• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.621-630
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate awareness and performance of infection control by dental hygienist. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was answered by 239 dental hygienists working in dental clinics from September 7 to 18, 2016 in Gwangju city & Jeonnam region after explaining the purpose of the study and receiving the informed consent. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic characteristics and awareness and performance of infection control using Likert 4 point scale. Results: Average of Infection control awareness was $3.33{\pm}0.38$, average of infection control Performance was $3.04{\pm}0.37$ (p<0.05). The awareness and practice of dental equipment management showed the largest difference. The awareness of infection control by general characteristics varied according to position, number of dental units, number of employees, Infection control needs, Received infection control training experience, infection experience, infection control guideline (p<0.05). The relationship between infection control awareness and Infection control performance was r = 0.624 (p<0.001), indicating positive correlation. Conclusions: To improve awareness and performance of dental hygienist's infection control, regular received infection control training experience is needed. It is considered that the dentist's active cooperation is needed in shortening the life span of the dental equipment due to the Infection control performance and securing the quantity.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.173-185
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate dental technicians' awareness of infections and to enhance their interest and commitment towards infection prevention. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire survey was conducted among dental technicians. Total of 195 responses were used for analysis. A cross-tabulation analysis was used to compare dental technicians' awareness of infections according to their levels of education on infection prevention (α=0.05). Results: Dental technicians were educated on infection prevention (40.5%). Most participants received infection prevention education from school (29.8%). Dental laboratories had an infection control guideline (34.9%). Dental technicians were not aware of infection risks at their workplaces or believed that they were not at risk of infections at their workplaces (59.3%). Conclusion: Dental technicians must be consistently educated on infection prevention and control through systematic education at school and wider promotion through media. Research is needed to economically and efficiently improve equipment used by dental technicians and to protect them from infectious diseases. A budget for infection prevention must also be determined. Institutional measures such as providing support for dental technicians at the policy level and developing a basic infection prevention manual are necessary. Solving these issues not only protects dental technicians from infections but also allows them to provide high-quality medical services.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of dental infection control experienced by dental hygiene students in clinical practice institutions to identify problems and improve infection control in dental institutions. This study conducted online surveys targeting 269 dental hygiene students from universities that conducted clinical practice to determine the students' level of awareness regarding dental infection control in dental institutions and the reality of infection control in dental institutions. The results showed that dental hygiene students recognized the need for infection control and education about infection control at a high level. However, only 47% of the students were accurately informed about COVID-19. Basic instruments, periodontal instruments, and implant surgical instruments were sterilized after use for each patient, mostly by the institution, but 3-way syringe tips, preservation instruments and prosthetic instruments were more frequently reused without sterilization immediately after use. For dental infection control to be practiced at dental institutions, it is necessary to establish a systematic and safe infection control system, including infection control education, designation of infection managers, and provision of infection control guidelines.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

Objectives: This study analyzed a total of 30 domestic research trends related to dental infection control from 2013 to 2022. Methods: Two researchers analyzed the research question, "What are the research trends on infection control in dental hygiene at dental clinics and dental hygiene education institutions?" The selected literature was classified according to the research subject and the purpose of the study. Results: The study sample comprised 63% dental hygienists, 30% dental hygiene students, and 7% dental workers. The research topics on dental infection control were classified into knowledge, awareness, practice, infection control education, clinic environment, and infection control personnel. The largest proportion of research on dental infection control were about awareness and practice of infection control (69%). Clinic environment, knowledge, infection control education, and infection control personnel appeared in order. Conclusions: It is believed that this can be used as a reference material to present the direction of research design for researchers studying in infection control in the field of dental hygiene in the future.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.681-691
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between education experience, awareness and practice of infection control during the prosthodontic treatment in clinical dental hygienists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was answered by 255 clinical dental hygienists in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas from October 10 to December 30, 2016. The questionnaire consisted of general characteristics of the subjects (8 items), dental prosthesis infection education experience (5 items), dental prosthesis infection awareness (5 items) and dental prosthesis infection practice (14 items) based on Likert 5 point scale. For statistical analysis, SPSS Statistic 22.0 was used. Results: A significant association was shown among education experience, awareness and practice of infection control during the prosthodontic treatment of clinical dental hygienists (p<0.001). Dental hygienists count, dental prosthesis infection education experience and awareness had positive influences, but the age group from 26 to 30 had negative influence on dental prosthesis infection practice. Conclusions: The study confimed that the dental prosthesis infection education program and continued education is necessary for the safety and health of patients, and to prevent the cross-infections of the clinical dental hygienists.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2006

