Training – IRR17, IRMER17 and Dental CBCT

In this step we will look at the important subject of radiation protection training, focussing on what is required by IRR17 and IRMER17, what is recommended by the General Dental Council (GDC) and what is recommended in the Dental GNs.

Regulatory requirements

Both IRR17 and IRMER17 specify training requirements for staff working with X-ray equipment.

IRR17 requires that employers provide training for all staff working with X-ray equipment and to refresh that training at regular intervals. The training should cover:

IRR17 also requires the employer to:

• Make sure that the radiation protection supervisor (RPS) is suitably trained for the role
• Provide staff who are not directly involved in radiography with the information they need to work safely – these staff need to be made aware of any local arrangements, for example, the significance of any warning signs and/or warning lights

IRMER17 requires the employer to make sure that:

Training meeting the requirements of IRR17 and IRMER17 is provided as part of the primary qualifications for dentists, hygienists and therapists. For refresher training and continuous professional development, it is usually possible to find a course that will cover the requirements of both sets of legislation.

Training recommendations

The General Dental Council (GDC) recommends that dentists and DCPs who carry out radiography should undertake at least five hours of verifiable CPD (continuing professional development) in radiography and radiation protection, in each five-year CPD cycle (with the exception of dental technicians, who may do five hours of CPD in materials and equipment, instead).

Members of the dental team require different levels of training depending on the duties they undertake. Training that will meet the requirements of legislation and guidance is shown in the table below.

The ‘radiation protection’ content of verifiable CPD courses should cover the subjects detailed in Table 3.3 of the Dental GNs. Update training will be required when panoramic, cephalometric or dental CBCT is newly introduced, digital imaging devices are used for the first time and when new techniques are employed.

Following the merger of the FGDP with the College of General Dentistry (CGDent), the Guidance Notes for dental practitioners on the safe use of X-ray equipment (GNs), which are referred to extensively throughout this step have been moved to the CGDent website. If you cannot access the links in this step that take you directly to specific pages in the GNs, please access the Dental GNs here.

Note that for staff involved in CBCT imaging, specific training is required as outlined above; because at present the necessary training is not provided as part of degree and diploma courses. Full details of the recommended training are given in section 3.10 and Appendix H of the Dental GNs. Refresher training should be provided and the Dental GNs suggest that as a minimum, about one of the recommended five hours of verifiable CPD in radiology and radiation protection should be specific to dental CBCT.

Training records

A record of all radiation safety training undertaken, including formal training and in-house briefings, should be kept. The records should be kept up to date and include the following information:

• The title of the course or subject covered
• The training provider
• Attendee’s name
• Date of training

It is recommended that these records are retained for a minimum of five years.