New CT Scanners cause radiation; more harm than good

There are new high-tech scanners being implemented in dentist and orthodontist offices around the US. The new cone-beam CT scanners are capable of producing a 3D image of the area of interest: cavities, tooth decay, and even the skull. These flashy, new, high-tech scanners provides a more vivid view of the jaw and other regions; they also produce an image much faster than the traditional x-ray machine. In the world of dentistry, time = money. With a combination of reduced time for the production of images and increased detail of the images, these new machines have received high praise since their release. The companies producing these machines have embarked in aggressive marketing and advertising. However, these machines don't come without drawback.
Each time the new cone-beam scanner operates, the patients receive "a dose of radiation up to 67 times greater than what patients receive from X-rays". This problem is compounded with each trip to the dentist which is an additional showering of radiation.
This new technology calls to mind the code of ethics that doctors take before practicing -- which is to not cause more harm than good. This new technology is on the fringe of the medical ethics conversation. Although the device may be able to identify more complications and thus potentially elevate the health care of the patients, it can cause way more damage than its benefits. Until biomedical engineers can solve the problem of too much radiation, it is important not to let the technology that is "new" overpower the point of health care in the first place -- which is the health of the patient. The article about the new cone-beam CT scanners is below:

http://www.fairwarning.org/2010/11/new-type-of-high-tech-scanners-raise-radiation-risk-at-dentists-office/