A new patient brings radiographs taken elsewhere. What should the dentist evaluate FIRST?

Correct answer: D. Whether the images are of diagnostic quality

• A. ❌ Bone level assessment is likewise unreliable on a distorted or poorly angled image.
• B. ❌ Caries assessment comes after quality is confirmed — overlapped contacts hide interproximal lesions entirely.
• C. ❌ Third molar assessment is part of the systematic review, but it follows the quality check.
• D. ✅ CORRECT — Interpretation is only as good as the image. Before reading anything you confirm DIAGNOSTIC QUALITY: correct coverage of the area of interest, acceptable density and contrast, no cone cuts, overlap or elongation, and reasonable currency. Non-diagnostic images must be retaken; diagnosing from them is a disservice and a liability.