• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.215-224
• /
• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to investigate the related factors of performance of radiation safety management in dental hygienists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 183 dental hygienists using dental radiography in 110 dental clinics in G area by convenience sampling methods. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of the subjects, radiation-related characteristics, and performance and management of radiation safety. Results: Performance score of radiation safety management was $35.71{\pm}12.49$ in dental hygienists. The performance score of radiation safety management were associated with sex, numbers of dental hygienists, the average numbers of admitted patients per day, the total clinical experience, existence of manual for radiation safety management and perceived need for education of radiation safety management. Conclusions: The performance score was relatively low. The performance score was associated with radiation safety manual and safety equipment. The preparation of radiation protective environment and equipment will improve the performance of radiation safety management in dental hygienists.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.479-490
• /
• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the actual condition of bullying in the workplace by dental hygienists and to determine whether workplace bullying affects job performance. Methods: Data were collected from 308 clinical dental hygienists working in dental medical institutions located in the whole country. Frequency analysis, descriptive statistics, t-test, and ANOVA were performed using SPSS 23.0 for analysis. Results: First, the main targets of bullying in the workplace were senior dental hygienists (53.6%) and dentists (24.7%). Second, the number of turnovers was a significant influence on bullying and job performance according to general characteristics. Finally, the 'improper work environment' among the subfactors of workplace bullying had a negative effect on 'job performance' (p<0.001). Conclusions: Based on the results of the study, we reviewed the actual condition of bullying in the workplace and whether bullying in the workplace affects job performance in the workforce problem of dental hygienists. In this regard, the importance of prevention of bullying in the workplace was discussed.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.9-15
• /
• 2016

Programs provided by the Korea Association of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation include Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Korean Advanced Life Support (KALS). However, programs pertinent to dental care are lacking. Since 2015, related organizations have been attempting to develop a Dental Advanced Life Support (DALS) program, which can meet the needs of the dental environment. Generally, for initial management of emergency situations, basic life support is most important. However, emergencies in young children mostly involve breathing. Therefore, physicians who treat pediatric dental patients should learn PALS. It is necessary for the physician to regularly renew training every two years to be able to immediately implement professional skills in emergency situations. In order to manage emergency situations in the pediatric dental clinic, respiratory support is most important. Therefore, mastering professional PALS, which includes respiratory care and core cases, particularly upper airway obstruction and respiratory depression caused by a respiratory control problem, would be highly desirable for a physician who treats pediatric dental patients. Regular training and renewal training every two years is absolutely necessary to be able to immediately implement professional skills in emergency situations.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.55-61
• /
• 2022

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between depression, anxiety, and COVID-19 with regard to dental hygienists. Methods: A questionnaire survey on depression and anxiety was conducted on 189 dental hygienists from dental hospitals and clinics in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk area. Results: The overall prevalence of depression was 69.8% and that of anxiety was 53.4%. The aspect of depression was heavily influenced by past experience with COVID-19 related quarantine and contact with a confirmed patient. The prolonged pandemic was observed to have exerted a greater impact on depression and anxiety (p<0.05). Conclusions: Depression and anxiety seem to be related to COVID-19 related factors among dental hygienists. Dental hospitals and clinics should monitor the level of depression and anxiety of dental hygienists who are at an elevated risk of COVID-19.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.251-260
• /
• 2023

