Dental X-ray examinations are a useful tool to the dentist for the diagnosis and treatment monitoring. Panoramic radiographs and lateral cephalometric radiographs are a part of planning and monitoring children’s orthodontics. Finland has about 700 panoramic radiography machines and many of them with the cephalostat installed for the lateral cephalometric radiographs. Each year about 400 000 examinations are carried out with these devices.

The purpose of this thesis was to produce a guidance video for 6–12-year-old children about dental panoramic radiography and lateral cepholometric radiography for the Varkaus hospital radiology department. The video can be used for the guidance of children aged 6–12 years and reduce their fears of the examinations. The objective of the guidance video was also to develop and support patient education.

The thesis was a development work, which was carried out as a project. The functional thesis was carried out in cooperation with the Varkaus hospital radiology department. With the partner the subject was limited to concern the dental X-ray examinations of pediatric patients 6–12 years of age. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with a 6–12-year old child patient's level of development, as well as guidance both verbal and written. Literature was used to deal with the principles and the process of the dental X-ray examinations and the criteria of a good guidance video. Video script was planned before the video filming, according to which the video was filmed. Theoretical knowledge of 6–12-year-old children’s development stages was taken into account while planning the script of the video. The staff of the Varkaus hospital radiology department gave suggestions on the video script and collaborated with the film-makers during the filming day. Also, the thesis supervisor and other radiographer students gave feedback and suggestions regarding the script and the thesis during seminars.

The guidance video was produced with the Windows Live Movie Maker program from the video and photographic material filmed in the Varkaus hospital. The authors of the thesis acted as the video’s film-makers and directors and the volunteers in the video acted as the radiographer and the child patient appropriate to the age group. Another author of the thesis recorded the part of the video narrative and the other author did the editing. The finished guidance video is 5 minutes long, and it was delivered to the orderer on a USB memory stick. The product was made to be published on the Varkaus hospital's website, where it is readily available to patients.

Further studies could determine the functionality and usability of the guidance video. Another suggestion for further research could be making a guidance video as well for other imaging procedures, such as chest radiographs.