Abstract
The aim of this study was to make dental technicians recognize the importance of their professional self-concept, and to provide basic data to devise the educational programs and policies of establishing their positive professional self-concept. In addition, the investigator tried to present some improvement measures for dental technicians' actual services by examining their job satisfaction. Study findings are as follows: First, the score of study subjects' self-concept is 3.41($\pm$.58) (perfect score=5), middle or high in rank. As for the mean score of professional self-concept by realms, the self-concept of communication is 3.59($\pm$.67), the highest; the self-concept of leadership in the realm of professional service is 3.54($\pm$.75); the self-concept of skills is 3.50($\pm$.75); the self-concept of adaptability is 3.47($\pm$.69); and the recognizant level of satisfactory self-concept is 2.95($\pm$.81), below the normal. Second, as for the difference of professional self-concept according to general characteristics, such variables as age, marital states, and the length of one's service have a significant influence upon the recognition of self-concept. First, the self-concept of those whose age is between 31 and 35 is the highest (3.64$\pm$.49), and it is followed by that of those whose age is 36 and above (3.57$\pm$.77) and then that of those whose age is between 26 and 30 (3.31$\pm$.56)). And that of those whose age is below 25 is the lowest. The obove results show us that the professional self-concept of older study subjects is higher than that of younger ones in general(p<.01). As for marital states, that of married persons(3.54$\pm$.64) is higher than that of unmarried ones(3.35$\pm$.55)(p<.05). As for the length of one's service, that of longtime employees is higher than that of short-period workers(p<.01). In relation to positions, a manager's professional self-concept is the highest(3.89$\pm$.55) and that of an assistant technician is the lowest(3.17$\pm$.58). Study findings show that the professional self-concept of higher ranking technicians is higher than that of lower ones in general (p<.001). Based on the study findings, the investigator suggests followings: First, studies on the professional self-concept that is appropriate to the characteristics of dental technicians must be carried out with a new point of view. Second, a tool must be researched and developed in order for the professional self-concept of dental technicians to be measured. Third, if a new professional self-concept is established and a measuring tool is developed, a study on the relationship between dental technicians' professional self-concept and practice performance can be carried out again.