[Radiation risks in dental and medical radiography]

Biological effects of exposure to ionizing radiation in diagnostic dental and medical radiology are stochastic effects such as carcinogenesis and genetical effects. Today, radiation exposure due to an x-ray or nuclear medicine examination varies from less then 0.001 mSv to more then 10 mSv effective dose. The background level of natural radiation in the Netherlands is about 2 mSv. Assuming that an appropriate indication for the examination exists, it can be stated that generally the diagnostic information obtained outweighs by far the risks involved in the exposure to radiation.