A dental x-ray film viewing device includes a film reader having a digital video camera and an image display screen connected to the video camera for displaying an enlarged digital image of the x-ray film using signals transmitted directly from the video camera. The film reader includes a film illumination station that has a back-lighted film seat. The film seat includes a translucent plate and a non-transparent film anchoring wafer having an opening complimentary to the x-ray film for seating the x-ray film, and blocking light in an area surrounding the x-ray film. The film reader has a video camera having lens thereof focusing on the film window, and the lens has a distortion at the full field less than 3%. The device provides a substantially enlarged high resolution and high contrast digital image as an accurate representation of the original x-ray film, without digital processing by a computer.