• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.227-233
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting dentists' attitudes and dental hygienists' services on dental anxiety in adults. The subjects were 300 adults older than 20 years of age living in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Daejeon, and Daegu. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Among the distributed questionnaires, 225 respondents were selected as subjects, excluding 74 people who did not answer and 1 person who was not faithful. Data were analyzed using statistical software with a t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression. As a result, the gender was slightly higher in women (54.7%) than in men, and the last dental visit was less than one year in 59.6% of respondents. Most of the respondents' educational level was higher than college level (79.1%), and the monthly income was less than 2 million won in 53.8 of respondents. This study showed that distrust of dentists affected dental anxiety and anxiety stimulation. Higher reliability of the dentist was correlated with less dental anxiety in patients. Dental anxiety showed statistically significant results in dentist subcategories of patient slight and dentists' trust (p<0.01). Additionally, the factors affecting dental anxiety and anxiety stimulus were knowledge of dental hygienist and distrust of dentist (p<0.01). According to this study, dentists' and dental hygienists' trust of dental staff show the importance of oral health professionals' role in reducing dental anxiety in patients. It is also suggested that efforts should be made to improve public awareness of oral health experts. It is believed that dentists, and dental hygienists need to promoted to become professionals. In addition, a variety of programs have been developed to reduce dental anxiety, so patients need to be comfortable to receive dental treatment.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.437-453
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• 2006

To analyze dental hygienists and other manpower at dental care service institutions where a dental coordinator was working among about 200 dental care service institutions in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon as of June 2005 for contents of training for dental coordinators, opinions of qualification of dental coordinators, present and future services provided by dental coordinators, and awareness of dental coordinators and to provide basic data about future services, roles, and cultivation of dental coordinators, a survey was conducted and 216 copies returned were analyzed, obtaining the following results. 1. 83.8 percent needed an educational program for dental coordinators as an educational content; 41.7% had awareness of the educational content; and 83.8 percent insisted that over the intermediate level of curricula should be taken. Dental coordinator cultivation institutions identified included the institution under the control of the Korean Dental Hygienists Association and the education center for the department of dental hygiene; 76.9% insisted that an appropriate qualifying examination should be necessary. They suggested the central government department and the local government as a certification institution; 39.4% insisted that financial support for the education should be provided by financing education alone. Only 28.7% experienced dental coordinator education and 73.1% hoped to serve as a dental coordinator. They were found to expect a rise in payment(64.4%) and in the title(46.8%) after completion of the educational program. 2. 66.2% saw a dental hygienist as the most appropriate for a dental coordinator; clinical career (39.4%) and practical capacity(29.2%) were suggested as requirements for a dental coordinator; and a period of over three years(47.2%) was suggested for appropriate dental career. 3. Dental coordinators' present services included 'reservation management' for customer management, 'staff service training' for organization management, 'understanding of customer reception attitudes and actions' for self-management, 'hospital information management' for hospital marketing, 'acceptance' for hospital affairs management, and 'hospital environment management' for hospital facilities management; their future services included 'acquisition of ability to use a foreign language' for self-management, followed by 'staff service training' for organization management, 'training and counseling' for customer management, 'acquisition of counseling capacity' for self-management, 'complaining customer reception' for customer management, and 'marketing strategy implementation' for hospital marketing. 4. After comparing dental hygienists and other manpower in terms of dental coordinators' future services, dental hygienists showed interest in 'acquisition of ability to use a foreign language,' 'staff service training,' 'complaining customer reception,' and 'acquisition of counseling capacity' while other manpower showed interest in 'acquisition of ability to use a foreign language,' 'document data management,' 'acquisition of basic service manner,' 'acquisition of counseling capacity,' 'manpower management,' 'establishment and evaluation of a marketing strategy,' and 'education and counseling.' 5. As for awareness of dental coordinators, they were thought of as helpful in improving image of a dental clinic; it was found that continuous training should be necessary to develop dental coordinators' capacity; dental coordinators' services should be important and contribute to patients' qualitative satisfaction.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.172-181
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• 2015

