• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral Health
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.267-273
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• 2017

Objectives: Unmet needs for dental treatment are one of the potential contributing factors to poor oral health because oral health problems worsen if left untreated. This study aimed to demonstrate the prevalence of and the causes for unmet dental needs, and to evaluate the association between unmet needs for dental treatment and oral health status. Methods: Data on 3,883 subjects aged ${\geq}18years$ from the Korean National Oral Health Survey 2006 were analyzed. Information regarding unmet needs for dental treatment was obtained using standardized questionnaires. Eight trained dentists examined decayed, missing, or filled teeth (DMFT). Multiple regression models were built to assess the association between unmet needs for dental treatment and the DMFT scores. Results: The prevalence of perceived unmet needs for dental treatment was 34.7% among the adult Korean population. Economic constraints were the main cause (38.6%) for unmet dental needs. The average DMFT scores were higher in the subjects with unmet needs for dental treatment than in those without. In individuals with unmet needs for dental treatment within the past 1 year, the number of decayed teeth after adjusting for confounders was likely to be greater by 0.58 and that of missing teeth by 0.27 compared to that in their counterparts with no unmet dental needs in the past 1 year. Conclusions: Perceived unmet needs for dental treatment were significantly associated with poor oral health status among the adult Korean population. Further studies are needed to clarify the direct and indirect effects of unmet needs for dental treatment on an individual's oral health status by investigating critical variables of the causal pathways among perceived dental needs, dental care utilization, and oral health status.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2013

This paper classified the articles of special needs dentistry(SND) published in Korean medical database according to thematic distribution and chronological change to assess recent academic trends and indicate the direction of study in the future. We selected articles in 17 dental journals registered with the Korea Research Foundation This study found that the total number of articles of SND was 292 in 17 journals from 1973 to 2012. The biggest number of articles of SND was published in the journal of the Korean Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, which means pediatric dentists contribute to dental treatment of people who need special care. According to growing number of people with disabilities, the number of articles related in SND has been increased since 2000. Also, the aged and children as well as people with disabilities fit into the category of SND and the scope of SND has been enlarged. So dentists should concern and study more about SND in the future.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.7-10
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• 2018

Special care dentistry, also known as special needs dentistry, is concerned with the oral health of people who have intellectual disability, or who are affected by other medical, physical, or psychiatric issues. Dental schools must educate dental students for the competency in managing and treating individuals with special health care needs. The purpose of this study is to identify the current status of special care dentistry education in Korean dental schools. A questionnaire relating to the education of special care dentistry was sent to eleven dental schools in Korea via email. The result turned out that eight out of eleven schools had classroom teaching of special care dentistry, while only four had practical teaching programs. Nine schools had dental clinics for the disabled, in which two of them had special care clinics within the Pediatric dentistry clinic, and other seven in separate clinical sites. Despite the increased interest in special care dentistry, education including classroom teaching and practical teaching was still insufficient and needed more development. This study implicated a small but valuable understanding of special needs dentistry education in Korea.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.85-90
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• 2013

The aim of this research is to compare the attitude toward the special needs of dental staffs between the special dental clinic (SDC) and the general dental clinic (GDC). Surveys were done on 21 dental staffs (7 dentists and 14 dental hygienists) of SDC and 47 dental staffs (10 dentists and 37 dental hygienists) of GDC. Attitudes were rated on a questionnaire with the five-point Likert scale. Mann-Whitney test was utilized for statistical analysis. In SDC, more female dentists and dental staffs who have relatives with disability were working. Dental staffs of SDC showed that the more experience they had, the more positive attitudes toward the communication with the patients with special needs (p<0.05). Dental staffs of SDC represented more active attitudes toward the oral health promotion, treatment, research and volunteering (p<0.05). In conclusion, dental staffs who have personal motivation were working in SDC and the experience of dental treatment to the patients with special needs influenced the dental staffs' attitudes toward them. In future, a research about the attitude toward the disabled with more exact scale should be followed.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.50-54
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• 2016

Regular dental visit of disabled patients is an important strategy for maintenance of oral health because of the lack of awareness of oral care. But there is limited information about follow up period in disabled patients after dental treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate the pattern of dental visit and dental management of special care needs patients according to the types of disabilities. A total of 140 patients who received dental treatment at Seoul National University Dental Hospital from 2010 to 2012 were reviewed. Patients were divided 3 groups according to the types of disabilities (disorder of external physical function, disorder of internal organ, psychic disability). Patient's characteristic, dental treatment performed, follow up period and frequency were investigated. The mean follow up period was 28.2 months and average frequency of visit was 3.69 times per year. There was no difference in period and annual visit between 3 groups, but significantly difference in cooperation with medical hospital in affiliation. Regular check-up was the most common dental treatment in all groups. In psychic disorder group, the proportion of sedative treatment was significantly higher than other groups. The results of this study provide information necessary for treatment planning and dental management of disabled patients.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.205-216
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• 2022

