Cal. BPC § 1754.5 — California Code / Code bpc / Division 2 / Chapter 4 / Article 7 / Section 1754.5
Section 1754.5
Status: in_force

(a) A radiation safety course shall have the primary purpose of providing theory, laboratory, and clinical application in radiographic techniques. The board shall approve only those courses that adhere to the minimum requirements of this section.

(b) A radiation safety course provider applying for initial board approval shall submit a completed application for course approval, on a form provided by the board, accompanied by the applicable fee. The board may approve or deny approval after it evaluates all components of the course.

(c) Continuation of approval will be contingent upon continued compliance with Sections 1070 and 1070.1 of Title 16 of the California Code of Regulations and all requirements set forth in this section. The board may withdraw approval at any time that it determines that the course does not meet the requirements set forth in this subdivision.

(d) Providers shall make adequate provisions for appropriate supervision, operation, and facilities when used for laboratory and preclinical instruction.

(e) A course in radiation safety shall be of sufficient duration for the student to achieve minimum competence, but in no event less than 32 hours, including at least 8 hours of didactic instruction, at least 12 hours of laboratory instruction, and at least 12 hours of supervised clinical instruction.

(f) A course shall establish specific instructional objectives. The theoretical aspects of the course shall provide the content necessary for students to make safe and ethical judgments regarding radiation safety.

(g) Objective evaluation criteria shall be used for measuring student progress. Students shall be provided with specific performance objectives and the evaluation criteria that will be used for all evaluation and testing procedures.

(h) Areas of didactic instruction shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) Radiation physics and biology.

(2) Radiation protection and safety.

(3) Recognition of normal intraoral and extraoral anatomical landmarks.

(4) Radiograph exposure and processing techniques.

(5) Radiograph mounting or sequencing, and viewing, including anatomical landmarks of the oral cavity.

(6) Intraoral techniques including holding devices and image receptors.

(7) Proper use of patient protection devices and personal protective equipment for operator use.

(8) Identification and correction of faulty radiographs.

(9) Introduction to contemporary equipment and devices including the use of computerized digital radiography and extraoral imaging that may include panographs or cone-beam imaging.

(10) Techniques and exposure guidelines for a variety of patients including, but not limited to, adult, pediatric, edentulous, partially edentulous, endodontic, and patients with special needs.

(11) Radiographic record management.

(i) For the student to achieve minimum competence in the application of dental radiographic techniques and radiation safety, all the following shall be met by a board-approved course:

(1) Successful completion of laboratory experiences consisting of at least two bitewing radiographic series and two full mouth intraoral radiographic series using an x-ray training mannequin designed for radiographic exposures utilizing any dental radiographic image receptor or device deemed appropriate by the course director.

(2) Successful completion of clinical experiences consisting of at least three full-mouth intraoral radiographic series using any dental radiographic image receptor or device deemed appropriate by the course director or supervising dentist.

(j) All clinical radiographs shall be made using diagnostic criteria established by the course of instruction and shall in no event exceed three reexposures per series.

(k) Before the student’s performance of procedures on patients, the student shall provide evidence to the radiation safety course provider of having completed a board-approved eight-hour course in infection control and current, valid certification in basic life support.

(l) Completion of student and instructor written evaluations of each radiographic series identifying errors, causes of error, correction of errors, and, if applicable, the number of reexposures necessary for successful completion of a series to clinical competency.

(m) The student shall successfully complete a comprehensive written exam prior to the completion of the course. The exam shall include questions specific to items addressed in Article 4 (commencing with Section 30305) of Group 3 of Subchapter 4 of Chapter 5 of Division 1 of Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations relative to the special requirements for the use of x-ray in the healing arts.

(n) Extramural dental facilities may be utilized by a course for the purposes of clinical experiences. Clinical oversight shall be performed under the general supervision of a licensed dentist who shall authorize the student to perform, at minimum, three radiographic series. Didactic and laboratory instruction shall be provided only by course faculty or instructional staff prior to clinical performances.

(o) Programs and courses using extramural dental faculties for dental radiographic clinical experiences shall provide to the board, upon request or renewal of provider status, copies of all contracts of affiliation and documentation demonstrating compliance with board regulations.

(p) Upon successful completion of the course, students shall receive a certificate of completion as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 1741.

(q) The board may adopt regulations to implement this section.