If you’re weighing this up near Hills Family Dental Centre in Kalamunda, this guide explains how dental X-ray decisions for children are meant to be made, and what you can ask before you agree.
Someone has mentioned X-rays for your child, and now you’re caught between two worries. What if there’s a problem nobody can see yet? And what about the radiation?
Both worries are reasonable. You’re allowed to ask about them before anything happens, and a good explanation should cover both sides. Here’s the short answer first.
Short answer: No, a child doesn’t automatically need dental X-rays at every visit. Australia’s 2025 code for dental radiation says every individual dental X-ray must be justified in advance for that person. Our children’s dentist page lists digital X-rays, so the equipment is here; the reason to use it comes from your child’s own examination.
What question would an X-ray answer for my child?
The starting point is the clinical question: what the dentist needs to find out about your child’s teeth that they can’t learn another way.
ARPANSA’s Code for Radiation Protection in Dental Exposure (2025), section 2.2.1, puts it this way:
All individual dental exposures must be justified in advance, taking into account the specific objectives of the exposure and the characteristics of the dental condition of the individual involved.
In everyday words, there needs to be a reason that relates to your child. The code lists what the dentist weighs up: the specific objectives of the X-ray, the characteristics of the individual patient, the potential clinical benefits, the possible detriment to the patient, alternatives with less or no radiation, and any relevant dental records.
That’s the “why” behind an X-ray. Our dental check-up information gives the “what”: a dental x-ray lets a dentist see parts of the mouth that the naked eye cannot see, because not all dental problems show immediate symptoms. So it’s fair to ask which area the dentist wants to look at, and how the result could change what happens next. You can read more on our dental check-up page.
Why might my two children get different advice?
Because the decision is made for each child separately. When the 2025 code describes how an X-ray is justified for one patient, it names the urgency of the procedure, the characteristics of the individual patient and their dental history, including previous radiological procedures. It asks for these to be taken into account in particular for paediatric patients.
So if a friend’s child had X-rays at their first visit and yours didn’t, or the other way around, that difference on its own doesn’t tell you much. Treat another family’s experience as a prompt for a question rather than a timetable. You might ask, “What’s different about my child’s situation?”
Our guide to your child’s first dental visit makes the same point. X-rays aren’t automatically part of every first appointment. A dentist considers them only when the expected information is relevant to an individual child’s care.
How should the radiation risk be talked about?
Openly, and from both sides. healthdirect explains that an x-ray uses a small amount of radiation to create an image. ARPANSA’s code rests on two principles for dental radiation: justification and optimisation.
Optimisation means the radiation dose should be the minimum required to provide the diagnostic information. The code also says particular attention must be given to the techniques and settings used for paediatric patients. A lower dose isn’t the only goal, though. The image still has to be good enough to answer the question it was taken for.
Rather than only asking whether X-rays are harmful, try: “What do you expect to learn, what’s the radiation risk of this particular X-ray, and what would it mean if we didn’t take it?” Under the code, whenever clinically practicable, the patient or their legal authorised representative is informed of the expected benefits of the procedure as well as the radiation risks, and consents to the procedure.
The code also asks the dentist to weigh the benefits and risks of alternative techniques that have the same objective with less or no exposure to ionising radiation. That doesn’t mean a suitable alternative always exists. It does mean you can ask, “Is there another way to answer this question?”
Does having digital X-rays and a Conebeam CT mean my child will be scanned?
No. Having equipment and having a reason to use it are separate things. Our children’s dentist page lists digital X-rays. Our technology page describes a Conebeam CT machine, which creates detailed images of teeth, jaws and nearby structures using 3D imaging technology.
Those listings tell you what’s available at the practice. They don’t decide what your child needs. The same justification and optimisation principles apply to every exposure, so if a scan is suggested, ask the dentist to name the type of image and explain why that one suits the question.
You don’t need to arrive having picked an X-ray type. A simple “Which X-ray are you suggesting, and why that one?” is enough to start the conversation.
What if another dentist already took X-rays?
Tell us. ARPANSA’s code lists any available dental data and patient records relevant to the dental exposure among the things the dentist must take into account. It also names previous radiological procedures as part of a patient’s dental history.
Previous images are useful information, not an automatic answer either way. The dentist still has to decide whether older images answer today’s question. Note down the name of the previous practice and roughly when the X-rays were taken, and ask when you book how to arrange for the records to be sent. Don’t assume they’ll transfer on their own.
Six questions to ask before you agree to X-rays
Take whichever of these matter to you into the appointment. You don’t need to apologise for asking.
- What are you trying to find out about my child’s teeth?
- How could the result change what you recommend next?
