• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.379-387
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of the study is to investigate the influencing factors of retirement expectation on retirement preparation in the dental technicians. Methods: The subjects were 231 dental technicians in Seoul. A self-reported questionnaire was completed from July 1, 2014 to September 30, 2014. The study instrument was adapted from Bae and Jeon. The questionnaire consisted of 42 questions including 6 questions of the general characteristics of the subjects, 2 questions of health status and self-esteem, 20 questions of retirement expectation, and 14 questions of retirement preparation measured by Likert 5 scale. Results: Single, younger aged, and highly educated female tended to have the expectation for the new start of career. The expectation for the rest was higher in single than in the married. The influencing factors of retirement expectation were marital status. Those who were single chose the retirement. Those who had long career preferred the new start. Conclusions: The preparation for the retirement is very important in one's life and it is necessary to provide the concrete method and plan for the dental technicians in the future.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.111-117
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to determine the status of dental technician's continuing education and licensing reporting and provide basic data that can aid in improving the operation of progressive continuing education and licensing reporting and development programs. Methods: This study included dental technicians nationwide who attended the 2023 Korea Dental Technology Expo & Scientific Conference and responded to an online survey from July 21 to July 23, 2023. In total, 180 copies were analyzed. The reliability of satisfaction with continuing education demonstrated a Cronbach's α of 0.924. IBM SPSS Statistics version 21.0 (IBM) was used to statistically analyze the collected data. Results: Satisfaction with continuing education for dental technicians was 2.78, 2.81, 3.21, 2.96, and 2.87 for the number of lectures offered, composition of major fields, lecture content, instructor level, and overall satisfaction, respectively. The average satisfaction with continuing education was 2.93, which was lower than the average (3 points). The investigation revealed that overall improvement was required. Conclusion: Measures for those who have not completed continuing education must be implemented within the government's legal influence by actively using the license reporting system. Strengthening verification of completion of continuing education, improving autonomous disciplinary rights, diversifying the content and learning methods of continuing education, linking with the license reporting system, improving institutional postevaluation, and introducing related policies should be conducted when opening a dental laboratory.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.369-386
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• 2010

Purpose: This study aims to present practical data available for the effective health management and improvement for the dental technicians by exploring the interrelationships between general characteristics of dental technicians and seven health related habits like drinking, smoking, breakfast, and snacks among the others(alameda 7). Methods: Out of the random selection of the registered dental offices of Dental Technicians Association of Korea, 2,000 working dental technicians were asked to fill out the questionnaire from January 19 to April 30, 2009. We collected the 1,502 sheets of the questionnaire and took frequency analysis, crosstabulation, t-test, and analysis of variance using SPSS Win 12.0 program. Results: Among the seven health related habits, 54.9% of the subject answered 'never do exercise' in the question of exercise habits, which is the most problematic of all. Hours of sleep and BMI were found to be quite low. Of the general characteristics, sex proved statistically significant to all the seven habits(p<.001). Marital status, job title, and health check-up showed statistical significance in six items among the seven habits. Age, monthly income, job position showed statistical meanings in five items among the seven habits. The frequency of break showed statistical significance in four items among the seven habits. Working environment showed statistical significance only in the item of hours of sleep among the seven habits(p<.05). Conclusion: This study proved that it is vital to educate the dental technicians to learn the right habits for enhancing their health and quality of life and motivate them to practice those habits.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.379-390
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to improve the working conditions of dental technicians, through survey for working conditions related to perform one's duty, the extent of personal exposure to substances hazardous and complaint rate and factor of job stress and subjective symptom on musculoskeletal disorders. Methods: Using four types of structured questionnaires: social and demographic factor; the actual conditions of working space; working conditions; and characteristics of dental technicians, respondents filled in the questionnaires and the results were analyzed statistically. Results: The evaluation of comfort in working place found that satisfaction level on indoor noise was the lowest with 2.6 on a five-point scale and privacy space followed 2.8 point. In reasons for dissatisfaction with job, over workload ranked the highest by 25.4% and role overload had the highest by 39.5% in job stress factors. Based on the results, we could draw conclusion that dental technicians were unsatisfied with role overload and heavy workload a day. In reasons for musculoskeletal symptom prevalence, long-patient work was the highest by 24.1%. It was thought to cause dental technicians need deep procession and long-patient work due to the nature of their job. Conclusion: In conclusion, noise reduction and privacy space are required to improve job efficiency of dental technicians. In addition; we need to think of ways to increase the job satisfaction with adequate rest while deep procession and long-patient working.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.79-92
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• 2011