This study intends to improve the radiation safety management and the recognition for handling radiation using structured questionnaires to dental hygienists working at Jeollabuk-do from September 1 to October 31 in 2014. As a result, 63% of respondents have not received education for radiation safety management. Moreover, the practical degree for radiation safety management was $2.58{\pm}1.11$, while the degree of knowledge was $3.74{\pm}0.83$ of total 5.0. The results of insecurity for radiation danger were high as $3.88{\pm}0.92$, and insecurity for fetus during pregnancy shows the highest value as $4.43{\pm}0.71$. From the results of statistical significance level, the knowledge degree of radiation safety management is affected by total numbers of radiograpy for a day (p<0.05), and the practical degree of radiation safety management is affected by age group, academic background, monthly income, continuous service year, practice area, present position, and status of radiography in present (p<0.05). In addition, the knowledge degree of radiation safety management have a negative correlation (r=-0.232) with the practical degree, but have a positive correlation (r=0.262) with the insecurity for radiation danger. The high knowledge degree of radiation safety management (${\beta}=0.252$, p<0.001) and the short radiography work period (${\beta}=-0.341$, p<0.05) were the influential factors to the insecurity for radiation danger. Consequently, countermeasures are necessary to encourage dental hygienists to put their radiation safety management knowledge into the practice and to reduce the insecurity degree for radiation danger. Furthermore, it is important to prevent psychological and physical risks by radiation exposure through the improvement of radiation safety management level and recognition for handling radiation to improve medical environment.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.558-565
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to work related musculoskeletal disorders are a major. Occupational disease of the dental care profession is no exception. The survey was self-reported questionars of 300 dental hygienists that 268 dental hygienists reply to self-reported survey. This study results are as follows: Subjects of research analyzing the degree of physical musculoskeletal disorders pain, shoulder 90.3%, neck 89.2%, leg 83.6%, 81.7% back, hand/wrist/fingers 75.7%, arm/elbow, according to 52.8%. Therefore the work province of the research object people the musculoskeletal disorders appeared different. Generally characteristic was taller dental hygienists lower back pain and were out of less weight, study subjects had neck and arm pain. 29~33 year-old age the shoulder, over the age of 34 the arm/elbow to be high (p<0.05). Working environment to become a career, the more hand/wrist/fingers and the pain increased (p<0.05). The neck, shoulders (p<0.05), arm (p<0.01), waist high in the 3~4 years experience. And leg/foot was in the 1~2 years experience. This increase in working hours had increased pain in the neck but the hand/wrist/finger pain in the small hours of experience in the high pain(p<0.01). Conclusion of the musculoskeletal disorders of the dental hygienists often than the average for this risk is recognized. When it occurs early in treatment can be simple, but time is left to revert to normal when you do not already. Therefore, maintaining proper posture and dental hygienists, pain or fatigue appeared to accumulate immediately treated continued efforts are needed.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.682-688
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• 2012

This study investigates the stressors of dental hygienists and student hygienists during the bedside training by the medical center type. The survey is based on some dental hygienists who are working for dental college hospitals, general hospitals, dental hospitals and dental clinics in Seoul and Gyeonggi area which the Clinical Practice of dental hygienics students is under way in. Included are the students who are studying dental hygienics at Kyungbok University and have taken the bedside training in dental college hospitals, general hospitals, dental hospitals and dental clinics. A statistical analysis shows the following results using SPSS program. By medical center type, dental hygienists described the clinical practice of students as relatively satisfying. It also found that there is a positive correlation between stress zones, and they feel most stressed in the "Role and Activity" zone. Student hygienists felt relatively satisfied with the bedside training, and there is a positive correlation between stress zones except "Practice". It found students, who have taken the bedside training in all types of medical centers except dental clinics, felt most stressed in "Environment". It also found that students who have taken the bedside training in dental clinics felt most stressed in "Role and Activity". In conclusion, most of the dental hygienists are satisfied with students' clinical practice by pattern of hospital. Positive correlation was shown between stress factors. Behavior and attitude and ideal and value are high in stress in college dental hospitals, role and activity and treatment fields are high in stress in dental hospital, and interpersonal relationships are high in stress in dental clinics.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2017

