Job Analysis by Department in Clinical Practice for Realization of Legal Scope of Dental Hygienists: Focusing on Conservation, Pediatric Dentistry, Prosthodontics, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Implant Departments

Background: The objective of the present study was to specifically divide the various work performed by dental hygienists in clinical practice for legal amendments regarding problems associated with conflict between job roles and illegal delegation to establish key basic data for legislation and policy utilization for realization of legal scope of dental hygienists. Methods: The study used work reports drafted based on research methods in the "Second Job Analysis Report on Dental Hygienists" researched by the Korean Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute in 2012 and "Opinions of Dentists on Actual and Legal Work of Dental Hygienists," a report published by the Korean Dental Hygienists Association. Of these, the study focused on conservation dentistry, pediatric dentistry, prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and dental implant treatment, which make up some of the fields covered by dental hygiene practice, to investigate and analyzed work performed by clinical experience. Results: Analysis of work actually performed in dental practice showed that for work related to 33 items presented in the study methods, the participants responded that they are currently performing such work or are likely to perform such work in the future, although there were differences by year. Investigation by type of workplace showed that dental hygienists working in university hospitals could perform the work presented if they had ≥5 years of dental hygienist experience, whereas dental hygienists working in dental clinics or hospitals could perform simple duties in their first year and performed more diverse duties with greater degree of difficulty after their second to fourth year. Conclusion: The reality that medical assistance during surgical operations and various procedures that is still being performed is no longer legally protected directly contradicts the needs in dental practice, and thus, there is the need to amend laws that are realistic by clearly recognizing the work of dental hygienists.