Dental Local Rules

Dental Local Rules – a key part of your Radiation Protection File

The headline content required in dental local rules is

A description of the Controlled Area: For example, this might be the entire room or a particular distance around the x-ray equipment

A summary of the key working instructions: The local rules provide the key working instructions in order to ensure the potential risks of radiation exposure of staff and members of the public are minimised. This will include practical aspects such as how access to the area is restricted during exposures, where the operator stands and the arrangements for staff to enter the area.

The name of the appointed Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS): The role of the RPS is to supervise the work to ensure it is conducted in accordance with the local rules.

Contingency plans: Contingency plans for reasonably foreseeable accident/incident scenarios should be included. For example this might include arrangements in the event of equipment malfunction and/or accidental exposure to radiation.

Dose investigation level: This is the level of exposure (or suspected exposure) to staff at which point the employer will conduct a formal investigation of the circumstances.

Other key instructions and practical matters might also be included within dental local rules, e.g. arrangements for pregnant staff, personal dose monitoring (if applicable). The details around referral, justification and carrying out of medical exposures will however be more fully detailed elsewhere in the employer’s ‘IRMER procedures’ contained within the Radiation Protection File.

The dental local rules must be made available to all staff who work in or around the area. For example this might be as part of discussing them during new staff induction, ensuring they are available in the Radiation Protection File, or putting them on display.

All staff working in the practice should sign to say they have read and understood the local rules.

The dental x-ray local rules should be subject to document control – i.e. only the most recent version should be available, it should be signed and dated on behalf of the employer and have a clear review date. This is a favourite for inspections by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).  There’s more about CQC regulation re x-rays here

https://www.cqc.org.uk/guidance-providers/dentists/dental-mythbuster-3-dental-radiography-x-rays

In Scotland, questions around local rules are set out in the combined practice inspection requirements, here

https://www.scottishdental.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/CPI-and-Radiology-Guidance-for-Dental-Practices.pdf

And for HEIW in Wales, the local rules inspection requirements are described here

https://heiw.nhs.wales/files/dental-qi-tool-for-ionising-radiation/guidance-notes-for-the-x-ray-checklist/ (opens a word document)

You can also read more in the dental guidance notes, hosted by RQIA here

https://www.rqia.org.uk/RQIA/files/44/449bdd1c-ccb0-4322-b0df-616a0de88fe4.pdf

The Radiation Protection Supervisor (RPS), an individual appointed within the practice, oversees implementation of the Local Rules.

Your RPA (Radiation Protection Adviser) will assist you with preparation of draft local rules for your practice – please get in touch with us and get started today!