• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.153-166
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• 2007

The job of dental hygienists is specialized, and they have to be capable of performing their primary duties including prevention of oral diseases, oral prophylaxis, and oral health education. To ensure their successful job performance, dentists should have an accurate understanding of their duties and need a change of mind-set about them. And there should be written legal and concrete regulations on the coverage of their work in order to let them boost their job performance with pride and a sense of responsibility. The purpose of this study was to examine the actual roles and job performance of dental hygienists in clinical field in an attempt to discuss the substantial job performance of dental hygienists and their job enlargement. It's basically meant to help enhance the efficiency and quality of medical services. The subjects in this study were 471 dental hygienists in dental clinics, dental hospitals, university hospitals and general hospitals across the nation, on whom a survey was conducted in person from March 2 to 25, 2005. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS Win 12.0 program, and the findings of the study were as follows: 1. The major jobs they currently performed included oral health education, hospital management, simple duties, extensive dental hygiene duties and joint treatment assistance. They hoped to continue to be responsible for oral health education, preventive treatment and extensive dental hygiene duties. 2. As for their current job by age, extensive dental hygiene duties, preventive treatment, joint treatment assistance, preserving treatment, prosthetic treatment and pediatric treatment were most conducted by the dental hygienists who were at the age of 26 to less than 31, and those who were at the age of 31 and up were most responsible for hospital management and simple duties. 3. As to job awareness by workplace, their workload was statistically significantly different according to their workplace. The hospital employees took care of more work than those in clinics. 4. Concerning job awareness by age, the younger dental hygienists suffered more role conflicts and were given a less free hand in work handling, the middle-aged group's job was uncertain. Legal regulations about the coverage of their work should be prepared in detail as a measure to stir up their responsible job performance and pride. In order to take advantage of experienced dental hygienists, their duties should be more differentiated and specialized, and their working conditions should be improved to boost their job satisfaction. That is, they should be given ample chances for promotion and serving as a middle manager and be given fair treatment according to their career. If their work is accurately darified and specialized based on career, it will boost the efficiency of dental treatment. Dental hygienists also should direct sustained efforts into self-development in order to become a skilled and professional oral health personnel.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.644-658
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was to find out the status of job satisfaction and intent to leave the job for dental hygienists, and those factors affecting their intent to leave, so as to prevent dental hygienists from leaving their jobs in advance, and to strive for extending the life span of the job, contributing to improve dental care services provided by dental hygienists. Methods : The data were collected from 280 dental hygienists working in dental clinics or hospitals in Busan and Gyeongnam area by using a structured and self-administered questionnaire through mail, from February 1 to March 15, 2009, and were analyzed by using SPSS WIN 14.0 program. Results : First, It was the most prevalent for the dental hygienists surveyed to be between 100 to 149 thousand won in the level of monthly as 42.3%, and to be the assistance of dental examination and treatment for main duty as 62.5%. Leaving job was experience by 51.6% of the subjects, with work condition as the most common reason for 32.2%. Second, the degree of job satisfaction was 3.4 points overall in the score of 5 point Likert's scale on the average, showing affirmative level above the average, and significantly different according to certain characteristics such as age, education level, total years of work career, years of work career in the current job, monthly salary level, whether to provide monthly paid leave, and the number of patients treated per day. It also was significantly correlated with some structural factors and variables consisting attitude and value, including equity in pay(r=0.612), job perception as dental hygienist(r=0.573), work environment(r=0.552), self growth(r=0.531), affirmative attitude(r=0.421), and so on. Third, the mean score of intent to leave was 2.73 overall and lower than the average, showing significant relationship with some characteristics, such as age, marital status, education level, total years of work career, years of work career in the current job, monthly salary level, whether to provide monthly paid leave, and the number of patients treated per day. Intent