A method of positioning a patient in an x-ray apparatus for dental x-ray radiography, the method comprising the steps of: providing an x-ray system comprising an x-ray source and x-ray detector, a positioning arrangement (108, 110) to position a patient's head in a predefined position with respect to the x-ray system, and at least one video camera (120, 122) to generate video images of the patient's head; pre-positioning the patient's head in a patient area of the x-ray apparatus using the positioning arrangement (108, 110); generating at least one image of the head of the pre-positioned patient from at least one view by the at least one video camera (120, 122); identifying at least one anatomical reference feature of the patient's head from the at least one image generated by the at least one video camera (120, 122); characterised by displaying on a display the at least one image generated by the at least one video camera (120, 122) together with one or more predetermined position marks representing positional information of the x-ray system relative to the at least one video camera (120, 122); comparing a position or orientation of the at least one anatomical reference feature with at least one of a translational position of the x-ray system or a rotational position of the x-ray system; and aligning the x-ray system and the pre-positioned patient using the at least one image generated of the patient's head, comprising moving at least one of the patient or the x-ray system to align the at least one anatomical reference feature of the patient's head with at least one of a preselected rotational or preselected translational position of the x-ray system until the one or more predetermined position marks coincide, on the display, with the at least one anatomical reference feature. providing an x-ray system comprising an x-ray source and x-ray detector, a positioning arrangement (108, 110) to position a patient's head in a predefined position with respect to the x-ray system, and at least one video camera (120, 122) to generate video images of the patient's head; pre-positioning the patient's head in a patient area of the x-ray apparatus using the positioning arrangement (108, 110); generating at least one image of the head of the pre-positioned patient from at least one view by the at least one video camera (120, 122); identifying at least one anatomical reference feature of the patient's head from the at least one image generated by the at least one video camera (120, 122); characterised by displaying on a display the at least one image generated by the at least one video camera (120, 122) together with one or more predetermined position marks representing positional information of the x-ray system relative to the at least one video camera (120, 122); comparing a position or orientation of the at least one anatomical reference feature with at least one of a translational position of the x-ray system or a rotational position of the x-ray system; and aligning the x-ray system and the pre-positioned patient using the at least one image generated of the patient's head, comprising moving at least one of the patient or the x-ray system to align the at least one anatomical reference feature of the patient's head with at least one of a preselected rotational or preselected translational position of the x-ray system until the one or more predetermined position marks coincide, on the display, with the at least one anatomical reference feature.