Spotlight on dental radiology professionals

November is National Radiologic Technology Month. It was 120 years ago this month that German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen discovered the X-ray. His discovery has helped revolutionize medicine and save countless lives.

With this anniversary in mind, the ECU School of Dental Medicine salutes oral and maxillofacial radiology and the school’s radiology professionals, Angela Broome, DDS, MS; Robert Timothy, DDS, MS; and Madge Webster, BSRT.

Oral and maxillofacial radiology (OMFR) is celebrating over 15 years as a dental specialty, emerging as one of the most innovative and dynamic areas in the diagnostic sciences.

“OMFR is one of nine dental specialties recognized by the American Dental Association. An OMFR is a dentist specializing in the acquisition and interpretation of radiographic imaging studies performed for diagnosis of treatment guidance for conditions affecting the maxillofacial region (head, neck, face, and jaw).

Specialization in OMR requires the completion of residency in an American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) program. Training includes a thorough knowledge of techniques and interpretation for maxillofacial CT, CBCT, MRI, ultrasound and other pertinent modalities.

OMRs may be further qualified by passing the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (ABOMR) exam.” (www.aaomr.org)

The School of Dental Medicine is fortunate to employ two OMFR radiologists and a registered radiologic technologist.

Angela Broome and Robert Timothy are board certified oral and maxillofacial radiologists (OMFRs) who have been instrumental in developing the pre-doctoral and graduate radiology curriculum for the School of Dental Medicine. The designed curriculum consists of lecture, small group seminars, lab sessions and one-on-one sessions with students, preparing the students to become their own radiologist within their private practices upon graduation.

Graduates today are prepared for understanding basic acquisition principles of two-dimensional and three-dimensional digital diagnostic imaging and for the critical thinking skills for diagnostic image interpretation.

Broome and Timothy are also developing the school’s first radiology reading service that will serve the school’s clinics and community service learning centers across the state and private practitioners in their three-dimensional Cone Beam Computed Tomography imaging needs.

Dr. Broome graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry, completing both the advanced general dentistry program and the three-year master’s program in oral & maxillofacial radiology.

She served as faculty in the Diagnostic Sciences and General Dentistry Department at UNC and is currently the Division Director of Diagnostic Sciences and Unit Chief of Oral & Maxillofacial Radiology at the ECU School of Dental Medicine.

Dr. Timothy graduated from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry. He completed an advanced education in general dentistry (AEGD) program while serving in the US Army and then operated a private practice in Idaho for nearly twenty years. He served on the Idaho Board of Dentistry as a board examiner for the Western Regional Board Examiners.

In 2015, Dr. Timothy completed master’s degree in oral & maxillofacial radiology at the University of North Carolina School of Dentistry.

Both Dr. Timothy (2014) and Dr. Broome (2010) received the Albert G. Richards Research Grant Award, which encourages research in dental radiology by assisting promising graduate students to further their research goals.

Madge Webster has experience with both medical and dental radiology. She received an undergraduate degree from a joint program between Elon University and the Moses H. Cone School for Radiology Technology, earning certification as a registered radiologic technologist. She is currently studying for a master’s in dental education from the University of the Pacific and the Academy of Academic Leadership.

Webster’s responsibilities with the School of Dental Medicine include the management of imaging equipment and safety programs, training staff for imaging across all of the school’s clinics and centers and directing the radiology pre-clinical laboratory and clinical imaging sessions for pre-doctoral students.

The ECU School of Dental Medicine radiology professionals would like patients to know the following facts.

• The school follows the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) Principle where x-rays are taken only when necessary to properly diagnosis and treat the patient.
• The school follows ADA (American Dental Association) guidelines for ordering radiographs.
• All persons who take x-rays are trained and certified according to the NC State Dental Board and Department of Health and Human Services regulations.
• X-ray equipment is tested annually to ensure proper functionality
• The school makes every effort to obtain dental x-rays from previous offices in an effort to reduce patient exposure.

The School of Dental Medicine recognizes the contributions of radiologic technology professionals (left to right) Ms. Madge Webster, Dr. Robert Timothy, and Dr. Angela Broome during National Radiologic Technology Week, November 8-14.