DANB RHS Course Notes

Choose the right digital dental image for the clinical question, position the patient and receptor correctly, recognize anatomy and image errors, and prevent avoidable repeats. Know what each positioning component does—especially that the PID is attached to the tubehead and stays outside the mouth.

• Candidates overstep the RHS role by diagnosing a lesion, or they mistake a normal landmark or technique artifact for pathology.

• Start with orientation and landmarks before searching for pathology.

Know core x-ray production and radiation physics, biologic effects and units, then apply barrier/position/distance and ALARA to reduce unnecessary patient and occupational exposure.

• Candidates try to correct geometric errors by increasing exposure or assume a digitally brightened image proves exposure was correct.

• If a positioning error caused the problem, fix positioning—not exposure.

Use standard precautions throughout digital radiography: clean/dirty workflow, barriers, correct sensor and instrument reprocessing, surface disinfection, hand hygiene and PPE.

• Candidates focus on radiation shielding and forget that an x-ray control or tubehead can still transmit microorganisms.

• Think 'what did the gloved hand touch?'