This information sheet provides an overview of the regulatory requirements that apply to the use of radiation in dental surgeries in the ACT. The applicable legislation is the Radiation Protection Act 2006 and the Radiation Protection Regulation 2007. The URLs for all hyperlinks in the text are listed under the heading References at the end of this document.

Dental practices in the ACT are required to have the following:

Individual Radiation Licence(s)
Radiation Source Registration
Radiation Management Plan
Radiation Shielding Plan
Installation Notification

Individual Radiation Licences

All dental care providers operating X-ray apparatus within the practice require a licence. For details regarding radiation licences for dental use click here.

To apply for a radiation licence, click here to download the application form.

Note that there are 2 categories of x-ray sources:

General dental X-ray sources – include Intra-oral X-ray units, Panoramic X-ray units, Cephalometric X-ray units
- Dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists and oral health therapists that use general dental X-ray sources must be registered as a dental practitioner with Ahpra
- Dental assistants and dental nurses that use general dental X-ray sources must have training, knowledge and or experience in dental assisting such as a Certificate IV in Dental Assisting – Radiography (HLT43007)
Specialist dental X-ray sources – include Dental 3D Volumetric, CBCT X-Ray Units.
- Dentists, dental hygienists, dental therapists and oral health therapists that use specialist dental X-ray sources must be registered as a dental practitioner with Ahpra and have training, knowledge and/or experience in radiation safety with respect to dental 3D volumetric X-ray apparatus

Radiation Source Registration

Click here for details regarding:

radiation source categories
possession licence – the owner of the radiation source is required to apply for this
application process – how to apply to register the radiation source
transfer of ownership of a radiation source

Radiation Management Plan

In the ACT, a Radiation Management Plan is one of the requirements of the Radiation Protection legislation. A plan must be submitted with every new radiation source registration application. This plan is the primary document that describes how a radiation source is dealt with, by whom, and the procedures for management of the source and radiation protection at the premises or use location. The plan must be available to anyone who may work with the radiation source. The plan should be reviewed at least annually and updated with any changes in procedures, staff or equipment. If you are renewing your radiation source registration, an updated plan may be required.

When developing your radiation management plan, you should consult the following information found at Arpansa Radiation Protection Series No. 10.

Radiation Protection in Dentistry
RPS 10: Code of Practice and Safety Guide for Radiation Protection in Dentistry (2005)

The Radiation management plan template click here provides clear guidance on the minimum requirements for managing radiation in your practice. As you complete the template, ensure that you have fulfilled the compliance expectations for each section.

Radiation Shielding Plan

A radiation shielding plan is required for all radiation sources, and it must be documented and submitted when registering a radiation source. Remember that this needs to be planned before construction commences in your premises.

Details of what is required including shielding construction, design constraints, dental shielding design, plasterboard densities, alternative shielding materials, etc. can be found here

Installation Notification

The practice and the installer must both submit an installation notification as soon as possible after installing a radiation source. A copy of this can be obtained from the installer. For more information click here.