• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.34-43
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• 2020

Background: The number and curriculum of dental hygienists in Korea have dramatically increased. Controversies have since resulted from insufficient job descriptions of the work performed by a dental hygienist. A dentist's perception was examined to legally reflect the actual work of dental hygienists. Methods: Four hundred and nineteen dentists were surveyed about the duties of a dental hygienist. Their views on the career and availability of each job were examined. The duties of the dental hygienist include 13 items in dental treatment preparation, 14 items of radiography, 21 items of preventive dentistry, 6 items of periodontal treatment, 12 items of oral medicine, 12 items of conservative dentistry, 8 items of prosthetics, 10 items of orthodontics, 7 items of oral and maxillofacial surgery, 6 items of implantation, 6 items of impression taking and model fabrication, 5 items of anesthesia and injection, 11 items of management and administrative, and 3 items of self-development. Results: Most of the duties were doable by a dental hygienist. Many dentists reported that managing implants, oral hygiene of special patients, some duties in oral medicine, teeth brightening, making temporary crowns, making individual trays, selecting shades, ligaturing, and precision impressions need ≥3 years of experience. Duties perceived by dentists not to be performed by dental hygienists were reading radiographs (55.4%), suture and stitch out (48.0%), intramuscular injection (36.0%), root planning (27.2%), cementation and removal of prostheses (23.2%), and examining pulp vitality (22.0%). Conclusion: Current laws are to be revised to include, the care provided by dental hygienists and under a physician's supervision. Flexibility is also needed to cope with rapidly changing dental technology.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.155-163
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• 2018

This study's aim was to investigate their opinions to improve the educational system for dental hygienists on the basis of their duties as dental hygienists. The qualitative study was conducted among 19 dental hygienists at Daejeon, Korea from July to August 2016. Two researchers followed each subject for working hours in a day and recorded all the tasks and time to take for each task. After one day, the researchers met each subject and conducted face-to-face interviews to investigate the opinions about the dental hygiene curriculum and national board examination. The main duties recognized by more than half of the subjects were oral disease prevention including scaling and dental treatment assistance. The subjects' minority opinion about the main duties included radiography, impression taking, dental implant surgery assistance, orthodontic treatment, patient counseling, dental management and staff management, and oral health education. The most important tasks perceived by the subjects were prosthetic and implant impressions, scaling and implant surgery assistance. The subjects' minority opinion about the most important duties included patient counseling and making temporary crowns. The most difficult tasks answered by the subjects were prosthetic and implant impressions and dental implant surgery assistance. The subjects' minority opinion about it included patient counseling, scaling, and making temporary crowns. They mentioned that their curriculum in college was different from the actual work and the national board examination was not reflective of their real duties. We found out Korean dental hygienists had a lot of roles as dental assistants, dental business managers, and so on. We suggest that the law, curriculum and national board examination for dental hygienists should be revised to be able to reflect the reality of the clinical field.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.187-199
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• 2020

Background: Korean dental hygienists perform various tasks under the supervision of dentists in addition to the tasks listed in the law. Many meaningful studies have been conducted to determine the actual tasks of dental hygienists, but these studies did not show common results due to the differences in research methods or designs. Hence, this study aimed to review the reported data on the tasks of dental hygienists in Korea and to clarify them based on a systematic literature review. Methods: For the literature search, the COre, Standard, and Ideal model presented by the National Library of Medicine was referenced. Seven databases were searched for literatures published in Korea, including PubMed, and Google Scholar. Of the 352 studies found using key words, titles, and abstracts, 46 were finally extracted based on the first and second exclusion criteria. After confirming the tasks of Korean dental hygienists in 46 literatures, 136 tasks were listed and calculated as appearance rate in the literature. Results: The most common tasks in 46 studies were fluoride application (67.2%), radiography (65.4%), scaling (65.4%), sealant (60.7%), patient management and counseling (56.7%), tooth-brushing education (52.2%), impression taking with alginate (50.1%), and making temporary crowns (47.9%). The most mentioned tasks of dental hygienists in public health centers were fluoride application (100%), sealant (100%), oral health education (71.4%), public oral health program evaluation (71.4%), school fluoride mouth-rinsing program (71.4%), water fluoridation (57.1%), tooth-brushing education (57.1%), school oral health programs (57.1%), and public elderly oral health programs (57.1%). Conclusion: This study showed that Korean dental hygienists had 136 tasks by reviewing 46 related studies and that the main job of Korean dental hygienists was oral disease prevention including scaling, sealant, and fluoride application.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.543-552
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• 2013

