Dental X-ray is the most common form of ionising radiation use in UAE healthcare. There are thousands of dental practices across the seven emirates — from solo practitioners in small clinics to multi-chair specialist centres in premium locations — and the majority of them operate at least one X-ray system. Yet dental radiation safety is also an area of widespread non-compliance in the UAE. Many dental clinic owners do not fully understand the obligations that come with operating an X-ray machine. This guide is written specifically for UAE dental clinic owners and managers who want to understand and achieve full compliance.
This is the most important point in this guide. Every ionising radiation device in a dental practice in the UAE — periapical X-ray, OPG (panoramic), cephalometric X-ray, CBCT — requires an individual FANR Approval Certificate. There are no exemptions based on the power level of the device, the size of the practice, or the frequency of use.
A periapical X-ray unit in a one-chair dental clinic requires the same FANR Approval Certificate as a full-body CT scanner in a large hospital. The application process is the same; the documentation requirements are the same; the consequences of non-compliance are the same.
RevirzaMed's team has conducted radiation safety assessments in hundreds of dental practices across the UAE. The most commonly found violations are:
No FANR licence: Operating without a current, valid FANR Approval Certificate is the most serious violation — and shockingly common. Many practices purchased X-ray equipment from a supplier who handled the initial registration but have never renewed it, or purchased second-hand equipment without any FANR documentation.
Expired FANR licence: FANR licences are valid for 3 years. Practices that do not actively track expiry dates may unknowingly operate on an expired licence for months or years.
No RSO: Every practice must have a designated RSO with a valid FANR-approved training certificate. In many dental clinics, no one is aware of this requirement.
No dosimetry for dental radiographers: The receptionist who positions patients for OPG scans thirty times a week is a radiation worker. In many practices, no one in the clinic wears a dosimeter.
Inadequate shielding: Dental X-ray rooms converted from consulting rooms, treatment rooms or storage spaces frequently have insufficient wall shielding. This is particularly common with CBCT units, which have higher output than conventional dental X-ray.
No warning signs: UAE regulations require radiation warning signs (the trefoil symbol) to be posted at the entrance to every room containing X-ray equipment. Many dental clinics do not have them.
A standard dental periapical X-ray unit operating at low kVp and short exposure times has a relatively low radiation output. In many cases, existing room construction — standard concrete block walls — provides adequate shielding for periapical X-ray with a low workload. However, this must be verified by a medical physicist's shielding calculation, not assumed.
For OPG units, the output is higher than periapical X-ray. Most OPG rooms require some lead lining — typically 1–1.5mm Pb on barriers adjacent to occupied areas.
For CBCT units, the output is significantly higher than conventional dental X-ray. CBCT rooms almost always require dedicated lead lining and should not be assumed to comply based on existing construction alone.
The most effective protection for dental staff is distance and barriers. During X-ray exposures, the operator should be:
• Behind the control panel in a separate room or behind a lead screen, OR • At least 1.5 metres from the X-ray source, at an angle of 90–135 degrees from the primary beam direction
Standing behind the patient and holding the periapical sensor in the patient's mouth during the exposure — a practice still observed in some UAE dental practices — is absolutely prohibited. The operator receives a significant dose to the hands and face.
For OPG exposures, the operator should be outside the room or behind the lead screen. For CBCT exposures, the operator must be outside the room.
Dental X-ray in pregnancy is a topic that causes significant anxiety for patients and sometimes confusion for clinical staff. The correct position:
Dental periapical X-ray with a lead apron and thyroid collar, when clinically indicated, is acceptable at any stage of pregnancy. The uterine dose from a properly conducted periapical exposure with appropriate collimation is negligible.
OPG and cephalometric X-ray in pregnancy should be deferred unless clinically urgent. If performed, a lead apron must be worn.
CBCT in pregnancy should be deferred to post-delivery except in emergency circumstances where the clinical benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
The most important practical step for any dental practice is to ask every female patient of reproductive age whether they are or might be pregnant before taking any X-ray.
Yes. Each radiation-emitting device in your dental clinic requires its own FANR registration. If you have a periapical unit and an OPG in the same clinic, you need two FANR registrations. RevirzaMed can manage multi-device registrations as a single engagement.
Your FANR licence certificate states the expiry date. If you cannot locate your FANR certificate, contact RevirzaMed — we can check the FANR registration status for your clinic and advise on any action needed.
RevirzaMed Healthcare Solutions — Abu Dhabi's trusted FANR Approval and medical equipment specialists since 2015.