Biological effects of ionising radiation are dependent on the distribution of doses in tissue. In this article parameters influencing the distribution of dose in tissue are discussed with emphasis on intraoral and rotational panoramic radiography. For both examinations the probability to develop stochastic effects is estimated. For intraoral radiography the probability ranges from 0.1 to 0.3 per million exposures and for rotational panoramic radiography from 0.4 to 0.8 per million. For the whole Dutch population the probability to develop stochastic effects is 0-2 persons per year and 0-1 person per year respectively. Dental radiography is therefore justified if further diagnostic information is to be expected and exposure circumstances are optimal.