Wednesday, Jan 14, 2015

As 2015 begins, there are new fees and forms dentists should be aware of regarding the use of radiation machines.

First, annual radiation machine registration fees went up from $79 to $93 as of Jan. 1. Machine registration fees for dentists are billed every other year.

The reporting requirements of the California Department of Public Health for installation, or receipt, sale, transfer, disposal or discontinuance of use, of any reportable source of radiation have stayed the same, but the way in which it is reported has changed.

To report the discontinuance of use of a radiation machine, dentists should notify the California Department of Public Health by submitting a completed “Radiation Machine Registration for Changes to Registrant or Machine Information – RH 2261C” form.

To report that a dentist is no longer in possession of any functional radiation machine, they should notify the California Department of Public Health by submitting a completed “Radiation Machine Registration for Withdrawal of Registration – RH 2261W” form.

To register a new dental facility with a radiation machine, notify the California Department of Public Health by submitting a completed “Radiation Machine Registration for New Registrants – RH 2261N” form.

Dentists can download a copy of the new forms by visiting cdph.ca.gov/rhb.

For a radiation machine to be inactivated from the CDPH-RHB registration database, the radiation machine has to be incapable of producing radiation or no longer in the possession of the registrant. Incapable of producing radiation means a radiation machine is no longer functional. Dentists are reminded that unplugging a machine or placing a functional machine in storage on site or off site, for use at a later time, does not mean that a machine has been made incapable of producing radiation.

Failure to report the sale, transfer, disposal or discontinuance of use of a radiation machine(s) will result in continued registration billing.

For more information, visit cdph.ca.gov/rhb.

Additionally, CDA’s Radiation Safety in Dental Practice guide (available on cda.org/practicesupport) has been revised to provide information inspectors have been requesting. Dental practices have reported that radiation inspectors have requested that written radiation safety programs include a policy on pregnant employees and pregnant patients. The Radiation Safety Guide in Dental Practice includes guidance for managing pregnant employees. Information on pregnant patients and dental X-rays also has been added to the guide.

Source: www.cda.org