Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure the absorbed dose and to calculate the effective dose for full-mouth periapical radiography using the portable dental x-ray machine and panoramic radiography Material and Method: Thermoluminescent chips were placed at 25sites throughout the layers of the head and neck of a tissue-equivalent human skull phantom. The man phantom was exposed with the portable dental x-ray machine and panoramic unit. During full-mouth periapical radiography the exposure setting was 60 kVp, 2 mA and 0.15 ~ 0.25 seconds, while during panoramic radiography the selected exposure setting was 72 kVp, 8 mA and 18 seconds. Absorbed dose measurements were obtained and equivalent doses to individual organs were summed using ICRP 103 to calculate of effective dose. Result: In the full-mouth periapical radiography, the highest absorbed dose was recorded at the mandible body follow with submandibular glands and cheek. Using panoramic unit, the highest absorbed dose was parotid glands and the following was back of neck and submandibular glands. The effective dose in full-mouth periapical radiography using portable dental x-ray machine was 46 ${mu}Sv$. In panoramic radiography, the effective dose was 38 ${mu}pSv$. Conclusion: It was recommended to panoramic radiography for general check in the head and neck area because that the effect dose in the panoramic radiography was lower than the dose in the full-mouth periapical radiography using portable dental x-ray machine.