All radiation workers should receive as little radiation as reasonably achievable (ALARA). Personal radiation monitoring devices (Thermoluminescent personnel monitoring devices) or dosimeters can be worn during working hours by all faculty and staff who regularly use the X-ray equipment. Request to wear a badge must be made via email to the Division Head Oral Diagnosis and Radiology.
Radiation workers: No employee (radiation worker/occupationally exposed worker) should receive more than 5 rems (5,000 mrem or 0.05 sievert) whole-body radiation exposure each year. This is the radiation protection guide value. For an added precaution, quarterly readings above 10 percent of the radiation protection guide (0.5 mSv, or 50 mrem) should be investigated. Dosimetry reports must be kept as a permanent record for each employee and be made available for inspection by the employee.
Declared pregnant radiation worker: The worker's dose limit remains at 5000 mrem per year regardless of her declaration of pregnancy. The Declaration of Pregnancy initiates the dose limit for the fetus. The dose limit for the fetus is 500 mrem for the entire pregnancy. If, upon declaration of her pregnancy, the fetal dose is determined to already be 450 mrem or more, the worker's dose limit for the remainder of her pregnancy is 50 rem.
The Radiation Safety Officer (RSO) of the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry must receive written notification of pregnancy from the pregnant individual. It is recommended that a pregnant radiation worker declare her pregnancy so that her occupational radiation exposure potential can be evaluated to ensure that the dose to the unborn child does not exceed 500 mrem (0.5 rem) over the duration of the pregnancy. Please consult with RSO and / or Division Head of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology for further assistance.
Radiation safety manual of the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center can be found at:
Radiation Safety Office Documents (ouhsc.edu)
General public: The limit to members of the public (including employees not involved in working with sources of ionizing radiation) is 100 mrem (1 mSv) per year resulting from licensed or registered activities at this institution.
