• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.172-181
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• 2018

In accordance with the aged society, oral health care for the elderly is considered important to maintain general health. Although the role of dental hygienists is essential for proper health management of the oral cavity, research on the care system for the elderly people's oral health and on the role of dental hygienists in the field of elderly welfare is still insufficient. Hence, the aim of this study is to investigate the status of Korean elderly welfare system and dental hygienists by comparing them with those in Japan, a precedent of aged society. First, we compared and investigated the Japanese long-term insurance system, which provides an institutional basis for a long-term care system for the elderly in Korea. Second, the elderly welfare law and care system, focusing on oral care, were examined. Lastly, in elderly care, we analyzed the distinctions between Korea and Japan regarding dental hygienists' role and scope of work. Taken together, as a precedent of aged society, Japan has shown well-specialized and systematic welfare for the elderly compared with Korea. With the development of the welfare system for the elderly in Japan, the role and the work scope of dental hygienists have been expanded to improve quality of life of elderly people, as a key professional for elderly oral care. Therefore, we should perceive the need for improvement of long-term care insurance and the expansion of dental hygienists' work in Korea. In conclusion, these results could be used as basic data for improving the elderly welfare system and developing dental hygienists in Korea.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.49 no.10
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• pp.584-598
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• 2011

The age structure has been experiencing substantial change due to the decreased birth rate as well as the increased life expectancy. Gorge Magnus, an English economist, casts warnings of population ageing which has the potential of huge socioeconomic impact human society has never experienced before. The prediction that proportion of elderly people in need of oral health care will increase substantially is a new challenge to dentists in the future. The old paradigm that the aged person is just the person who was born earlier and needs the same conventional oral health care should be shifted to the new one. Elderly people tend to express their political interest related with health care system by actively participating in the national elections. The need to sustain economic status for the extended life span makes them seek eagerly esthetic health care to maintain sound social function. Most of them are under multiple chronic diseases and take related medicines. In addition, many studies report about mental change as well as physical change among the aged people. Since the prevalence of dental diseases among the aged is higher than other chronic devastating diseases, the aged seeking oral health care will increase. The aged who has different physical and psychological status as well as chronic disease and related medicine will show unexpected response to the conventional oral health care. In addition, the impact of tooth loss is substantial physically, mentally and emotionally. Dentist should prepare different approaches for the elderly dental patient.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

Given that the demand for dental care for elderly individuals is expected to increase according to demographic changes, long-term roadmaps for the current health insurance system should be actively planned. The study aimed to investigate the health insurance system in Korea, compared to that of Japan, and suggest directions for the work of dental hygienists to provide basic data on efficient improvements in the health insurance system. Based on the collected data, the website was used to collect additional related data from Korea and Japan. The most common cause of death in Korea was malignant neoplasms, and most patients were hospitalized for diseases and disorders of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue. Dental care covered by Korean medical insurance for individuals aged 65 years or older was treatment oriented, such as dentures and implants, while in Japan, treatment-intensive items, such as visiting a dental hygienist for guidance and provision of home-care professional oral hygiene treatment, were covered. The percentages of remaining teeth in Korea and the percentage of remaining 20 teeth were 68.9% in those aged 65 to 74 years and 51.2% in those aged 75 to 84 years in Japan. A strategy for promoting oral health among elderly individuals should be established, and a multilateral intervention approach is required to prevent oral problems from leading to deterioration of whole-body health. The role of dental hygienists in providing comprehensive assessment to elderly individuals is important. In order to provide systemic oral care, it is necessary to introduce oral care systems according to the national policy.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.41-51
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• 2019

Introduction: This study intended to identify the current oral health care status and demand of care workers for oral health education. Methods: A survey was distributed to care workers working in 11 nursing homes for older people located in the Chungcheongdo Province. Of those distributed, 217 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. To analyze the collected data, a frequency analysis, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance(ANOVA) were performed using SPSS version 18.0. Results: The demand for an educational course on the 'Management of Oral Health Care for the Aged People' had a score of 4.22 points(full marks were 5.0 points), whereas the score for the necessity for control of oral health was 4.29 points. The control of oral health for the aged people suffering dysphagia scored 4.27 points, whereas the control of oral health for older people who have dementia was 4.27 points. The score for a course on the nutritional control for aged people having difficulties in masticating foods was 4.27. Conclusion: It is clear that the development of educational courses and standardized manuals for care workers on aspects of oral health care is necessary. Therefore, it would be desirable to develop institutional infrastructure for dental hygienists to educate care workers on oral health.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.127-132
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• 2011

In Korea, the elderly is defined as the person aged over 65 and the disabled is defined as the person who is registered with Ministry of Health and Welfare. In 2008, the elderly with disabilities was about 770,000. Korea was already poised for an aging society in 2000 and is ahead of and aged society in 2018 and a super aged society in 2026. So, the number of the elderly with disabilities will continue to grow. Various oral diseases can be seen in the elderly with disabilities due to the systemic disease and impaired self oral care, in addition to the physiological aging. Particularly, we should be care for the aspiration pneumonia, which is the major cause of the death of the elderly. As a professional for the special care dentistry, we should understand the general and dental, individual characteristics of the elderly with disabilities and do proper oral care and treatment. Thereby, the quality of life of the patients might be improved.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2005

