• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.58 no.10
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• pp.615-626
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• 2020

The outbreak of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, has spread worldwide and resulted in a pandemic for health systems. The disease is transmitted via respiration as droplets or aerosol. Due to the nature of dental treatment, aerosols, including body fluid, blood, and saliva, are frequently produced in dental hospitals. The present study investigated the potential risk of nosocomial infection of COVID-19 in dental hospitals to provide recommendations in clinical situations. The Seoul National University Dental Hospital in Korea established a countermeasure to cope with the clinical situation based on The Guidelines of Korean Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (KCDC) for dental practitioners and the available literature. Notably, numerous considerations for patient reservation and schedule management are required for space separation in the hospital, including infection control. Experiences in dental hospitals in Korea would be referable for other dental hospitals facing this infectious respiratory disease.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.183-192
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• 2016

A total of 228 dental hygienists working in dental hospitals and clinics in the Busan and Gyeongnam areas were surveyed between August 1, 2015, and October 15, 2015. The factors influencing infection control awareness and implementation levels among the dental hygienists were investigated to prepare basic data with the goal of establishing guidelines for systemic infection control. Treatment preparation support for infection control positively correlated with equipment and facility support (r=0.4343, p<0.01), treatment skill and information support (r=0.231, p<0.01), infection control education support (r=0.266, p<0.01), infection control awareness (r=0.354, p<0.01), and infection control implementation levels (r=0.442, p<0.01). Equipment and facility support positively correlated with treatment skill and information support (r=0.418, p<0.01), infection control education support (r=0.422, p<0.01), infection control awareness (r=0.404, p<0.01), and infection control implementation levels (r=0.454, p<0.01). Infection control education support positively correlated with infection control awareness (r=0.348, p<0.01) and infection control implementation levels (r=0.405, p<0.01). Infection control awareness positively correlated with the infection control implementation level (r=0.879, p<0.01). The factors influencing the awareness of infection control include treatment preparation support, equipment and facility support, treatment skill and information support, and infection control education support. The influencing the infection control implementation level include treatment preparation support, equipment and facility support, infection control education support, and treatment skill and information support. To enhance the awareness of infection control and implementation levels amongdental hygienists, an infection control system must be established and implemented A rigorous system for evaluating dental clinics must also be established to ensure an ideal dental treatment environment and to protect patients' health and safety.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.430-436
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• 2015

This study examined the correlation of educational experience with practical behavior in infection control. Subjects were 152 dental hygienists in Gwangju from September 15 to October 5, 2015. The ratio of dental hygienists educated on infection control was higher in those worked in dental care with 2~4 dentist for 2~5 years and lower in those worked in dental cared with 1 dentist for 2~5 years (p<0.05, p<0.001). The dental hygienists with or without educational experience in infection control exhibited the highest activity rate in hand wash and the lowest in face protection. Barrier in health belief, was lower with the need for education in infection control among the factors affecting on the activity in infection control. The activity was higher with susceptibility and cue to action (p<0.05). Based on the results, education program on infection control should be developed, and applied periodically and obligatorily for dentist and all staffs of dental care to remove susceptibility and barrier, and to enhance cue to action. This will result the effective control of infection by elevating the health belief.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.227-235
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association factors of dental infection control by applying the health belief model in the dental hygienists. This study subject was 142 dental hygienists from 15 to July 5, 2020. Data were analyzed by chi-square test ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 23.0. The performance of dental infection control in accordance with the general characteristics of research subjects was high in case when they had educational experiences of infection control, and when they 'always' did medical examinations by interview about infectious diseases(p<0.01). The group of dental hygienists working for dental clinics with less than average 50 patients a day showed the highest rate of wearing a mask and latex gloves as personal protective gears(p<0.05),(p<0.01). When the wearing of protective goggles(face shield) and the frequency of exchanging masks after the outbreak of COVID-19 were more, the performance for infection control was increasing(p<0.05),(p<0.01),(p<0.001). In this study, it is difficult to generalize the results of the study because the research area and the subject are limited by selecting the subjects by convenience extraction, and focusing on the degree of awareness of infection control by dental hygienists, the actual status of infection control in dentistry is carefully illuminated. What you didn't do can be seen as a limitation. Considering the results of this study, the performance of infection control could be increased by removing obstacles and increasing the importance and perceived benefits of infection control of dental hygienists.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.233-242
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• 2021

