An apparatus for positioning an X-ray imaging system. The apparatus includes an intraoral sensor sized and configured for placement within a human mouth, the intraoral sensor having one or more sensing elements for detecting X-rays, the intraoral sensor further having a signal generation element. Also included is a collimator unit having an X-ray collimator and first and second signal detection elements spaced apart from each other with the X-ray collimator positioned therebetween, the first and second signal detection elements spaced apart from each other, to thereby facilitate aligning of the collimator unit with the one or more sensing elements according to detection of signals from the signal generation element. Further included is an indicator unit located on the collimator unit, the indicator unit configured to display a determination as to whether the collimator unit is properly aligned with respect to the intraoral sensor.
