RADIATION HEALTH AND SAFETY TEST
1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Unused developer solution could be harmful to you because ______.
a. it has high pH
b. it has low pH
c. it is a skin irritant
d. it is an inhalation hazard - Answer-it has high pH
Infection control practices during processing involve which of the following?
a. transport
b. assembly of beam alignment devices
c. checking kV settings
d. steadying the tubehead - Answer-transport
Which of the following is a true statement regarding pregnant patients and exposure to
radiation?
a. x ray films are not exposed until the second trimester
b. ADA guidelines recommend postponing x ray images during pregnancy
c. lead aprons prevent exposure to the fetus
d. exposure time is decreased for pregnant patients - Answer-lead aprons prevent
exposure to the fetus
Divergence of the x ray beam is reduced by using ______.
a. the short cone technique
b. the paralleling technique
c. the bisecting technique
d. an 8-inch PID - Answer-the paralleling technique
The maximum permissible dose (MPD) for occupationally exposed workers is:
a. 0.005 Sv/yr
b. 0.05 Sv/yr
c. 0.5 Sv/yr
d. 5.0 Sv/yr - Answer-0.05 Sv/yr
Which of the following represents the optimum desired occupational dose?
a. 0 rem/yr
b. 0.01 rem/yr
,c. 0.001 rem/yr
d. 0.1 rem/yr - Answer-0 rem/yr
Which of the following would be an acceptable practice for an operator of dental x ray
equipment?
a. wearing a film badge only at work
b. holding the film while fully draped with a lead apron
c. standing behind the patient, 6 feet away
d. holding the tubehead to prevent drifting - Answer-wearing a film badge only at work
Which of the following does a film badge monitor?
a. natural radiation exposures
b. patient exposures
c. radiographer's daily occupational radiation exposures
d. total office staff radiation exposures - Answer-radiographer's daily occupational
radiation exposures
Which of the following is an acceptable emission from the tubehead?
a. scatter radiation
b. primary radiation
c. leakage radiation
d. secondary application - Answer-primary radiation
Which of the following is an accurate statement about safe operating procedures?
a. pregnant operators must not expose dental images
b. dosimeters are mandatory for operators
c. all dental staff members should wear dosimeters
d. ALARA applies to patients but not operators - Answer-all dental staff members should
wear dosimeters
You have a new dental x ray machine. The length of the PID is changing from 16 to 8
inches. How does this affect the intensity of the x ray beam? What adjustment will you
need to make to keep the density of your images consistent?
a. the resultant beam would be one half as intense. You will need to increase the
exposure time
b. the resultant beam will be one quarter as intense. You will need to increase the
exposure time.
c. the resultant beam will be two times as intense. You will need to decrease the
exposure time.
, d. The resultant beam will be four times as intense. You will need to decrease the
exposure time. - Answer-The resultant beam will be four times as intense. You will need
to decrease the exposure time.
Which type of beam does not produce scatter radiation?
a. rectangular
b. round
c. conical
d. both a and b - Answer-both a and b
When using a stepwedge to test developer strength, a total of _____ films should be
taken
a. 5
b. 10
c. 20
d. 30 - Answer-20
A reference radiograph is used to compare ______.
a. densities
b. film freshness
c. processing time
d. processing solution freshness - Answer-densities
The coin test is used to check for ______.
a. light leaks in the darkroom
b. proper functioning of the dental x ray unit
c. proper safelighting
d. proper film density - Answer-proper safelighting
Extraoral intensifying screens should be checked periodically for _______.
a. fixer contamination
b. developer contamination
c. dirt and scratches
d. gelatin buildup - Answer-dirt and scratches
When densities differ by more than two steps on a stepwedge, which protocol should be
followed?
a. replace the processing solutions
b. stir the contents of the developer and continue to process
c. increase the heat in the tank by two degrees
1 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Unused developer solution could be harmful to you because ______.
a. it has high pH
b. it has low pH
c. it is a skin irritant
d. it is an inhalation hazard - Answer-it has high pH
Infection control practices during processing involve which of the following?
a. transport
b. assembly of beam alignment devices
c. checking kV settings
d. steadying the tubehead - Answer-transport
Which of the following is a true statement regarding pregnant patients and exposure to
radiation?
a. x ray films are not exposed until the second trimester
b. ADA guidelines recommend postponing x ray images during pregnancy
c. lead aprons prevent exposure to the fetus
d. exposure time is decreased for pregnant patients - Answer-lead aprons prevent
exposure to the fetus
Divergence of the x ray beam is reduced by using ______.
a. the short cone technique
b. the paralleling technique
c. the bisecting technique
d. an 8-inch PID - Answer-the paralleling technique
The maximum permissible dose (MPD) for occupationally exposed workers is:
a. 0.005 Sv/yr
b. 0.05 Sv/yr
c. 0.5 Sv/yr
d. 5.0 Sv/yr - Answer-0.05 Sv/yr
Which of the following represents the optimum desired occupational dose?
a. 0 rem/yr
b. 0.01 rem/yr
,c. 0.001 rem/yr
d. 0.1 rem/yr - Answer-0 rem/yr
Which of the following would be an acceptable practice for an operator of dental x ray
equipment?
a. wearing a film badge only at work
b. holding the film while fully draped with a lead apron
c. standing behind the patient, 6 feet away
d. holding the tubehead to prevent drifting - Answer-wearing a film badge only at work
Which of the following does a film badge monitor?
a. natural radiation exposures
b. patient exposures
c. radiographer's daily occupational radiation exposures
d. total office staff radiation exposures - Answer-radiographer's daily occupational
radiation exposures
Which of the following is an acceptable emission from the tubehead?
a. scatter radiation
b. primary radiation
c. leakage radiation
d. secondary application - Answer-primary radiation
Which of the following is an accurate statement about safe operating procedures?
a. pregnant operators must not expose dental images
b. dosimeters are mandatory for operators
c. all dental staff members should wear dosimeters
d. ALARA applies to patients but not operators - Answer-all dental staff members should
wear dosimeters
You have a new dental x ray machine. The length of the PID is changing from 16 to 8
inches. How does this affect the intensity of the x ray beam? What adjustment will you
need to make to keep the density of your images consistent?
a. the resultant beam would be one half as intense. You will need to increase the
exposure time
b. the resultant beam will be one quarter as intense. You will need to increase the
exposure time.
c. the resultant beam will be two times as intense. You will need to decrease the
exposure time.
, d. The resultant beam will be four times as intense. You will need to decrease the
exposure time. - Answer-The resultant beam will be four times as intense. You will need
to decrease the exposure time.
Which type of beam does not produce scatter radiation?
a. rectangular
b. round
c. conical
d. both a and b - Answer-both a and b
When using a stepwedge to test developer strength, a total of _____ films should be
taken
a. 5
b. 10
c. 20
d. 30 - Answer-20
A reference radiograph is used to compare ______.
a. densities
b. film freshness
c. processing time
d. processing solution freshness - Answer-densities
The coin test is used to check for ______.
a. light leaks in the darkroom
b. proper functioning of the dental x ray unit
c. proper safelighting
d. proper film density - Answer-proper safelighting
Extraoral intensifying screens should be checked periodically for _______.
a. fixer contamination
b. developer contamination
c. dirt and scratches
d. gelatin buildup - Answer-dirt and scratches
When densities differ by more than two steps on a stepwedge, which protocol should be
followed?
a. replace the processing solutions
b. stir the contents of the developer and continue to process
c. increase the heat in the tank by two degrees
