Recent Legislation

In the most recent legislative session, NYSDA introduced a bill that would amend the education law in relation to the use of thyroid collars when taking dental X-rays. The bill was recently signed by Governor Pataki and provides an additional measure of safety for patients receiving dental X-rays.

The bill makes it clear that the dentist is still allowed to exercise his or her professional judgment and not use a collar if such use is deemed inappropriate due to the nature of the patient, the type of X-ray being taken or other factors.