Occupational radiation exposure for dental radiation workers and diagnostic radiology workers in Albania

Abstract

The development of dental radiology in Albania has been over a century. Medical imaging is essential to dental practice. X-rays examinations help dentists to diagnose, plan treatments and monitor both treatments and lesion development. This study explored mainly the profile of dental radiation workers comparing it with the diagnostic radiology workers and their occupational radiation exposure in Albania for the period 2016 to 2020. The assessment and analysis procedures of this study were carried out at the personal dosimetry laboratory, Institute of Applied Nuclear Physics. The total number of monitored dental radiation workers increased from 39 in 2016 to 82 in 2020. The annual collective effective exposure dose fluctuated from 26.84man-Sv to 70.14man-Sv, and it showed an increasing trend. In addition, the average annual effective exposure dose of total monitored dental radiation workers varied from 0.73mSv to 0.87mSv. The total number of monitored diagnostic radiology workers increased from 196 in 2016 to 332 in 2020. The annual collective effective exposure dose fluctuated from 240.99man-Sv to 358.03man-Sv, and it has showed an increasing trend. The average annual effective exposure dose of total monitored diagnostic radiology workers varied from 1.08 mSv to 1.40 mSv. The results of the measured annual dose were well below the international recommended dose limit of 20 mSv.