receive a thorough course manual that will aid in studying and preparing for DANB's

RHS

exam discussed below. Course manuals are provided in class.

The laboratory component

The laboratory component of this course is designed to provide students a truly hands-on opportunity to practice their newly learned skills. You will practice actual procedures with real instruments, equipment, and live radiation using a mannequin as your patient. Students will expose actual radiographs (x-rays) and later process (develop) those radiographs. Students will however, not be allowed to practice exposing films on each other. A total of 20 hours are allotted to laboratory time.

The clinical component

This clinical component of the course can only begin after completion of the first two components (the didactic and laboratory components). The "clinical" must be performed in a state approved (Bureau of X-Ray Compliance approved) dental office where you are supervised by a properly licensed individual. If you are already working in a dental office you may be able to use your current employer to complete your clinical, pending approval. Although Dental Assistant Services cannot guarantee that we will find you a location to do your clinical, we may be able to help you find an office if you're having trouble doing so on your own.

For more specific information about the clinical component please click here or visit the clinical section of our Frequently Asked Questions page.

Exposing a radiograph The entire course runs for a total of 22 weeks and ends with the student being fully prepared to take the Dental Assisting National Board's (DANB's ) Radiation Health & Safety (RHS ) exam that will lead to your becoming a Licensed Dental Radiologic Technologist. Put another way, this course will leave you fully prepared to take the exam that will lead to your dental x-ray license.

After obtaining a NJ dental x-ray license most dental assistants will begin working on their Certified Dental Assistant (CDA ) certificate. One of the requirements for becoming a CDA certificant is to pass DANB's RHS exam. If you complete all of the other requirements to become a CDA certificant within five years (which is certainly realistic), having passed the RHS exam now in order to become a Licensed Dental Radiologic Technologist will exempt you from having to take the RHS exam a second time as part of earning your CDA certification.

Students who are pregnant or who may become pregnant are allowed to take the full radiology course including both the laboratory and clinical components. Upon becoming aware of your pregnancy, Dental Assistant Services will provide you with a written pregnancy policy as mandated by the Department of Environmental Protection.

The purchase of a separate textbook will be required for this course. The required book is called "Dental Radiography: Principles and Techniques" (4^th edition). It is written by Joen M. Iannucci and Laura Jansen Howerton and was published by Elsevier in 2011. The ISBN number is 1437711626.

We encourage you to shop around online for the best price. Click here for a list of some useful websites that may assist with locating a textbook. At times we may have used textbooks from previous students available for sale. Please call to find out if there are any used copies currently available.

Prerequisites:

Although there is no strict and formal prerequisites to taking this radiology course, it is highly recommended that you first take Introductory Dental Assisting. At a minimum you should be familiar with the following:

Maxillary and mandibular
Anterior and posterior
Quadrants
Universal numbering system
Names of the teeth
Surfaces of the teeth
Tooth anatomy
Oral anatomy

After reviewing this list, if you are still unsure about whether or not you would be prepared to take this course, please contact us at info@dentalassistantservices.com with a brief summary of your experience or call our office at 732-919-1816.

Typical Course Sequence

This chart displays the usual order that students will take our courses and the order in which they obtain their credentials. For a more detailed overview, please click here.

Credential/License:	Courses:	Exams:
N/A	1. Introductory Dental Assisting	None
Dental X-Ray License (LDRT)	2. Dental Radiology	Radiation Health & Safety (RHS )
Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) Certificate	3. Review of Radiation Health & Safety* 4. Infection Control 5. General Chairside	Radiation Health & Safety (RHS ) Infection Control General Chairside
Registered Dental Assistant (RDA)	6. Expanded Functions	Expanded Functions

*If you obtained your dental x-ray license in NJ you will most likely not have to take the Review of Radiation Health & Safety course in order to obtain a CDA

certificate.

Requirements for licensure:

You must be at least 18 years old.
You must complete a form indicating that you are "of good moral character".
You must provide documentation of having completed at least a high school level education in the United States or its equivalent. The following documents satisfy the requirement set by the DEP:

A United States high school diploma
A United States high school transcript
A passing GED (General Educational Development) test
Evidence of a United States college or university degree (i.e., a degree or transcript indicating that a degree has been earned)
For international students, a translated and evaluated high school or above diploma, degree, or transcript is required. See the other useful sites section of our useful links page for help locating an approved translation and educational evaluation service.

You must complete an approved course such as this one.
You must fill out an application from the DEP.
You must pass an exam approved by the DEP

Most students will take DANB's RHS exam.
Some students such as those from others states who have taken and passed an equivalent exam or the DANB exam elsewhere may be able to avoid having to take the RHS exam in New Jersey. The NJ DEP will make this determination.

For further information about the Limited Dental Radiologic Technology license, please visit the Bureau of X-Ray Compliance (a division of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection) online.

The process of obtaining your dental x-ray license can be confusing as there are several steps and requirements. At Dental Assistant Services we try to simplify the process as much as possible. We've been through the process several times and are here to offer you the benefit of our experience. We will not simply teach you the course content and send you on your way. We understand the process and how confusing it can be, and will actually take the time to walk you through the process.