Purpose: This study is to present substantial data for the development of practicable health related programs with which the dental technicians can enjoy better quality of life. To this end, we have surveyed the self-reported psychosomatic symptoms of the dental technicians in Korea and figured out their current health problems. Methods: Out of the random selection of the registered dental offices of Dental Technicians in Korea, 2,000 working dental technicians were asked to fill out the questionnaire from January 19 to April 30, 2009. We collected the 1,525 sheets of the questionnaire and took frequency analysis, t-test, analysis of variance and structural equation modeling using SPSS Win 12.0 and AMOS program. Results: Concerning the modes of the subjects' appealing of their psychosomatic self-symptoms, scale point of the mental health turned out 18.68, which is higher than the physical health that scored 17.28. In the case of the results from the standardized scores of the sub items, scale point of aggressiveness scored the highest(20.14), whereas that of mouth and annus scored the lowest (15.29). Additionally, the overall satisfaction rates of the health related quality of life was 67.89. Regarding the health related quality of life, self reported mental symptoms(-.736) was more influential than physical symptoms(0.29). Conclusion: The psychosomatic self reported symptoms of the dental technicians proved higher than other occupations, whereas health related quality of life was very low. Consequently, it seems vital to lessen the mental symptoms and the sub items concerned.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.221-232
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• 2010

Purpose: It is necessary for dental technicians exposed to hazardous chemicals in the dental laboratories to be informed of the various harmful effects of chemicals for their health and safety. The purposes of this study was to investigate the actual condition of the use of MSDS in dental laboratories and the recognition rate of MSDS for dental technicians. Methods: 231 dental technicians who were self-written questionnaire. The results were analyzed by SPSS 12.0. The answers to the questionnaire underwent frequency analysis, chi-square test and correlation analysis were performed to investigate association between health effects and recognition rate of chemical information. Results: The results from the effects of damage caused by chemicals 60.7%, and when it was less than 2 years working experience 47.6%. Currently any dental laboratories(rooms) was not furnished MSDS(0%) and even similar data furnishing rate was only 17.3%. Answer rate of 'Do not know about MSDS' was 73.6%. In addition to, education in the types and characteristics of chemicals(74.5%) does not receive all the higher education. For the question of 'To prevent human risks and accidents, is to provide chemical information needed', the answer rate of 'needed' was 87.2%. Moreover, the answer rate of 'To provide chemical information that could prevent accidents' was 76.6%. Therefore it was found that dental technicians need to be provided for chemical information. In addition, they wanted to get education related to chemicals used in the workplace(80.5%), and 90.9% was answered that they was willing to keep MSDS in they workplace. Conclusion: This study investigated the current dental laboratories(rooms) and the MSDS for the awareness and recognition of workers was very low, education was not being conducted properly. The dental laboratories(rooms) of the compact characteristics of the MSDS was not reasonably accessible and the furnishing location, dental laboratories(rooms) for the real item was needed for improvement. MSDS for dental technicians through education and promotion of information about chemicals and chemicals was to prevent health problems caused by the MSDS that will raise awareness of the necessity.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.457-469
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study is analyzing how much students of dental technology possess core competencies and cognition between dental technicians and students. Methods: The subjects of this study were dental technicians, dental technology students and a self-administered structured questionnaire survey wax conducted for 428 selected people. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS Win 20.0 statistics program and analysis techniques include the frequency, t-test, One-way ANOVA. Results: The results of the survey are as follows. The cognition of key competency according to the gender in the students showed differences in interpersonal ability, information ability and the requirement of key competency according to the gender in the students showed differences in speaking ability, listening ability, problem solving ability. The cognition of key competency according to the grade in the students showed difference in speaking ability, listening ability and the requirement of key competency according to the grade in the students showed difference in comprehension of organization ability. The speaking ability is the lowest in the cognition of key competency according to the gender, grade, experience of clinical training in the students and the skill ability is the highest in the requirement of key competency according to the gender, experience of clinical training in the students. The cognition of key competency according to the career in the dental technicians showed difference in problem solving ability, self-regulation and self-development ability, skill ability and the requirement of key competency according to the career in the dental technicians showed difference in writing ability. The cognition of key competency according to the educational background in the dental technicians showed difference in comprehension of organization ability. The foreign language ability is the lowest in the cognition of key competency according to the career, job in the dental technicians and the skill ability is the highest and the math ability is th lowest in the requirement of key competency according to the career, place of employment in the dental technician. Conclusion: This study can be used as basic data for dental technology that are available not only to field-oriented disciplines but also to overall higher education fields which aim to strengthen key competency.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.145-155
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• 2015

