Enhancing Diagnostic Quality of Intra-Oral Radiographs Through Targeted Training Interventions and Super User Integration

Dental and oral and maxillofacial surgery professions rely on intra-oral radiographs to effectively diagnose and carry out necessary treatment. A retrospective comparative analysis was carried out on a sample of digital radiographs from two sites within the same National Health Service (NHS) trust. Images were graded as per Faculty of General Dental Practitioners (FGDP) guidelines as either 'Acceptable' or 'Not Acceptable'. The FGDP state that 95% of digital radiographs taken within a department should be rated as "acceptable" in terms of diagnostic quality. Diagnostic quality was assessed based on the ability to identify structures necessary for treatment and whether the radiographs had to be retaken. Additionally, surveys were given out to both the medical and dental radiographers across both sites to gather data on their level of training in dental radiography, experience and confidence. The results revealed significant disparities in diagnostic quality of radiographs across both sites and training events and confidence levels between medical and dental radiographers. This paper outlines strategic improvements to the radiography team training, the establishment of a super user system to standardize training quality, and the introduction of a shared rota to enhance clinical efficiency. These initiatives were placed in order to improve radiograph quality and boost the confidence of medical radiographers in intra-oral imaging, ultimately improving patient care and outcomes and reducing their exposure to excessive radiation.