Background: The importance of infection with COVID-19 is being emphasized in dentistry with high risks such as aerosols. The purpose of this study is to investigate the knowledge and practice of infection control, stress and coping, and turnover of dental hygienists. Methods: Questionnaire was conducted knowledge and practice of infection control, occupational stress and coping, turnover. Survey data was investigated about 149 dental hygienists from February to March 2021 Data were analyzed t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation using statistical programs of PASW Statistics ver. 21.0. Results: Regarding occupational stress, relationship conflict was higher in the group with less than 2 years of experience (p<0.05). Job anxiety, organizational system, inadequate compensation, and workplace culture were highly surveyed in the 3 to 5 year of experience. The group with more than 6 years of experience had the highest perception of lack of job autonomy (p<0.05). The group with higher knowledge of infection control had lower mean inappropriate rewards and stress (p<0.05). The group with high infection control performance had a lower average in items such as job instability, organizational system, inadequate compensation, workplace culture, and stress. And problem-focused coping ability was found to be high (p<0.05). Infection control knowledge and performance were positively correlated (r=0.251, p<0.01), infection control practice and stress were negatively correlated (r=-0.264, p<0.01), and stress and emotional coping were positively correlated (r=0.367, p<0.01). Stress was positively correlated with turnover rate (r=0.549, p<0.01). Conclusion: Infection control training was required to reduce occupational stress. Occupational stress was highly correlated with turnover, a holistic and systemic organizational operation and improvement of the quality of medical care were required to reduce stress.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.190-203
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• 2003

Background: Dental hygienists are at risk of acquiring infections through exposure to infectious agents. This study explores the frequency of exposure to infectious agents and infection control practices among dental hygienists. Methods: We undertook a cross-sectional survey to examine the exposure to infectious agents and infection control practices among dental hygienists through questionnaire. Data were obtained from 124 dental hygienists attending educational conferences. A multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors that effect infection control practices in relation to age, completion of infection control education, recognition of their own serum hepatitis Ag/Ab status, the number of one day patients, location of clinics, type of clinics, and career years. Result: Of the 124 dental hygienists, 91.7% were exposed to at least one accident such as needle stick injuries during their practices periods. The health screening coverage rate in dental hygienists was 16.5%. The number of one day patients and career years were important in relation to infection control practices among dental hygienists. The adjusted odds ratio estimates for career years were 5.049 times greater(95% Cl 1.238-20.597) for groups with over 4 career years than under 2 career years. That for the number of one day patients were 0.261(95% Cl 0.071-0.955) lower for through 20 up to 30 patients, 0.531(95% Cl 0.102-2.78) lower for through 30 up to 40 patients and 0.498(95% Cl 0.123-2.017) lower for more than 40 patients than under 20 patients. Conclusion: From these results, prevalence of infection control practices among dental hygienists is related to the number of one day patients and career years. Prevention of cross infection and reduction of future transmission should be a priority to dental hygienists for promotion of infection control and further efforts to educate newcomers on infection prevention should be made.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.215-225
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• 2002