Objectives : The aim of the study is to investigate job performance expectations according to duration of work and to specify the clinical practice of dental hygienists by career expectations. Methods : The subjects were 310 dental hygienists in Seoul and Incheon. They completed the self-reported questionnaires and 304 data were analyzed except incomplete 6 answers. Results : The tasks performed by dental hygienists were as follows ; SS crown restoration in pediatric dentistry accounted for 25.1%, orthodontics (42.1 %), plaque removal (71.4 %), temporary fillings (60.5%), and impression taking of abutments and bite registration (58.9%). In order to be a skillful dental hygienists, it took two to three years of clinical filed work. Conclusions : On the job training (OJT) is the most important in dental hygiene curricula. So it is necessary to develop the OJT performance skill.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.793-803
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of dental hygiene curricula related to clinical practice in Korea. Methods: Clinical work included the categories 'history taking, infection control, oral prophylaxis, preventive treatment, education/counseling, radiography/reading, assisting/cooperation, impression/bite registration, anesthesia, etc.', and 66 works were finally selected based on the frequent tasks of dental hygienists. The subjects were made to answer nine questionnaires. Results: It was found that the theory and practice of the main works operated quite differently in lectures and practice in each school. All types of practice were applied to all schools in the case of 'scaling'. The evaluation of clinical practice was also found to be very different from school to school. Conclusions: For dental hygienists to establish expertise in clinical practice and promote quality improvement, it is necessary to develop a core curriculum focusing on clinical practice. The standardized curriculum should be improved to an efficient and competency-centered one defining clearly the role of dental hygienists considering the needs and importance of clinical practice.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.29-40
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy of impression taking method using the encoded healing abutment, scan body and pick-up impression coping with different implant angulations. Materials and Methods: Master model was fabricated by 3D printer and three implants were placed into the model with 0°, 10° and 20° mesial angulation. The abutments were secured to each implants and master model was scanned to make a reference model. Group P model was fabricated using pick-up impression copings and model was scanned after securing the abutments. Encoded healing abutment (Group E) and scan body (Group S) were secured on the master model and digital impression was taken using intraoral scanner 15 times each. Each STL files of test groups were superimposed with reference model using best fit alignment and root mean square (RMS) value was analyzed. Results: The RMS values were lowest in Group P, followed by Group S and Group E. Group P showed significant difference with Group S and E (P < 0.05) while there was no significant difference between Group S and E. Correlation between implant angulation and RMS value was significant in Group E (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The pick-up impression coping method showed higher accuracy and there was no significant difference in accuracy between the healing abutment and the scan body. The clinical use of the encoded healing abutment is possible, but it should be used with caution in the case of angulated implant.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.263-269
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• 2011

The digital impression technique has been developed for more precise restorations and convenient procedures in prosthodontic treatment compared to the conventional impression technique. Along with the utilization of CAD/CAM, the introduction of digital impression technique actualizes the digitalization of dental treatments. This case is to compare two different prostheses introducing each procedure in detail; one from CAD/CAM after taking digital impression and the other from the conventional technique. A 22-year-old female visited the clinic with the chief complaint of correction of discoloration and shape on maxillary right central incisor. Due to the trauma 8 years ago, the tooth was endodontically treated with post and resin core. The treatment was planned and the procedures were conducted under the patient's consent to treat the tooth with all ceramic crowns in two different ways for comparison. In conclusion, both prostheses presented clinically acceptable results with comparing the internal fitness of two all ceramic crowns. The prosthesis from digital impression, however, showed more errors in respect of internal fitness.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2012

Fixed dental prostheses such as inlay, onlay, crown, and bridge fabricated by CAD/CAM technique combined with digital impressions is getting popular due to the recent rapid progress of digital impression taking system. For the scope of implant prosthesis, however, digital intra-oral scan hasn't been actively utilized for the fabrication of superstructures. In this case report, 6 cases of titanium-milled custom abutment based on the iTero intra-oral scan data were introduced, five of them were restored with screw-type prosthesis after cementation (SCRP) and the clinical results were satisfactory on restoring the function and esthetics.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.56-62
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• 2018

When it comes to treat patient with loss of vestibule, conventional denture impression have limitation which can cause problems of excessive border extension. Suction denture with closed mouth technique which was introduced to solve this problem, forms negative pressure being sealed denture flanges by mobile mucosa when the patient swallows and chews. Also, it can decrease patient's visiting time by taking impression and gothic arch tracing at once. In this case, considering patient's chief complain which is a loose fit of present lower denture, suction dentures with closed mouth technique was planned.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.331-335
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• 2017

An immediate complete denture is considered as restoration for lost natural teeth, which is fabricated following the extraction of the remaining teeth. Current esthetics and function can be retained by using immediate denture without edentulous period. However, the major disadvantages of immediate denture relate to the difficulties associated with taking accurate definitive impression and predicting the results of immediate denture. In this case report, the Campagna tray technique was used to take the final impression in a 49-year-old male patient presented with all remaining teeth diagnosed as hopeless teeth. Surgical templates were used for alveoloplasty after extraction. The immediate complete dentures were then delivered. The clinical assessments of immediate dentures showed good esthetic and functional outcomes. The patient showed high level of satisfaction.