Purpose: The Purpose of the study is to investigate the need for the preparation of old age of Korean dental technicians. Methods: A total of 778 dental technicians were selected by proportional stratified by region compared to extraction sampling from a list of Korea dental technician Association in 2012. The final sample size was 386. Questionnaires consisted of 9 general characteristics, recognition of old age 4, and preparation of old age 9 on a Liken 5 scale. Cronbach's alpha was 0.784 in the study. All statistical analyzed were performed using SPSS 14.0(Statistical Packages for Social Science Ver. 14.0. Chicago, IL, USA). Results: Factors affecting the aging preparation is gender, age, clinical career, work place(p<0.001). Conclusion: This study suggested that preparation for old age of Korean dental technicians was very important and the preparation must be connected with the social welfare policy.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to discover the recognition of dental technicians on MSDS and to research the furnishing rate of Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) in dental laboratories. Method: 104 dental technicians who were self-written questionnaire. The results were analyzed by SPSS 12.0. The answers to the questionnaire underwent frequency analysis, chi-square test were performed. Results: The result of cross analysis on the occurrence of occupational diseases according to whether MSDS is furnished showed that the group with MSDS furnished had 37.8% of damages due to their occupation, but the group with MSDS unfurnished had 65.7% of damages due to their occupation, which displayed a significant difference(p<0.05). The result of cross analysis on whether the education about chemicals according to whether MSDS is furnished showed there were relatively more responses of no education on the types and characteristics of chemicals, the effect on human body and its risk, emergency measure when exposed to risk, the treating and storing methods and the disposal methods. In addition, there were significant differences on whether all the above education was done between the group with MSDS furnished and the group without MSDS(p<0.000). Conclusion: In order to secure safe working environment of dental technicians and to reduce occurrence of damage caused by chemicals, the related education is necessary. The recognition of dental technicians on MSDS and furnishing rate is increasing but still insufficient, so the related organizations need to establish education and PR measures for prevention of damage.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.141-156
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• 2001

This study was performed to identify the occupational diseases in the dental technicians working in Korea, and to elucidate the main related affecting factors for the occurrence of the occupational diseases. The research was carried out using a mail questionnaire and data collection was done for two months from April 15, 2000. The questionnaires were delivered to 1000 dental technicians working at 250 dental laboratories which were chosen among the total 1330 dental laboratories in south Korea. And 763 questionnaires were collected, then 739 questionnaires were used for a logistic and a multiple regression analyses. The results obtained in this study are summarized as follows: 1. The occupational diseases in the dental technicians included pneumoconiosis, chronic bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, hyposmia, allergic dermatitis, eczema, contagious dermatitis, central nervous disorder, dysfunction of finger, vertebral disorder, dysfunction of interphalangeal joint, ophthalmitis, auditory dysfunction, otitismedia, optic trauma, and bum. 2. The main related affecting factors for the occurrence of the occupational diseases in the dental technicians were elucidated as follows: On the ccurrence of chronic bronchitis, vibration of equipment and job career were affected positively. On the ccurrence of asthma, job career and career on current working part were affected positively, but exhaust ventilation, work hour were affected negatively. On the occurrence of eczema, career on current working part and vibration of equipment were affected positively, but personal protective equipment, local exhaust ventilation, isolation of gas source were affected negatively. And eczema was occurred more in methyl methacrylate work than in any other work part. On the occurrence of finger dysfunction, vibration of equipment and noise of work place were affected positively. But personal protective equipment, local exhaust ventilation, isolation of dust and gas source were affected negatively. But finger dysfunction was occurred more in metal polishing than in any other work part. On the occurrence of auditory dysfunction, noise of work place were affected negatively. The results obtained in this study can give a valuable information for a prevention of the occupational diseases in the dental technicians working in Korea, and for keeping them in healthy. This study also can be helpful for a researcher who is aiming at a identification of occupational diseases and a elucidation of related affecting factors in a similar occupation.