Background: People with special needs tend to require diverse behavioral management in dentistry. They may feel anxious or uncomfortable or may not respond to any communication with the dentists. Patients with medical, physical, or psychological disorders may not cooperate and therefore require sedation (SED) or general anesthesia (GA) to receive dental treatment. Using the healthcare big data in Korea, this study aimed to analyze the trends of SED and GA in special needs patients undergoing dental treatment. It is believed that these data can be used as reference material for hospitals and for preparation of guidelines and related policy decisions of associations or governments for special needs patients in dentistry. Methods: The study used selected health information data provided by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Patients with a record of use of one of the eight selected drugs used in dental SED between January 2007 and September 2019, those with International Classification of Diseases-10 codes for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), phobia, brain disease, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, genetic disease, autism, mental disorder, mental retardation, and dementia were selected. The insurance claims data were analyzed for age, sex, sedative use, GA, year, and institution. Results: The number of special needs patients who received dental treatment under SED or GA from January 2007 to September 2019 was 116,623. Number of SED cases was 136,018, performed on 69,265 patients, and the number of GA cases was 56,308, implemented on 47,257 patients. In 2007, 3100 special needs patients received dental treatment under SED while in 2018 the number of cases increased 6 times to 18,528 SED cases. In dentistry, ADHD was the most common disability for SED cases while phobia was the most common cause of disability for GA. The male-to-female ratio with respect to SED cases was higher for males (M : F = 64.36% : 35.64%). Conclusion: The application of the SED method and GA for patients with special needs in dentistry is increasing rapidly; thus, preparing guidelines and reinforcing the education and system are necessary.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.354-364
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• 2016

To evaluate the oral health status and to assess the resultant dental treatment needs in adolescents, 2,062 adolescents aged 14-17 years attending middle and high schools in Yangsan were surveyed by clinical examination and questionnaires. The obtained results were as follows. In the dental caries examination based on WHO criteria, the treatment needs of 66.7% of the subjects were determined. Assessment of dental erosion by the VEDE system indicated the treatment needs in 27.8% of the subjects, while MIH examination based on EAPD criteria indicated the treatment needs in 14.7%. Assessment of malocclusion using the occlusal index showed good occlusion in 67.8%, no need for treatment in 19.7%, slight need for treatment in 6.8%, definite need for treatment in 4.5%, and worst occlusion in 1.1% of the subjects, showing 12.5% of average treatment need. The prevalence and treatment need for periodontal disease was found to be 71.2% by CPITN assessments. The assessment of temporomandibular disorders by Helkimo's anamnestic index showed no symptoms in 67.1%, mild symptoms in 13.4%, and severe symptoms in 19.5% of the examinees. The overall treatment need of TMD was 20.6%. Periodontal diseases were ranked the highest in treatment need, followed by dental caries, dental erosion, MIH, TMD, and malocclusion in order. The results of this study indicated the overall status of adolescents'oral health and dental treatment needs. These might hopefully provide fundamental data and contribute to establishing promotional projects for adolescent oral health in Korea.

• The Journal of Korea Assosiation for Disability and Oral Health
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.53-57
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• 2015

Most special health care needs (SHCN) people suffer from oral health problems due to high incidence and severity of oral disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of dental treatment provided in this patient population. The study population comprised 485 SHCN patients who visited Kyung Hee University Dental Hospital from 2006 to 2014. Based on the medical record, the date were evaluated according to age, gender, type of disorder, reason for visit, type of behavior management, and type of dental treatment. The most common age group was 7-12 year olds (26%). The chief compliant was dental caries (39%), as followed by oral exam (12%) and trauma (12%). Approximately half of SHCN patients (45.9%) was treated under behavior management. Restorative treatment was the most common procedure with the average of 2.9 teeth treated per patient. The results of the present study may be valuable for establishing the data of SHCN patients for primary dental care.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Esthetic Dentistry
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.134-142
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• 2015

Esthetic dentistry has been developed through the diverse material and technique. Approach and interest in esthetic of anteriors was driven by needs and wants of patients. Alpha and omega of esthetics is determined by patients, as Charles Pincus who is the pioneer of esthetic dentistry described in his article 1967. To meet with wants and needs of patients, dentists suggest possible various treatment options. Cosmetic grinding quoted by Pincus is one of the conservative approaches and provide effective esthetic improvement with minimal invasive concepts. In a high technology era, cosmetic grinding needs to be revisited. Review of some clinical cases shows the value and limitation of it.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.49 no.12
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• pp.732-738
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• 2011

Special needs patient are one of the underserved dental patient groups in Korea. However, Lack of attitudes to oral care and the knowledge of health professionals are identified as barriers to oral health for people with disabilities. Health authorities have a key role in ensuring that the need for a comprehensive dental services is met. This review may help oral health professionals understand the dental considerations according types of disabilities and provide appropriate and necessary dental care for special needs patients.