to leave also showed the highest correlation with job satisfaction(r=-0.708), followed by equity in pay(r=-0.482), self growth (r=-0.453), job perception as dental hygienist(r=-0.392), work environment(r=-0.362), etc. Forth, job satisfaction was significantly influenced by some factors including equity in pay, followed by job perception as dental hygienist, relationship with fellow colleagues, affirmative attitude and work environment, and so on. Fifth, the intent to leave was significantly affected not only by job satisfaction but also by some structural factors including equity in pay, self growth and job perception as dental hygienist. Conclusions : The above results showed that the equity in pay was the most important factor for the intent to leave the job as well as job satisfaction among dental hygienists, thus suggesting that systematic measures should be provided to improve the job satisfaction to prevent economic loss due to leaving job frequently, and to provide pertinent reward system as a profession to enhance the motivation for accomplishment on job for dental hygienists.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.63-83
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to serve as a basis for more efficient dental hygienist human resources utilization and for determining some of the right directions for supplementary education for dental hygienists, by examining how they actually worked and what they thought of job-related things. The subjects in this study were 537 dental hygienists who participated in a seminar by the Korea Dental Hygienist Association. After a survey was conducted, the following findings were given: 1. 50.2% of the dental hygienists investigated completed legally required eight-class education. Those who worked in clinics took less supplementary education classes than the others in the other types of dental institutions. The main reason they didn't receive supplementary education was financial burden and uncooperative employers. 73.2% took supplementary education at the association or its branches. The association was most favored by those in clinical sector as a place that provides supplementary education, followed by its branch and university in the order named. And the dental hygienists in public health sector preferred university most, and the next best favored one was the association and its branch in the order named. Those in clinical sector hoped to acquire clinical information on patient management, implant or aesthetics, and the dental hygienists in public health sector wanted to learn about health administration, public oral health operations and oral health education, which were different from what those in clinical sector wanted. 2. Regarding the period of service, 492% had worked for three years or more. This fact suggested that their service term and average age continued to grow. And they thought they would decide the retirement time on their own. 3. The most common yearly income ranged from 12 million won to 16 million won(40.7%). For-those in clinics, yearly income was 14.36 million won, and that of the dental hygienists who had worked for less than 3 years was 12.90 million won. 4. The Korea Dental Hygienist Association was most required to protect the rights and interests of the members and offer new knowledge and technology. 5. The largest group of them were engaged in patient management, and this type of job also was the most favored one for them to do. The greatest number of the dental hygienists in public health sector were in charge of dental treatment. 6. Concerning their turnover rate, 492% had never changed their occupation. Specifically, 70.0% of the respondents who had worked for less than 3 years had have no experience to do that. The time constraints for self-development and conflicts with other workers were the cause of their turnover. Those in dental hospital and general hospital changed their occupation chiefly due to the lack of time for self-development, and for the dental hygienists in clinics, the conflicts with other workers were the main reason. The above-mentioned findings suggested that the way the dental hygienists looked at things was undergoing change. The service area made a difference to their preference for the type of supplementary education and institution in charge of it, as those in public health and clinical sectors had a different opinion. And the dental hygienists in clinical sector had a different opinion as well, according to service area, about salaries, reason of not taking supplementary education, preferred type of supplementary education, cause of turnover, and type of occupation to which they hoped to change employment. To utilize and supply human resources in a more stabilized manner, job description should be more segmented, standardized and classified clearly, and dental hygienists should be motivated to perform their substantial jobs, including oral disease prevention, oral prophylaxis and oral health education. To make it happen, it seems that dentists are required to have a clear understanding of dental hygienist job and to change the way they look at it.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.717-725
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• 2010

