Abstract
This study lays its purpose on providing basic material for managing dental hygiene care programs by grasping images of the elderly perceived by dental hygienists and their behaviors toward the elderly, who have an important role in improving the elderly's dental health in the aging society. For these purposes, the researcher conducted a self-administrative questionnaire survey of 370 dental hygienists working in dental clinics or offices located in the Seoul and Daejeon areas from June 2 to 21 in 2008 and collected data, statistical analysis of the $x^2$-test, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson Correlation used. resulting in the following findings. 1. In perceived images of the elderly according to their general characteristics, a subject group with under 8-year career showed 85.38 points, indicating the statistically significant difference (p=0.001). 2. When we look at perceived images of the elderly and behaviors toward them according their characteristics, in images of the elderly, a subject group with positive perceptions of the elderly showed 85.51 points (p=0.000), a subject group with meaningful old person(s), 84.66 points (p=0.000), a subject group living with old person(s), 86.04 points (p=0.001), and a subject group with experience in volunteer service activities, 84.11 points (p=0.001), and in behaviors toward the elderly, a subject group with positive perceptions of the elderly and with meaningful old person(s) showed 56.46 (p=0.036) and 55.91 points respectively, indicating the statistically significant difference (p=0.040). 3. Images of the elderly and behaviors toward them showed a positive correlation, indicating that the more positive images of the elderly, the more positive behaviors toward them (r=0.317). Putting these results together, it is thought that it is time to need continuous education and efforts regarding the formation of desirable relationships with and images of the elderly and behaviors toward them, for dental hygienists who have an important role in managing and enhancing the elderly's dental health in the aging society.