Objectives: This study aimed to provide basic data for the development of clinical practice-related education program by analyzing the effects of grit, job satisfaction, and retention intention on transition shock of new dental hygienists. Methods: From April 19 to July 4, 2022, the data was collected from 200 new dental hygienists working for dental hospitals/clinics. Using the SPSS Statistics ver. 22.0, this study was conducted the t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. Results: There were positive correlations between grit, job satisfaction, and retention intention, a negative correlation between grit and transition shock, a positive correlation between job satisfaction and retention intention, a negative correlation between job satisfaction and transition shock. and a negative correlation between retention intention and transition shock. As the factors affecting transition shock, lower pay and main performance of medical cooperation work increased transition shock. When job satisfaction and retention intention were higher, transition shock decreased. Conclusions: In order to reduce transition shock of new dental hygienists, it would be necessary to operate clinical practice-related training program, and also to establish a training environment similar to the clinical site/context/situation similar to clinical context/situation.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.93-102
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The study aimed to evaluate working environment for dental technician by measuring dust level, ventilation conditions and the use of personal protective equipment and to provide basic information required to improve working environment and develop health education programs for dental technician. Methods: A total of 240 dental technician who are registered with the Daegu Association of Dental technician and working at 34 dental laboratories participated in the study. And the dust level was measured at 21 different spots in 16 dental laboratories out of 34. Results: Of 34 dental laboratories, 31 (91.2%) were equipped with a ventilator, but the remaining 3 (8.8%) did not have a ventilator. By the number of ventilator, 1 to 3 ventilators were found in 22 dental laboratories (71.0%), 4 to 6 ventilators were in 7 laboratories (22.5%) and more than 7 ventilators in 2 laboratories(6.5%). According to the frequence of changing filters in dust collector, 20 dental laboratories (58.9%) changed filters every four weeks, 10 laboratories (29.4%) changed them every six weeks and 4 laboratories (11.7%) changed them every eight weeks. Of total respondents, 114 (61.3%) said they wore a mask all the time while working, 56 (29.6%) said they frequently wore a mask, 19 (10.1%) said they did not wear a mask. As for the type of masks, 159 (84.1%) used a disposable mask, 25 (13.2%) used a cotton mask and 5 (2.7%) used an anti-dust mask. For dust sat on their outfits while working, 102 (54.0%) shook their uniforms inside workplace to keep dust off the uniforms, 64 (33.9%) did not anything until they wash their uniforms and 23 (12.1%) shook their uniforms outside workplace to keep dust off the uniforms. Of total respondents, 182 (96.3%) had a particle in their eyes while carrying out grinding work. Based on the measurement of floating dust at workplace, 3 dental laboratories showed dust concentration exceeding the minimum level of 10 mg/$m^3$ allowed under the permit for environment. Of those, 1 laboratory had the dust concentration that was more than 1.5 times higher than the minimum level. Dust concentration was higher in laboratories that used a dust collector with 0.5 horse power and changed filters more than 3 weeks ago. Dust comprised of nickel (more than 70%), chrome (9%) and others. The mean chrome concentration was more than twice higher than the minimum permissible level of 0.5 mg/$m^3$. There were two laboratories that showed chrome concentration exceeding the level of 0.4 mg/$m^3$. Like dust concentration, chrome level was higher in laboratories that used a dust collector with 0.5 horse power and changed filters more than 3 weeks ago. There were six laboratories that had nickel concentration exceeding the minimum permissible level of 1 mg/$m^3$. Of those, one laboratory had nickel concentration that was more than three times higher than the minimum permissible level. Nickel concentration was also higher in laboratories that used a dust collector with 0.5 horse power and changed filters more than 3 weeks ago. Conclusion: It is not likely that heavy metal concentrations found in the study constitute respiratory dust. It is however necessary for health of dental technician to apply the Industrial Safety and Healthy Law to dental laboratories and make recommendations for the use of personal protective equipment, installation of a proper number of ventilators, more frequent change of filters in dust collector and improved ventilation for polishing work. At the same time, dental technician need education on how to use personal protective equipment and how to efficiently remove dust from their uniforms.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.937-947
• /
• 2020

