Ace the 2026 DANB RHS Challenge – Radiate Confidence in Your Dental Journey!

Using a collimator is a key protective measure that significantly reduces patient exposure during dental radiography. A collimator serves to narrow the beam of radiation that comes from the x-ray tube, focusing it only on the area of interest, which is usually the area being imaged. By limiting the size and spread of the x-ray beam, less radiation is scattered, thereby minimizing the amount of unnecessary radiation that reaches the patient’s body. This targeted approach enhances image quality while ensuring that surrounding tissues are less exposed to radiation.

In contrast, increasing exposure time would result in more radiation being delivered to the patient, while decreasing the distance from the tube would similarly increase exposure because of the inverse square law, which states that radiation intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. Wearing a protective lead apron is also a critical measure, but it primarily protects specific organs from scatter radiation rather than reducing the actual amount of radiation the patient receives during the procedure. Therefore, the primary method that effectively reduces direct patient exposure during dental x-rays is through the use of a collimator.