Objectives: Dental personnels have high chances of exposure to various infections during many dental procedures. This study was performed to investigate the state of infection control in the private dental clinics and prevention state of hepatitis B virus infection among the dental hygiene students in Kwanju city, Korea. Methods: Questionnaires were obtained from 94 dental hygiene students who participated in dental practice in private dental clinics for more than five weeks. Results: 83.9% of dentists and 17.2% of dental hygienists routinely used the mask for treating all patients, 32.3% of dentists and 6.5% of dental hygienists routinely used the rubber gloves. The use of protective eyeware was much lower in each group. Disinfectant was used in 52.7% for sanitization of dental instruments before cleansing. The prevalence of HBsAg and anti-HBs were 3.8% and 67.1% respectively, 52.7% of dental hygiene students had history of accidental needle stick. Conclusion: Routine use of personal barrier techniques by dental personnels should be emphasized. Dental hygiene students were not properly immunized against hepatitis B virus and had high incidence of accidental needle stick. It is necessary to establish specific regulations or recommendations for cross infection control in dental practice and to performed scheduled vaccination program for hepatitis B virus for dental hygiene students.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.511-519
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of infection control in dental office and the degree of infection control practice of dental hygienists. A self-reported questionnaire was answered by 193 dental hygienists working in dental hospitals or dental clinics in Gyeonggi and Incheon areas. The number of bacteria was measured sample of surface dental unit chair shoulder backrests and light handles from 19 dental hospitals and 28 dental clinics. It was responded that impression or occlusion bodies were routinely disinfected in 52.6% of the dental hospitals and dental prosthesis were routinely disinfected in 46.4% in dental clinics. The dental hospital and clinics disinfect the surface each 26.3%, 25% after the patient treatment. The dental hospital and clinic were detected bacteria $5.02^*10\^3CFU/mL$, $1^*10\^4CFU/mL$, from dental unit chair backrest, respectively and $8.32^*10\^3CFU/mL$, $4.26^*10\^4CFU/mL$ from light handles, respectively. At the conclusion of this investigation, it can be kept from infection source in dental office is to make the right selection and use of the personal protective equipments and to improve the practice level by regular and active education. The same infection control practice should be done by institutionalizing and mandating infection control practice.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.463-470
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• 2014

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the association factors of infection control practice based on health belief model in the dental hygienists in dental clinics. Methods : A self-reported questionnaire was filled out by 278 dental hygienists in 160 dental clinics in Gwangju by a proportional stratified sampling method from September 13 to October 7, 2013. Data were analyzed by t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis using SPSS version 12.0. Results : In multiple regression analysis, practice scores were significantly higher in aged dental hygienists and those who took infectious disease history from the patients before treatment. With regard to health belief model, perceived barrier was negatively associated with the practice(${\beta}$=-.16, p<.001), importance of infection control in hand hygiene(${\beta}$=.14, p=.026), and use of personal protective equipment(${\beta}$=.17, p=.043). The intention of action was positively associated with the practice(${\beta}$=.13, p=.002). Conclusions : This study will provide the basic evidence for the quality improvement of infection control and prevention. So the dental hygienists will be able to put into practice in infection control management.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.141-149
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• 2019

Objectives: To investigate the real-world re-use of disposable dental supplies (DDS) in dental offices and assess the relationship between general characteristics of dental hygienists and reuse of DDS, with respect to infection control characteristics. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to 277 dental hygienists to assess their general characteristics, awareness of infection control/DDS management, and re-use of DDS. Nine DDS were categorized into the following categories based on their purpose: Critical, Semicritical, Noncritical, and Personal protective equipment (PPE). The association between general characteristics of dental hygienists and re-use of DDS, with respect to infection control characteristics, was assessed using the chi-squared test. Results: All 9 DDS were re-used to different extents. The highest reuse rate of supplies were for masks (64.6%), prophylaxis cups (61.0%) and plastic saliva ejectors (30.0%). Overall, 89.5% of the participants re-used DDS; subgroup analysis showed the following proportions of specific DDS re-use: PPE 66.4%; Semicritical DDS 63.9%; Noncritical DDS 19.5%; and Critical DDS 1.8%. Based on the type of clinic, the rate of re-use was higher in dental clinics than dental hospitals. Thus, the re-use of DDS may be caused by inappropriate or nonexistent guidelines or habitual practice, rather than the awareness or attitude of dental hygienists. Conclusions: In order to ensure a safe environment within the dental clinic, DDS classifications must be clearly outlined in the dental infection control guidelines; moreover, additional studies are needed regarding the regulations for DDS re-use and disposal.