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the factors that prevent dental patients from visiting the dental clinic. Methods: From June 22, 2020 to July 17, 2020, among patients 10 years or older who had visited the dental clinic, 314 individuals who agreed to the study were asked to fill out a self-administered questionnaire. The data were analyzed using the SPSS Statistics 22.0 program, and the significance level was set at 0.05. Results: The dental avoidance factors according to the general characteristics were high in women and housewives, and among the dental-related characteristics, the most common reason for visiting the dental clinic was experiencing pain. The factors influencing anxiety were fear, environment, stimulus, age, and exercise, and the factors influencing the fear were anxiety, stimulus, subjective oral health status, education, and exercise. The factors influencing the stimulus were environmental factors, fear, anxiety, and age, and the factors that influenced environmental factors were stimulus and anxiety. Conclusions: There is a need to develop measures and policies to overcome fear of dental procedures, such as developing a dental experience program and allowing patients to experience dental fear and anxiety in advance.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.143-159
• /
• 2006

Objectives; The purpose of the present study is to investigate workplace satisfaction level of dental technicians and the differences between that of dental lab owner's and that of employed dental technicians, who are working in dental laboratories. Methods; Samples were comprised of 137 dental technicians working in dental laboratories. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires and analyzed to frequency distribution, correlation, t-test and multiple regression analysis. Results; 1) Dental technicians generally are 'somewhat or a bit satisfied' with their workplace situations, regardless of position, sex, and individual career. 2) Mean values of 4 items out of 11 work situation factors of employed dental technicians were significantly lower than those of lab owner's. The 4 items are the openness of management, working environment, pay, and policy in promotion and raise. They would be sources of dissatisfaction and conflict. 3) Level of satisfaction was significantly correlated with 2 subordinate variables, i.e. working conditions and administration policy. There is a tendency that administration policy is a bit more important for lab owners, while working conditions are a bit more important for employed dental technicians. Conclusion; The employer-employee relationship of dental technicians seems to be sound, as no signs of troublesome problem is detected. But the discrepancy revealed in the above results is telling that there certainly exist some disagreement in the viewpoints of the two groups. It is necessary for the dental technicians to find ways to deal with the possible triggers of discord and discontent.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.43-47
• /
• 2018

Online data can be explored for topics browsed by an unspecified population to detect professional information demands more quickly. The purpose of this study was to collect and analyze online questionnaires in order to find information required by dental hygienists. We analyzed the frequency of posting words after isolating nouns from questions of the Korean Dental Hygienists Association homepage's Q & A section, the Naver Knowledge-iN service, and a dental hygienists' online meeting site in Naver. We found that queries of the Korean Dental Hygienists Association's homepage were concentrated on education renewal and license notification. The queries about dental hygienists in the Naver Knowledge-iN service used words related to job or career choice, and the queries of the dental hygienist-affiliated site had many words related to dental practice, dental work, and turnover. This study showed that the information needs of unspecified dental hygienists varied depending on the online environment such as homepage, blog, and information service.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.31-39
• /
• 2019

This study focused on the change of environment and cognition of dental hygienists about dental calculus removal after the national health insurance. We conducted online and offline surveys for 290 dental hygienists working in dental clinics in Seoul, Gyeonggi and Incheon areas. Differences in perceptions were assessed by independent t-test and ANOVA. 62.1% answered that the health insurance coverage of dental calculus removal was appropriate, and 49.6% said that the desired number of health insurance coverage about the dental calculus removal should be applied twice a year. 54.3% said that the age after 20 years-old was not appropriate in national health insurance coverage of dental calculus removal, and 49.3% said that the appropriate starting age of dental calculus removal should be applied from high school students. 26.3% said that the number of national health insurance applications should be increased yearly, 20.5% said that oral care education should be added. Most of the dental hygienists said that the number of scaling patients increased, but that the quality of the scaling did not deteriorate. According to general characteristics, in the recognition of the removal of calculus, the dental hygienists having a career for 7~8 years felt less change. The dental hygienist wanted to expand the scope of national health insurance about scaling removal so that more subjects could remove dental calculus removal. Dental hygienists wanted that national health insurance should be systematically supplemented in order to contribute to the promotion of oral health of the people.