The thyroid collar is used to protect the thyroid gland from radiation.

The thyroid collar is used to protect the thyroid gland from radiation.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not sure
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

The thyroid is a radiosensitive gland, so protecting it during dental X-rays is an important safety step. A thyroid collar sits around the neck and acts as a shield, absorbing scatter radiation that would otherwise reach the thyroid. This shielding helps reduce the dose to the thyroid without compromising the diagnostic quality of most intraoral radiographs. In practice, it’s a straightforward way to apply the ALARA principle—keep exposure as low as reasonably achievable. There are rare situations where the collar might be removed to avoid obscuring anatomy or due to specific imaging requirements, but its protective role is clear and beneficial in routine dental radiography.

The thyroid is a radiosensitive gland, so protecting it during dental X-rays is an important safety step. A thyroid collar sits around the neck and acts as a shield, absorbing scatter radiation that would otherwise reach the thyroid. This shielding helps reduce the dose to the thyroid without compromising the diagnostic quality of most intraoral radiographs. In practice, it’s a straightforward way to apply the ALARA principle—keep exposure as low as reasonably achievable. There are rare situations where the collar might be removed to avoid obscuring anatomy or due to specific imaging requirements, but its protective role is clear and beneficial in routine dental radiography.