I work in a dental office & take x rays on patients i plan to become pregnant soon. should i wear a lead apron or just step back enough from exposure?

R U Trained in US?!?: You shouldn't even be in the same room, or at least behind an x-ray shielding wall! the x-ray trigger should always be outside of the operatory so even scatter won't hit you--whether pregnant or not. Tell your doc in most states, most likely fl too, you need to be certified to take x-rays. If you are certified, you should take a refresher course asap.

Wall barrier: When taking radiographs, you should not be in the same room as the patient. The machines should be tested regularly by the board of health to insure that no radiation passes that barrier. Most modern offices are build in this manner, not sure if this is the case where you are working...

Taking x-rays: If you have to ask this question then it becomes apparent that you should not be taking x-rays at all both for your safety as well as the safety of your patients. Taking x-rays involves the use of ionizing radiation and only qualified and trained personnel should be taking x-rays on patients. Research your state licensing requirements and certified courses for proper training.

Either: Radiation travels primarily in a straight line, so if you are behind the x-ray head you will receive little or no radiation. Current hand held x-ray heads (like Nomad) do not require you to wear shielding or be out of the room. Choices are 1) have someone else take x-rays; 2) increase your distance from the x-ray head; or 3) wear a lead apron yourself. Risk is very slight .

Avoid primary beam: Regardless, pregnant or not, the dental assistant should always practice standard safety measures and utilize a radiation barrier or the distance and position rule to avoid exposure. Use a personal monitoring with a film badge dosimeter. Good luck.

Step out of the room: I hope you are using digital x-rays. Do not wear a lead shield. In Great Britian, lead shields are outlawed because they actually concentrate the radiation