Course overview

This lecture will give the participant an increased awareness of how the principles of Cone Beam CT relate to dental practice.

Dr Jimmy Makdissi, DDS MMedSc FDSRCS (Eng) DDRRCR FHEA

Dr Makdissi joined the Institute of Dentistry, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, in 2004 as a Clinical Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant in Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology. He directs the Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology programme of the undergraduate BDS curriculum.

He completed his specialist training at Guy’s Hospital and obtained the Diploma of Dental Radiology from the Royal College of Radiologists. He has served on the Education Committee of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. He has also served as the Dental Tutor for the London Deanery at Barts Health, the Faculty Tutor at the Royal College of Surgeons and as the President of the Metropolitan Branch of the British Dental Association. In addition, he is the founder of the Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) Interpretation Masterclass providing UK-based CBCT hands-on training along with a collection of e-learning modules.

Educational aims and objectives

• Discuss the principles of CBCT
• Recognise the optimisation of CBCT radiation dose
• Recognise the optimisation of image quality
• Explore the balance between dose and image quality
• Discuss the current applications of CBCT in general practice
• Identify the various legal positions of responsibility relating to the use of CBCT
• Demonstrate awareness of the current training requirements to refer, perform and read a CBCT scan

Learning outcomes

• Understand what CBCT scans are and their role in diagnosis and treatment planning.
• Recognise normal anatomy of the teeth and supporting structures.
• Recognise the more common imaging artefacts.
• Understand who should provide a radiological report.
• Be clear about why guidelines are important and have an understanding of a dentist’s legal and ethical responsibilities in their various roles of being referrer, practitioner and operator.

GDC development outcome

C, D