Objectives : This study was to determine the level of occupational exposure and quality of life and to investigate the effect of variables related occupational exposure on quality of life in dental hygienists. Methods : A survey questionnaire was mailed to dental hygienists from April 4 to May 15, 2010. The subjects were 256(56.9%), who were worked in dental hospital and clinic with mean age of $29.59{\pm}7.30$. Quality of life was measured using the WHOQOL-BREF. It consists of 26 items, each with 5-point likert scale. Self control of occupational exposure was measured using the 3-items. The data were analyzed with chi-square, t-test, one-way ANOVA, pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression using the SPSS WIN 17.0 program. Results : Regarding quality of life, the subjects was a mean of 90.73 out of a maximum 130 points. The level of self control occupational exposure a mean of 3.20 out of a maximum 5 points. Self control of occupational exposure, frequency of panorama radiography, work experience of radiography had a significant impact on quality of life in dental hygienists. Conclusions : Based on the findings, occupational exposure is negatively associated with quality of life in dental hygienists. These results suggest that health promotion program should be considered various factors related occupational exposure in dental hygienists.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.220-227
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• 2019

Background: This descriptive study aimed to examine the relationship between the 4C core competencies and work ability among dental hygienists. Methods: From November 2018 to January 2019, data were collected-from 190 dental hygienists workong in dental clinics in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongsangnam province using structured questionnaires. For the general characteristics of the dental hygienists, frequency and percentage were calculated, and the level of the 4C core competencies and work ability of dental hygienists was calculated using means and standard deviations. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to analyze the effects of the 4C core competencies on work ability. Results: The mean scores for the 4C core competency levels of the dental hygienists were as follows: communication ability 3.34, critical thinking ability 3.41, creative problem-solving 3.40, and collaborative self-efficacy 3.27. Meanwhile the mean score for work ability level was 3.65. The predictive factors influencing work ability were communication ability and cooperative self-efficacy (p<0.001), and the sub-factors of critical thinking ability that affect work ability were sound conferences (p<0.01), intellectual fairness (p<0.05), intellectual enthusiasm (p<0.05), and self-confidence (p<0.001). Finally, the sub-factors of creative problem-solving ability that affect work ability were planning and execution (p<0.01) and performance evaluation (p<0.05). Conclusion: The current study showed that education programs covering the core competencies of dental hygienists, rather than the existing theoretical education program, should be developed and implemented to enhance 4C core competencies that affect work ability.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.95-106
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• 2020

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dental hygienists' job satisfaction on turnover intention and intention to stay. Methods: A survey was conducted targeting 273 dental hygienists in dental clinics. The study data were u analyzed using PASW Statistics 20.0 Results: The level of job satisfaction of dental hygienists was 3.30±0.50, and the highest ranked item in the survey was 'I am satisfied with my relationships with patients' 3.72±0.73. Job satisfaction according to general characteristics showed significant differences in age, marriage, education, career, current work experience, position, and schedule for future turnover. The turnover intention according to general characteristics showed significant difference in age and schedule for future turnover. The intention to stay according to general characteristics showed significant differences in age, marriage, education, career, current work experience, number of dentists, number of dental hygienists, and schedule for future turnover. The factors affecting turnover intention were schedule for future turnover, income, co-worker relation and professional time, while those affecting intention to stay were overall professional satisfaction, co-worker relation, schedule for future turnover, professional time, income, number of dental hygienists, patient relations and current work experience. Conclusions: Job satisfaction factors that had a common effect on turnover intention and intention to stay were schedule for future turnover, income, co-worker relation and professional time. To reduce turnover and encourage longevity, adequate pay and positive interpersonal relationships are necessary.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.32-41
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• 2018

