• Ime Usen
  Department of Radiobiology, Radiotherapy & Radiodiagnosis, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi‐Araba, Lagos State, Nigeria.
  




• Ayo Zacchaeus Ibitoye
  Department of Radiobiology, Radiotherapy & Radiodiagnosis, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi‐Araba, Lagos State, Nigeria.
  




• Bidemi Akinlade
  Department of Radiation Oncology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan & University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
  




• Gabriel Adebayo Abe
  Department of Radiobiology, Radiotherapy & Radiodiagnosis, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi‐Araba, Lagos State, Nigeria.
  




• Olima James Omafu
  Department of Radiobiology, Radiotherapy & Radiodiagnosis, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi‐Araba, Lagos State, Nigeria.
  

Occupational exposure to ionizing radiation in dental clinics is rngradually increasing due to the rapid increase in the use of Dental rnRadiography (DR) for diagnostic purposes. This study aims to rnestimate the scattered radiation dose received by the Operator of a rndental x-ray unit during routine DR with Thermoluminescence rnDosimeters (TLDs). A total of 15 dental clinics, located in the cities of rnLagos and Abeokuta, were considered in this study. Annealed TLDS, rneach in a holder, was placed at strategic positions, where the operator rnstayed during the procedure. A control TLD was placed outside the rnradiation area of each centre to account for background. The exposed rnTLDs were retrieved after five consecutive imaging procedures and rnsubsequently processed to determine the radiation dose received by rnthe respective operators. These values were used to extrapolate their rnannual dose and compared with the International recommended dose rnlimit for radiation workers. The weekly radiation dose received by the rnoperators across all centres was less than 1 mSv, while the extrapolated rnannual dose ranged from 0.32 to 15 mSv, which is also below the rnrecommended annual limit of 50 mSv. The results suggest that, rnnotwithstanding variations in clinical and patient workflow, the risk of rnexcessive radiation exposure to dental personnel is minimal under rncurrent operating conditions. Nevertheless, the observed rninconsistency in the use of personal protective and monitoring devices rnin some centres underscores the necessity for strict compliance with rnestablished radiation protection practices to reduce the stochastic rneffects of ionizing radiation.