Use of direct digital radiography at remote dental facilities

Digital radiography is changing the practice of dentistry today. This technology offers many advantages compared with conventional radiographic techniques. These advantages include faster imaging times, elimination of conventional dental film/chemicals and processing equipment, reduced radiation exposure, the ability to enhance images, and digitization of images for storage and electronic transfer. The U.S. Air Force Dental Corps completed an evaluation of digital radiography to assess its potential use by deployed units in the field. The Schick Computed Dental Radiography Kit was selected for testing and sent to two remote sites in Saudi Arabia for analysis. After completion of a 6-month evaluation, this system was rated favorably by the evaluators and was determined to be an excellent alternative for field-use radiography. As a result of this study, digital radiography is now being integrated in all expeditionary medical support units for future field deployments.