This study investigated the relationship between the organizational culture, organizational support, organizational health, personal health, and quality of work life of dental hygienists and analyzed the factors affecting the quality of work life in order to identify ways to improve their quality of work life. A total of 320 dental hygienists completed a self-administered survey; after excluding data from 21 respondents, 299 responses were included in the analysis. Frequency analyses, t-tests, one-way analysis of variation (ANOVA), and correlation analyses were conducted. A path analysis was also conducted to confirm the causal relationships. The findings are as follows. First, there was a significant difference in several general characteristics of the organizational culture including years in the current job and the number of dental hygienists; organizational support including age and the number of dental hygienists; organizational health including years in the current job and annual salary; and personal health including annual salary. Second, the quality of work life showed a positive correlation with organizational culture, organizational support, personal health, and organizational health in that order. Third, the results of path analysis revealed that organizational culture had a positive effect on organizational support; organizational support and personal health on organizational health; organizational support on personal health; and organizational support and organizational health on quality of work life. In addition, organizational support and organizational health had a direct effect on the quality of work life, while organizational culture, organizational support, and personal health had an indirect effect. These results indicated existence of a relationship among organizational culture, organizational support, organizational health, personal health, and quality of work life. It is necessary to identify ways to improve the quality of work life of dental hygienists.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.873-880
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• 2015

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the attitude and influencing factors toward basic life support in the dental hygienists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 218 dental hygienists in Gwangju. The questionnaire consisted of the general characteristics of the subjects and attitude toward basic life support (BLS). The attitude included cognitive belief, behavioral components, and emotional components. The data were analyzed by independent t-test, one-way ANOVA and multiple regression analysis by using IBM SPSS 21.0 program. Results: The cognitive belief, behavioral component, and emotional components of attitude toward BLS had higher scores in those who were between 34-34 years old and had more than 10 years of career. Most of them worked in dental clinic and did not earn the BLS certificate. There were positive correlations between the cognitive belief, behavioral components, and emotional components toward BLS. By the regression analysis, cognitive belief toward BLS was positively associated with educational experience within a year, behavioral components, and emotional components. The behavioral components were associated with working between 5-10 years in dental clinic and the emotional components. Conclusions: The attitude toward BLS in the dental hygienists was low in cognitive belief, behavioral components, and emotional components. Therefore, BLS education must be expanded to the dental hygienists.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.933-939
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between general characteristics and the intention of overseas employment and job satisfaction by Korean dental hygienists. Methods : We conducted a survey of 562 dental hygienists working in dental clinics nationwide. Collected data were analyzed by using the SAS(Version 9.2, SAS Institute, Cary, N.C.) package. $x^2$ test was used to determine the general characteristics of the subjects including job satisfaction level and intention to work abroad. Results : Old aged dental hygienists tended to work in the country rather than abroad(p<0.05). Higher job satisfaction was closely related to working hours, monthly income, social status, and stability of employment(p<0.05). Job satisfaction was concerned with intention to overseas employment. The main purpose of overseas employment included economic benefits(35.99%), self realization(26.75%), and improvement of working condition(21.66%) in the group of overseas employment(p<0.05). The obstacles to overseas employment were mastery of language proficiency(60.94%) and related information(21.89%) in those who want to work abroad. Conclusions : In order to increase the number of Korean dental hygienists for overseas employment, it is necessary to improve working competence and job satisfaction.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.67-79
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• 2012

Objectives : The study was carried out to find out the experience of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms of dental hygienists and evaluate the risk with ergonomic evaluation method(RULA). Methods : The subjects in this study were 344 dental hygienists working at dental clinics and general hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Daejeon and Chungnam/Chungbuk. The data were collected through the self-questionnaire survey from July 26th 2010 to September 30th 2010. Results : The results showed that those who working at dental hospital, network dental clinics, with 1-5 years of clinical experience, long working hour and sitting hour, no rest hour, more physical and mental burden had higher rate of the experience of musculoskeletal disorder symptoms compared with other groups. The final score of RULA evaluation results was 6 on average requiring continuous observation and urgent demand for work improvements. According to the result of RULA evaluation by work, the orthodontic clinics were 4.5, prosthodontic clinics were 5.0, and dental surgery clinics were 6.8 being the most risky. Conclusions : The study showed high complaints rate on musculoskeletal disorders in dental hygienists. Thus, various measures including provision of proper working and rest hours, use of ergonomic working equipments, strengthening the health education for desirable working posture and the development of musculoskeletal disorder prevention program should be needed.