A REVIEW OF 70-YEARS OF OCCUPATIONAL DENTISTRY IN KOREA

근대이후 한국의 산업구강보건

Occupational Dentistry was introduced in Korea about 70 years ago. During the colonial period occupied by Japan till 1945, there were few documents about industrial dentistry, furthermore most cases of occupational diseases and accidents might have been concealed intentionally by the colonial government. After being an independent country, several dentists made efforts to set up 'Preventive Dentistry for Workers' performing specific oral health surveys, even though which were stopped by Korean War. In 1960s' and 1970s', some investigations of oral status were carried out intermittently for specific small groups;white-collar workers, mentally retarded person, buddhist monks and crews of ocean liners. At the same time there was important study in Korean history of occupational dentistry, which was 'a comparison of the oral hygiene conditions in the female workers of a spinning factory at intervals of 30 years.' In 1980s', young researchers began to give attention to erosion of the teeth due to sulphuric acid in the acid-related industry and dental caries due to sugar and flour in the sweets industry. After being democratic labor union movement activated in 1987, hidden and suppressed occupational diseases under the military dictatorship were exposed and flushed in the newspapers. It was shocking for all people that 15-year old boy had been dead due to mercury intoxication after 3-month employment in 1988. In 1990s', the activity for studying oral status of workers in their workplaces was launched and 'Occupational Accidents and Diseases in Oral and Maxillofacial Field' was published. And also The Korean Association of Occupationl Dentistry was established. Oral health examination of workers at the time of employment and of workers exposed to 5 special chemicals at the time of routine special health examination was adopted in 1992, and epocally oral health examination was also included in periodic routine examination of workers' health in 1995. So, occupational dentistry in Korea should cope with the changing needs of working environment and the altering scheme of health examination.