Hand-held portable dental x-ray imaging is a new technology developed since the inception of the Ionizing Radiation Rules. The rules prohibited the use of hand-held dental x-ray units and required the operator to stand 6 feet from the x-ray tube during the exposure. Hand-held x-ray systems are now available that have increased shielding in the tube housing and provide backscatter shields for operator protection.

Effective December 5, 2007, Rule 396 in Part 9 - Dental X-ray Installations allows the limited use of these x-ray units and defines the conditions of use for these units.

This new rule allows the use of hand-held portable dental x-ray units where a portable x-ray unit is normally necessary such as in nursing homes, home health care, or for special needs patients. The rule prohibits the routine use of hand-held dental x-ray systems in dental offices where fixed units normally provide a higher level of operator protection.