Dental digital radiography: a survey of quality aspects

The aim was to evaluate the experiences of Swedish general dental practitioners (GDPs) with digital radiography and their opinion on the same, particularly regarding quality issues. A letter was sent to all GDPs in private care in Region Skåne, Sweden, asking whether they used digital radiography (n=513). The response rate was 79%. The number of private GDPs who replied that they used digital radiography was 106. The Public Dental Service in Region Skåne listed 33 GDPs who worked with digital radiography. Based on these answers, a questionnaire was sent to the GDPs working with digital radiography (n=139). The questionnaire comprised 27 questions about the dentists, the system of intra-oral digital radiography, and the GDPs' experiences of and opinions on issues regarding image quality and quality control. The response rate to the questionnaire was 94%. Almost all, 92%, worked with charge-coupled device (CCD) and complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. Most GDPs were satisfied with their digital radiographic system. The majority (65%) experienced problems. Detector failure and trouble with the software were common. The GDPs wrote that they used lower exposure times in digital radiography than traditional film radiography. The estimated reduction in exposure time was said to be between 51% and 75%. Thirty-five per cent continued to use film parallel with digital radiography. The answers indicated that less than half of the equipment (40%) underwent quality control. Quality controls, when conducted, were undertaken once or twice a year, mainly by technicians from the companies that had sold the digital equipment. Based on the results of the questionnaire, there seems to be a need to improve the maintenance and the quality of digital radiography. It is also important that the GDPs become more aware of the problems that can occur when a new technique is introduced and that they develop the skills to handle these problems.