Dental personnels faced risks of infection in the clinic. For infection control, recognition and practice of dental personnels are important factor. This study was performed to investigate the recognition and practice of dental hygiene for infection control and infection waste control. A stratified convenience sample of dental hygienists in dental health-care settings. The major finding of the present study are as follows: 1. The existence of education about Standard Precaution and low of infection waste storage was higher dental hospital than dental clinic. 2. The degree of practice in the storage of dental wastes was low in absorbent cotton and body tissue exclude damage waste. And the degree of practice in the disposal of dental wastes was high in all three. 3. Practice in the storage of dental waste was higher dental hospital than dental clinic. 4. At the conclusion of this investigation, systematic refresher training of infection control should be prepared by campaign an various media, Dental health care workers should be encouraged to practice those action items from training. For successful implementation of infection control in every dental health-care settings, it is highly demanded as well that development of effective safe-guard tools, stategic support, and standardized action items against infection problems.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.645-653
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the difference between the awareness and reuser rate of infection control t for disposable dental care supplies (DDCS) according to general characteristics and infection management-related characteristics. Methods: A questionnaire was used for 277 dental hygienists to check the general characteristics, infection management-related characteristics, awareness of infection control disposable dental care products, syringe needle, prophylaxis cup, prophylaxis brush, plastic saliva ejector, orthodontic bracket, and gloves reuse rate. Results: The awareness of infection control for DDCS differed according to 'hospital type', 'average number of patients per day', 'presence or absence of infection control guidelines', and 'experience in infection management training in the last two years' (p<0.05). Reuser rates of disposable dental care products differed according to 'hospital type', 'average number of patients per day', 'presence or absence of infection control guidelines', and 'experience in infection management training in the last two years' (p<0.05). Conclusions: In order to manage infection of DDCS, the level of infection control system in the workplace is improved and support for related education is needed. In addition, guidelines and regulations on prohibition of reuse and classification criteria for various DDCS should be prepared.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.769-777
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• 2017

Objectives: The study was to promote patient safety by analyzing the effect of dental hygienist's perception of patient safety culture on infection control activities. Methods: The study is based on a survey of 377 dental hygienists in total working in dental settings. The questionnaire consisted of 119 questions, including 34 questions on perception of patient safety culture, and 85 questions on infection control activities. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the perception of patient safety culture and infection control activities. The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 20.0, and p<0.05 was adopted to decide on significance. Results: The longer dental hygienists have worked n the dental settings, the more active they become in infection control activities. Among the different types of dental care settings, general (university) hospitals had the largest number of infection control activities, followed by dental clinics, and network dental clinics, in descending order. The dental settings possessing a higher number of dental hygienists were found to conduct more infection control activities than other dental settings. In addition, it was found that when a dental setting adopts a patient safety policy across all the units in the hospital, more systems and procedures for patient safety tend to be established, and that stricter management response to error leads to improvement of infection control activities. Conclusions:In order to enhance infection control activities, infection control activity programs should develop and implement periodic reinforcement of infection control education. regular monitoring of infection control activities.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.547-556
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the infection control education experiences of dental hygienists and the state of their infection control. Methods : The subjects in this study were the dental hygienists who worked in Seoul. The relationship of their infection control education experiences to their gender, marital status, academic credential, workplace, length of service, infection control implementation, experience of being exposed to infection, way of coping with it, hand washing, use of personal protection devices and equipment management was analyzed. Results : It is found that the variable to affect the state of infection control was educational experiences about handpiece water pipe management, ultrasonic scaler water pipe management and three-way syringe water pipe management. Conclusions : Dental hygienists who are one of major dental personnels should receive systematic education on infection control to acquire accurate knowledge to ensure the successful prevention of cross infection.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.363-369
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the cognition and practice of infection control in the dental hygienists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 220 dental hygienists in Busan and Gyeongnam from August 1 to 31, 2014. The questionnaire was adapted from Nam. The questionnaire consisted of four questions of the general characteristics of the subjects, two questions of infection control factors, four questions of clinic environment, 50 questions of awareness of infection control, and 50 questions of infection control practice. Cronbach's alpha in the awareness of infection control was 0.958 and that in infection control practice was 0.950. Results: The dental hygienists in the large scale hospitals tended to have higher score of cognition and practice of infection control thatn those in the small scale hospitals(p<0.001). Small scale hospitals tended to have lower infection rate than the large scale hospitals. The education for the infection control guideline reduced the infection prevalence rate. Conclusions: In order to reduce the infection prevalence rate, it is necessary to educate the dental hygienists continuously and to provide the infection control guideline to the dental clinics.