We describe the purposes of the radiological imaging examinations performed at the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology at Kyushu Dental University Hospital over the last 10 years and related dynamic statistics. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. In the last 10 years, the X-ray computed tomography （CT） and magnetic resonance imaging （MRI） equipment in our hospital were renewed, and a cone-beam CT system was installed. In order to determine the changes in needs that occurred during this period and confirm the role of dental radiologists within the core hospital, we analyzed the numbers of patients and radiological examinations and the purposes of such examinations for each modality from 2007 to 2015. As a result, we found that the number of patients who visited our hospital and consulted our department did not change significantly during the study period. The numbers of CT, MRI, and ultrasonography examinations increased during the early part of the study period, but had plateaued in recent years. One of the major changes seen in this study was in the purposes of CT examinations. The number of examinations of impacted teeth increased during the study period, whereas the number of preoperative examinations performed prior to dental implant surgery decreased. Another change was the increase in the number of requests for MRI examinations for temporomandibular disorders from dental offices. The role of dental radiologists should reflect these changes and respond to medical needs.
