Instadose: Modern Radiation Technologies for Dental Radiology Practices

Rahje Shields

Duration: 60 minutes

CE:1.0

Dentistry hosts the largest inventory of X-ray devices user, comparable to other radiological imaging modalities. As such, the need for radiation monitoring is paramount due to potential multiple sources within a facility.

Dosimeters are radiation monitoring devices that are used to record the quality and quantity of radiation a person is exposed to. Since radiation cannot be detected with our senses, dosimeters inform radiation users of their radiation dose. Unforeseen situations such as an intrinsic radiation shield malfunction/damage or unwarranted repeated X-ray image exposure can result in a chronic overexposure with time, to dental radiation staff and patients.

The purpose of monitoring and dose assessment is, to provide information about the exposure of workers, confirm a safe working environment, best practices and regulatory compliance. There are various radiation monitoring devices with varying benefits and limitations. These are Thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD), Optically stimulated Luminescence dosimetry (OSL) and Direct Ion Storage (DIS) Dosimetry.

 

Rahje Shields

Rahje Shields is Country Manager & Medical Physicist at PRAD Radiation Partners Ltd and Managing Director & Chairman, Pyroneers Explosives International Limited. He is a member of the Jamaican Association for Physics in Medicine (JAPM) and Associate member of the Institute of Physics & Engineering in Medicine (IPEM). In recognition of his commitment to science education and advocacy, Rahje serves as a STEM ambassador for the Scientific Research Council (SRC) in Jamaica. His engagement with students and the wider community highlights his passion for fostering interest and excellence in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

He is an alumnus of the U.S. Dept of State - IREX Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI), where he honed his entrepreneurial skills and developed cross-cultural collaborations. Additionally, he is an alumnus of the International Republican Institute (IRI) Caribbean Youth Fellowship, and a member of the Women’s Health Network (WHN) in Jamaica.