Dental x-ray use in Boston

A telephone survey of 40 dental offices in Boston, Massachusetts, revealed that 95 per cent perform x-ray procedures as part of the initial examination of a new patient, that almost one-half (47.5 per cent) routinely include a full-mouth x-ray series in the initial examination, and that 85 per cent include some type of radiographic procedure as part of the periodic visits for cleaning and checkups. These percentages are substantially in excess of those reported by other investigators in which the respondents were aware that their policies with respect to the use of x-rays were being evaluated.