Alberta Dentist Calls for Urgent Review of Dental CBCT Scans Over Cancer Risk Concerns

RED DEER, Alberta - EntSun -- Alberta Dentist Calls for Urgent Review of Dental CBCT Scans Over Cancer Risk Concerns

Edmonton, AB — May 5/25— Retired Alberta dentist and patient safety advocate Dr. Michael Y Zuk, DDS, is sounding the alarm on what he calls a "silent radiation threat" facing thousands of Alberta children and teens undergoing orthodontic treatment.

The concern centers around the increasing use of Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) in dental and orthodontic clinics — advanced 3D imaging technology that exposes patients to far higher radiation doses than traditional dental X-rays.

"We're using a powerful radiology tool designed for complex cases to screen kids for braces or help dentists stick brackets on faster," says Dr. Zuk. "It's unnecessary, it's risky, and most parents have no idea what their child is being exposed to."

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CBCT scans are being used for:

• Routine orthodontic screenings,
• Indirect bracketing procedures, and
• Various dental evaluations — possibly without adequate risk disclosure or medical necessity, according to Dr. Zuk.

Dr. Zuk cites recent warnings from Dr. Kevin O'Brien, a respected orthodontist and professor emeritus from the University of Manchester, who has criticized CBCT overuse in the UK. O'Brien questions whether many scans are truly justified given their radiation burden, especially for growing children. Link: https://kevinobrienorthoblog.com/risks-of-child-cbct-revisited/

"The cancer risk isn't hypothetical," says Dr. Zuk. "We have decades of research showing that repeated low-dose radiation — particularly in younger individuals — can increase lifetime cancer risk. Using CBCT as a convenience tool is reckless and as my 2010 book warned could be overkill. Having guidelines and not checking on compliance is the same as not even having them."

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What Dr. Zuk is Calling For:

• An immediate Alberta Health review of CBCT practices in dental clinics,
• A pause on routine orthodontic CBCT use pending clinical guidelines, and
• A requirement for clear, written informed consent outlining cancer risks to all patients, especially parents of minors.

He warns that if provincial regulators and Alberta Health do not intervene soon, we may be facing a wave of preventable harm — with little accountability. Zuk's call to a national orthodontic organization discovered they do not track statistics on ownership and use of CBCT in orthodontics and the representative did not believe it was routinely used for unjustified purposes.

"This is a policy failure waiting to be exposed," he says. "Parents need to ask tough questions before allowing any 3D dental scan — and government needs to act now before irreversible damage is done."