This study was conducted to investigate the dental health and physical & psychological health status of the aged. The subjects were 61 old persons, women who were over 65, living at Sahagu in Pusan. The data for this study were collected by using direct interviewing method from October 22th, 2004. The data were analysed by using a computerized program named statistical package for social science including frequency, percentage, ANOVA. The results of the study were summarized as follows: 1. The dental status and the use of dental care institute 1) In status of denture use, it was found to be no denture(45.2%), full denture(35.5%), partial denture(19.4%). 2) In the questionaire of "when did you go to the dental care institute recently?", it was found to be uncertain(41.9%), less than one year(38.8%), 2~3years(16.1%), 1~2years(3.2%). 3) In the questionaire of "what type of the dental care institute did you use?", it was found to be in the dental clinic(80.6%), others(9.7%), dental hospital(6.5%), department of dentistry in general hospital(3.2%). 4) In the questionaire of "why did you select the dental care institute?", it was found to be in the nearly distance(80.6%), relative advice(16.1%), advertisement(3.2%). 5) In the questionaire of "how did you go to the dental care institute?", it was found to be walking(71.0%), bus & subway(22.6%), car(3.2%) and others(3.2%). 6) In the questionaire of "how long did it take to the dental care institute?", it was found to be 10~30min(48.4%), less than 10min(38.7%), 30min~1h(6.5%), 1~2h(3.2%), more than 2h(3.2%). 7) In the questionaire of "what kind of dental care did you take?", it was found to be denture making(45.2%), extraction of tooth, dental surgery, general exam(12.9%), caries(9.7%), denture repair(6.5%), others(3.2%). 8) In the questionaire of "how much did you pay for dental care recently?", it was found to be less than 5,000won(35.5%), 20,000~100,000won(19.4%), 1~3million won(16.1%), 5,000~20,000won, 100,000~300,000won, 500,000~1million won, more than 3million(6.5%), 300,000~500,000won(3.2%). 9) Average score of the subject's physical health status was 4.11 and psychological health status, 4.01 in a 5 point Likert scale. 10) The physical and psychological health status showed the significant differences according to the frequency of eating snack(pE0.05) and snack type(pE0.01). Above findings suggest that geriatric oral health program is necessary in improving the dental health & health status of the aged.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2021

Background: The aim of this study was to understand the importance of professional oral care for inpatients by examining the type and frequency of surgery and hospital discharge period at dental hospitals, and identify the types of professional oral care actually in progress. Methods: In this study, the type of surgery and length of hospitalization were investigated among patients admitted to the dental hospital for oral and maxillofacial surgery, and the professional oral care status of inpatients who had difficulty self-managing their oral care was retrospectively identified by collecting data on oral care before and after surgery, including the type and frequency. Results: The majority of inpatients at dental hospitals were male (57.6%), elderly patients over 60 years accounted for 20% of patients, and the average length of hospitalization was 4 days. In the 20s (aged 20~29 y), the number of orthognathic surgery patients (73.1%) was high, and the incidence of cysts was high in middle-aged patients. Regarding the oral care of hospitalized patients, scaling was performed once by a dentist before surgery. After surgery, surgical dressings using H₂O₂ balls were applied and oral care education was introduced before discharge. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, professional oral care is essential to prevent infection and complications caused by oral bacteria among inpatients at dental hospitals. It is necessary to use various oral hygiene aids for inpatients and to conduct effective oral care instruction according to each patient's situation. In addition, it is necessary to raise awareness and the role of dental hygienists in professional oral care.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.840-849
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine dental care utilization and expenditures among children aged 0 to 19 years using Korea Health Panel Survey (KHPS) data in 2008 - 2013. Weighted estimates were nationally representative and statistical significances were analysed by $x^2$ test or adjusted Wald test using STATA 13 software. While dental care utilization increased steadily among children from 2008 through 2013, less than one-third the children received dental care in 2013. Compared with 2008, the proportion of restorative care, oral surgery, preventive care decreased and the proportion of orthodontic care, prosthetic care increased. While the proportion of amalgam markedly decreased, the proportion of resin increased. This study highlight socioeconomic disparities in dental utilization and expenditures among children. Especially the findings provide a baseline assessment for examining trends on dental care for children in the future.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.571-580
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• 2020

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with unmet dental needs among adults with activity limitations. Methods: Data were obtained from the seventh Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). The final sample consisted of 945 adults aged 20 years or older with limited activity. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the influence of predisposing, enabling, and need factors on unmet dental needs. Results: The proportion of adults with unmet dental needs during the last year was 52.2% in the middle-aged group and 45.5% in the older adult group. Higher household income was associated with fewer unmet dental needs in both groups. In the older adult group, married people were less likely to have unmet dental needs. In the middle-aged group, adults who perceived their oral health as poor were more likely to have unmet dental needs. Conclusions: All three factors (predisposing, enabling, and need) were found to be associated with unmet dental needs among adults with activity limitations. Special efforts should be made to improve access to dental care services for middle-aged adults with activity limitations.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.195-202
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• 2015

Objectives: Receiving proper dental care plays a significant role in maintaining good oral health. We investigated the relationship between regional deprivation and dental care utilization. Methods: Multilevel logistic regression was used to identify the relationship between the regional deprivation level and dental care utilization purpose, adjusting for individual-level variables, in adults aged 19+ in the 2008 Korean Community Health Survey (n=220 258). Results: Among Korean adults, 12.8% used dental care to undergo examination and 21.0% visited a dentist for other reasons. In the final model, regional deprivation level was associated with significant variations in dental care utilization for examination (p<0.001). However, this relationship was not shown with dental care utilization for other reasons in the final model. Conclusions: This study's findings suggest that policy interventions should be considered to reduce regional variations in rates of dental care utilization for examination.