Dental dose and image quality surveys using optically stimulated luminescence

The correlation of x-ray beam quality at typical energies used for dental radiography with dosimeter response was studied. Landauer Luxel ?? Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dosimeters were analyzed for the dose response with respect to the built-in variety of filters in each badge. Trends found in dosimeter response were compared to beam quality measurements through use of a spherical, air ionization chamber and added aluminum filtration to harden the beam. Additionally, a series of image quality analyses were performed to determine if the exposures were performed at optimal settings for easy reading by the dentist. Through the use of a survey in which the dental office sends in the x-ray film to Landauer for analysis, these factors can be determined using calibration curves determined from collected data for correction.