Objective: To understand the experience of medical accidents and disputes according to clinical career of dental hygienists. Methods: A self-administrated questionnaire survey was conducted from May 2012 to June 2012 targeting 313 dental hygienists in Gyeongsangnam-do, Republic of Korea. Data were analyzed by descriptive analysis, χ2-test, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0. Results: 1) The group who had more than 6 years of clinical experience experienced complaints from patients (70.3%) and dental hygienists duty (30.7%); 2) Complaints were related to diagnosis, dental treatment instruments and materials, scaling, impression preparation, and prosthodontics. Pediatric patients had significantly more complaints compared to other patients. Overall, there were more frequent cases in the group with over 6 years of clinical career; 3) For the psychological state after experiencing patients' complaints, 'the process is difficult, but I forget after thinking it could be happen' had 160 respondents. Among them, 38.1% had clinical experience of more than 6 years, 37.5% had less than 3 years, and 24.4% had clinical career of 3~6 years; 4) About 73.6% of those had 3~6 years of clinical career answered that 'sometimes it is doubtful' on the issue of medical accidents and conflicts on prevention education of dental hygienists that 'there is a doubt about the issue of medical treatment or the occurrence of disputes'. About 60.0% of those who had less than 3 years of clinical experience answered that it was highly 'necessary but not urgent' on the necessity of preventive education, while 87.1% of those who had more than 6 years of clinical career answered that it was highly 'necessary but not urgent' on the necessity of preventive education. The difference between the two was not statistically significant. Conclusions: It is necessary and urgent to provide education related to prevention and countermeasures against malpractice disputes for dental hygienists.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.9-19
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to examine the state of conflicts among dental health care workers. A survey was conducted on 266 dental hygienists and nursing assistants who worked in dental institutions from September 12 to November 13, 2017, and SPSS(statistical package for the social science) version 20.0 was employed to analyze the collected data. The findings of the study were as follows: 1. The most common reason of the dental hygienists for turnover was working hours and heavy workload(24.6%), followed by pay (22.6%), conflicts with dentists(16.0%) and conflicts with colleagues (11.3%). The most dominant reason of the nursing assistants for turnover was pay(31.1%), followed by working hours(24.4%), heavy workload(17.8%), conflicts with dentists(15.6%) and conflicts with colleagues(8.9%). 2. The largest reason for unsuccessful communication with dentists was that heavy workload reduced the opportunity to communicate well(54.5%). The second biggest reason was that they couldn't communicate well though they had the opportunity(24.0%), and the third greatest reason was that they tended to lag behind dentists in terms of professional knowledge(16.9%). 3. The biggest reason for unsuccessful communication among the dental health care workers was that they didn't have a lot of chances to communicate well on account of heavy workload(41.0%). The second largest reason was the differences in professional knowledge(24.9%), and the third greatest reason was that they couldn't communicate well though they had the chance(23.7%). 4. The most dominant reason for conflicts with dentists was the difference in power(24.0%), followed by poor communication skills(22.1%) and a lack of mutual respect(18.1%). But the opinions of the nursing assistants were different from those of the dental hygienists, as they cited poor communication skills as the most common reason, which was followed by the difference in power and a shortage of understanding of each other's work. 5. The most common reason for conflicts among the dental health care workers was a shortage of communication and communication skills(22.9%), and the second most dominant reasons were a lack of mutual respect and poor understanding of each other's work(17.5%), followed by a lack of mutual respect(17.2%). 6. As to the ways of resolving conflicts with dentists, the most common case was making some mutual concessions to compromise (28.9%), followed by delivering opinions through the staff meeting (23.9%), resolving conflicts by candidly exchanging opinions(15.8%), avoiding each other in moderation(11.7%) and following the opinions or assertions of dentists(1.3%). 7. Concerning the conflict resolution methods among the dental health care workers, the most prevalent way was making some mutual concessions to compromise(36.4%), followed by resolving conflicts by candidly exchanging opinions(23.0%) and conveying opinions through the staff meeting(18.5%). 8. Regarding communication among the dental health care workers, the dental hygienists(3.53±.729) considered themselves to be better at communicating than the nursing assistants(3.29±.745) did(p<0.05), and the dental hygienists(3.45±.809) who thought there was respectful treatment among workers who were different in occupational categories found themselves to be better than the nursing assistants(3.21±.952) who had the same thought did(p<0.05). As a result of analyzing whether frequent job-related meetings occurred among the workers whose occupational categories were different, the dental hygienists(3.05±.975) perceived that there were more frequent meetings than the nursing assistants(2.67±.955) did (p<0.01).

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.523-532
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to provide basic data to standardize the clinical dental hygiene curriculum, based on analysis of current clinical dental hygiene curricula in Korea. We emailed questionnaires to 12 schools to investigate clinical dental hygiene curricula, from February to March, 2017. We analyzed the clinical dental hygiene curricula in 5 schools with a 3-year program and in 7 schools with a 4-year program. The questionnaire comprised nine items on topics relating to clinical dental hygiene, and four items relating to the dental hygiene process and oral prophylaxis. The questionnaire included details regarding the subject name, the grade/semester/credit system, course content and class hours, the number of senior professors, and the number of patients available for dental hygiene clinical training purposes. In total, there were 96 topics listed in the curricula relating to clinical dental hygiene training, and topics varied between the schools. There was an average of 20.4 topic credits, and more credits and hours were allocated to the 4-year program than to the 3-year program. On average, the ratio of students to professors was 21.4:1. Course content included infection control, concepts for dental hygiene processes, dental hygiene assessment, intervention and evaluation, case studies, and periodontal instrumentation. An average of 2 hours per patient was spent on dental hygiene practice, with an average of 1.9 visits. On average, student clinical training involved 19 patients and 26.6 patients in the 3-year and 4-year programs, respectively. The average participation time per student per topic was 38.0 hours and 53.1 hours, in the 3-year and 4-year programs, respectively. Standardizing the clinical dental hygiene curricula in Korea will require consensus guidelines on topics, the number of classes required to achieve core competencies as a dental hygienist, and theory and practice time.