- What are the benefits and the radiation risks of this particular X-ray?
- Have you looked at the records and images from our previous dentist?
- Is there another suitable way to answer the question with less or no radiation?
- If we’d like more time to decide, what does that mean for checking the concern?
These are conversation prompts drawn from the decision points in the code, not a form that decides for you. If an answer uses unfamiliar terms, ask for it in everyday words. Write down the name of the X-ray so you’re talking about the same thing next time.
Can I stay in the room with my child?
Ask the team rather than assuming either way, because two Australian sources describe this differently.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| healthdirect, X-rays (general medical imaging) | For children, a parent or carer can usually stay with them during the x-ray. |
| ARPANSA dental code (2025) | No person other than the patient is in the imaging area during a radiological procedure unless that person is required to be in attendance. A carer or comforter must first receive information on radiation protection and the radiation risks. |
The difference comes down to scope. healthdirect’s page covers x-rays in general, while ARPANSA’s code is written specifically for dental exposures. In practice, tell us beforehand if your child needs you nearby, and ask how that can be arranged for the particular X-ray. Being part of the conversation and being in the room during the exposure are two separate questions.
What if my child is anxious or can’t manage it on the day?
Tell the team about any previous difficult experience and any communication or sensory needs when you book. Our first-visit guide explains that what can be completed varies with age, confidence, symptoms and how your child responds on the day.
It also helps to ask the dentist to explain each step to your child as well as to you. Try not to promise exactly what will happen or how it will feel. As our first-visit guide puts it, no one can know exactly what your child will experience before their mouth is examined.
If an X-ray can’t be done that day, ask how that affects the assessment and what the next step should be. The code includes the urgency of the radiological procedure in the justification decision, so talk it through with the dentist rather than treating a nervous day as a reason to put it off indefinitely.
Can CDBS help with the cost of X-rays?
It may, if your child is eligible. Services Australia says the Child Dental Benefits Schedule covers up to $1,158 for each eligible child over 2 calendar years for basic dental services, and X-rays are on its list of covered services alongside check-ups, cleaning and fillings.
To be eligible, Services Australia says your child must be 0 to 17 years old for at least one day that calendar year, eligible for Medicare, and getting a payment from Services Australia at least once a year, or have a parent, carer or guardian getting one. It also says there are some restrictions for basic dental services, and that you should check with your dentist if there are any item or time restrictions before starting your service.
Our CDBS page lists dental imaging among the treatments covered by CDBS. Before an X-ray is taken, ask us what it costs and whether your child’s CDBS balance can be used. We can’t assume a rebate in an article.
What should I have ready when I call?
Use this checklist to organise the call. You don’t need to work out the diagnosis first.
- Your child’s name, age and the reason you’re calling.
- Any symptoms, pain or recent knock to the mouth you want to describe.
- The previous dental practice and roughly when any X-rays were taken.
- Any worries about the visit, or communication and sensory needs.
- Your questions about the proposed X-ray, its cost and CDBS.
| If this applies | What to tell us |
|---|---|
| An X-ray has been suggested | The type of X-ray, if you know it, and what you’d like explained. |
| Another practice has your child’s X-rays | That practice’s name and roughly when the images were taken. |
| Your child needs extra support | What they found hard last time and what helped. |
| You’re checking CDBS | That you’d like to know whether the X-ray is covered and what it will cost. |
Booking at Hills Family Dental Centre
Hills Family Dental Centre is at 11 Railway Road, Kalamunda WA 6076. Our contact page lists opening hours from Monday to Saturday, including Wednesday until 7:00 PM and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Call (08) 9293 1300, use our online booking page or visit the contact page.
You could say: “I’d like a check-up for my child, and I have some questions about whether X-rays are needed. We also have X-rays from a previous dentist.” Have the previous practice’s details handy.
At the visit, an examination and discussion come first. If the dentist thinks an X-ray would add useful information, they can explain why, and you can ask your questions before deciding. You can get to know our team before you come in.
Sources
Sources checked 1 November 2026. This article explains general published guidance, not advice about your child; the dentist’s examination decides what’s needed.
- ARPANSA, Code for Radiation Protection in Dental Exposure, RPS C-7 (February 2025), sections 2.2, 3.1 and 3.2.
- healthdirect, X-rays.
- Services Australia, Child Dental Benefits Schedule and What’s covered.
- Hills Family Dental Centre: Children’s Dentist, Dental Check-up, Our Technology, CDBS and Contact Us.
ARPANSA material is quoted and summarised under CC BY 3.0 Australia. © Commonwealth of Australia 2025 as represented by the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA). Wording has been adapted except for the attributed quotation; no endorsement is implied.
