Radiation Dose Records Defend Villano Family Dental in Legal Dispute

The practice was contacted by legal counsel representing a former dental hygienist who had been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The individual alleged that the cancer was the result of occupational radiation exposure received while employed at the dental office.

“Out of nowhere, I get a letter from a lawyer saying we’re being sued for radiation exposure and [the employee] has thyroid cancer.”

– Mary Villano, Manager and Co-Owner of Villano Family Dental

For a small, family-run practice, the claim was not only emotionally distressing – it presented a potentially serious legal and financial liability. Mary Villano, who manages the business, needed to act quickly to protect the practice’s reputation and defend its safety record.

Villano Family Dental had partnered with Radiation Detection Company for years to monitor occupational exposure for staff using RDC’s dosimetry badges and reporting services.

Thanks to RDC’s accurate and well-documented dose reports, Mary was able to demonstrate that the former employee had consistently remained well within safe radiation exposure limits during her employment at the practice.

“I went back to our employment records when she worked for us, and here’s my reports: no exposure, no exposure. no exposure. I forwarded every single one, so we were then dropped.”

RDC’s accurate dose reports made it simple to pull the historical dose reports needed to respond to legal inquiries and validate the practice’s compliance with state and federal safety regulations.

“It was literally 10 minutes of checking employment dates and pulling the right reports.”

The evidence was clear: RDC’s reports confirmed that the employee’s radiation exposure at Villano Family Dental was negligible and never approached unsafe levels. The claim that thyroid cancer was caused by occupational exposure at the practice could not be substantiated.

“It was comforting to us to be able to say, ‘Look, we’re keeping you safe. We’re keeping us safe.’”

Mary was able to resolve the legal matter without further escalation, avoiding potential damages, legal fees, and reputational harm.

This case serves as a powerful reminder of how essential it is for even small dental offices to maintain accurate radiation safety records. For Villano Family Dental, RDC’s services didn’t just ensure regulatory compliance – they played a critical role in protecting the practice’s future.

“I’m not taking a chance with our employees, with our patients, with our building, with the reputation of our practice. For what? A couple of bucks? If somebody says, ‘We think you’ll be okay,’ – what if I’m not? And who’s going to be here to say, ‘Oh, there is a problem.’ That’s what the dosimetry does, it alerts us to a problem.”

By maintaining a partnership with RDC, Mary and Dr. Villano can continue doing what they do best: caring for patients and supporting a safe work environment for their dedicated staff.

“Peace of mind does have a price tag, and this is well worth it.”

Listen to Mary Villano share her story in her own words in the video below.