North Carolina Administrative Code › Title 21 - OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS › Chapter 16 - DENTAL EXAMINERS › Subchapter H - DENTAL ASSISTANTS › Section .0100 - CLASSIFICATION AND TRAINING › Section 16H .0105 - DENTAL RADIOLOGY COURSE AND EXAMINATION REQUIREMENTS

Current through Register Vol. 39, No. 2, July 15, 2024
(a) If a
				  dental radiology course and the course's final examination meet the
				  requirements of this Rule, the Board will recognize the course and final
				  examination as satisfying the dental radiology training and equivalency
				  examination requirements set out in
				  G.S.
				  90-29(c)(12).
(b) For the Board to recognize a dental
				  radiology course and its final examination:
(1) The course shall include at least 7 hours
				  of didactic, lecture-based instruction and at least 14 hours of laboratory
				  instruction.
(2) The course
				  curriculum shall include instruction and training in clinical dental radiology,
				  in the production and use of dental x-rays, and on digital x-ray equipment. The
				  course shall enable the student to:
(A)
				  identify in sequence the steps necessary for operating dental x-ray
				  equipment;
(B) identify the
				  requirements of a diagnostic digital image;
(C) differentiate the effect of variations in
				  amperage, kilo-voltage, distance, and exposure time on the resulting digital
				  images;
(D) identify the terms used
				  to measure radiation;
(E) establish
				  guidelines for maintaining radiation safety and the ALARA ("as low as
				  reasonably achievable") principle;
(F) follow principles of radiologic health
				  practices and radiation biology;
(G) identify radiation safety techniques and
				  monitoring devices;
(H) identify
				  the parts and identification marks on dental x-ray sensors;
(I) identify and compare intraoral sensors
				  according to size and customary usage;
(J) identify methods of sensor handling and
				  storage;
(K) identify and perform
				  in sequence the steps in processing digital images;
(L) differentiate between preliminary
				  interpretation and diagnosis of the digital images;
(M) identify the anatomical landmarks of the
				  face and skull;
(N) identify any
				  dental radiograph according to its location in the maxilla or mandible, and
				  position it on a digital image mount;
(O) identify the types of radiographic errors
				  caused by faulty exposure techniques;
(P) identify the types of radiographic errors
				  caused by incorrect digital mount positioning and angulation of the central
				  ray;
(Q) identify the types of
				  radiographic errors caused by faulty digital processing techniques;
(R) identify the conditions that cause
				  digital images to be fogged;
(S)
				  identify the advance preparations necessary before exposing digital
				  images;
(T) carry out the task of
				  digital image exposure to completion;
(U) use the paralleling technique to produce
				  digital images of diagnostic quality addressing contrast, density, and
				  definition;
(V) explain the
				  principles of digital imaging and quality assurance;
(W) identify errors when using digital
				  imaging in technique and processing;
(X) explain the utilization of beam aligning
				  devices; and
(Y) describe the use
				  of hand-held radiation exposure devices following guidelines from the Radiation
				  Protection Section of the Department of Health and Human Services, Radiology
				  Compliance Branch ("Radiation Protection Section"), which are incorporated by
				  reference, including subsequent amendments and editions, and are available at
				  no cost online at www.ncradiation.net/Xray/dentdose.htm.
(3) The laboratory portion of the course
				  shall have no more than six students per instructor, and shall include practice
				  on dental radiography manikins. Students shall not practice on peer students
				  unless the unit is turned off and all requirements of the Board's sterilization
				  and infection control rule,
				  21 NCAC
				  16J .0103, are satisfied. Students shall be
				  required to achieve a passing score of at least 80 percent on a written
				  examination on radiation safety prior to taking radiographs.
(4) To complete the course, students shall be
				  required to achieve a passing score of at least 80 percent on a written
				  examination upon completion of the didactic, lecture-based portion of the
				  course and to achieve a passing score of at least 80 percent on a final
				  laboratory examination. The final laboratory examination shall be conducted on
				  a manikin and include completion of a full mouth series.
(5) The facility used as the training
				  location for the course shall:
(A) assume all
				  overhead costs involved in offering the course;
(B) comply with the Board's rules regarding
				  sanitation, sterilization, and infection control set out in
				  21 NCAC
				  16J, the applicable guidelines of the
				  Radiation Protection Section, and the OSHA guidelines and standards related to
				  dentistry, which are incorporated by reference, including subsequent amendments
				  and editions, and are available at no cost online at
				  www.osha.gov/dentistry/standards;
(C) provide access to a room large enough to
				  accommodate the number of participants for lecture purposes;
(D) have the number of x-ray machines
				  necessary based on the course curriculum and enrollment to ensure there are no
				  more than two students per machine; and
(E) have facilities for digital
				  radiography.
(6) The
				  didactic and laboratory portions of the course shall be taught by:
(A) an instructor of dental radiography at an
				  institution accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation ("CODA"), a
				  list of which is available at no cost at www.ada.org/coda and is incorporated
				  by reference, including subsequent amendments and editions; or
(B) an instructor who has received a
				  certification to teach dental radiography from a CODA-accredited institution,
				  and has completed three hours of continuing education in the area of radiology
				  every other year. The continuing education courses shall be offered by
				  Board-approved continuing education course sponsors as set out in
				  21 NCAC
				  16I .0202 or
				  21 NCAC
				  16R .0202.
(7) The course sponsor shall provide students
				  with all supplies.
(8) Course
				  advertising shall comply with the Board's rules regarding advertisement of
				  dental services set out in
				  21 NCAC
				  16P.