• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.452-459
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• 2018

Objectives: We aimed to examine whether dental waste was being managed adequately at different types of dental institutions in City D in South Korea. Methods: The staff responsible for disinfection at 101 dental offices and clinics (six dentistry departments of general hospitals, 12 dental hospitals, and 83 dental clinics) was interviewed. Results: Solid suction pump waste was handled appropriately at four of the general hospital dentistry departments (66.7%), six dental hospitals (50.0%), and 15 dental clinics (18.1%). Solid spittoon waste was handled appropriately at four general hospital dentistry departments (66.7%), seven dental hospitals (58.3%), and 14 dental clinics (16.9%). Developer and fixer were handled appropriately by a subcontractor at two general hospital dentistry departments (100.0%), five dental hospitals (100.0%), and 24 dental clinics (75.0%). Impression materials were handled appropriately at four general hospital dentistry departments (66.7%), six dental hospitals (50.0%), and 11 dental clinics (13.3%). The plastic covers of intra-oral radiography films were handled appropriately at five general hospital dentistry departments (100.0%), eight dental hospitals (72.7%), and 22 dental clinics (30.1%). Conclusion: South Korea must implement detailed and specialized guidelines for the disposal of solid and general medical waste from dental institutions. Moreover, waste disposal training should be provided annually, and not only once every three years.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.332-339
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to prevent health problems and environmental contamination resulting from inappropriate management of dental wastes and to provide reference data for revision and supplementation of dental clinic waste management guidelines. Methods: From 640 total of dental clinics registered in 16 cities and counties in Gyeongsangnam-do, 100 (60 in Changwon (Masan, Changwon), 29 in Gimhae, and 11 in Jinju) were included in this study. From July 2010 to September 2010, investigators visited the 100 dental clinics and conducted survey interviews using a structured survey questionnaire regarding disposal methods for liquid wastes (suction pump, spittoon container waste, used liquid disinfectants, and X-ray developer), and disposal methods for solid waste (suction pump, spittoon container waste, and general medical waste). Results: All the 100 dental clinics were found to treat liquid waste from suction pumps and spittoon containers in the same manner as general waste water. Nineteen percent of the clinics treated solid waste that was not filtered through the filter of a suction pump as general waste. Fifty or more percent of the clinics treated solid waste in spittoon containers as general waste. Seventy percent of the clinics used disinfectant solution, although most of them treated used disinfectants in the same manner as general waste water. Some clinics treated used X-ray developer and X-ray fixer in the same manner as general waste water. In most of the clinics, used drapes were washed within the clinic. Conclusions: It was found that waste water and dental wastes at some dental clinics were treated in inappropriately. Thus, in conclusion, the development of guidelines regarding proper management of liquid and solid dental waste at dental clinics is required, and hygiene and environmental training for workers at dental clinics is necessary.

• 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 dental hygiene science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.105-113
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• 2002

This study was aimed to investigate the practice on the infection control and dental waste disposal in dental clinic. The data used in this study had been collected in 100 dental clinics located in Seoul city from August to October, 2001. It was shown that examination instruments, oral surgery instruments, and periodontal instruments were almost sterilization in dental clinic. It was high in the recognition of individual protection but it was low in the degree of practice. Therefore, the practice in infection control is very important to dental team for safety of patients and operators.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2018

Objectives: This study set out to measure the heavy metal concentrations in waste water produced in the casting pickling process at dental technical laboratories and examine the actual state of its treatment. Methods:The investigator measured the concentrations of each heavy metal at 55 dental technical laboratories using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission system. Results: The annual usage of electrolytes was under 10 L in 50 (90.9%), and was 10L or more in five (9.1%) laboratories. Among the laboratories, 15 (27.3%) commissioned the treatment of waste,12 (21.8%) treated the waste with general sewage,and 28 (50.9%) treated the waste in aseptic tank. The arithmetic $mean{\pm}standard$ deviation and the geometric mean of chrome(Cr) were $75.3{\pm}50.9$ and 58.3 mg/L; those of cobalt (Co) were $112.3{\pm}106.7$ and 66.1 mg/L; those of nickel (Ni) were $62.9{\pm}83.5$ and 8.9 mg/L; those of molybdenum (Mo) were $17.1{\pm}13.4$ and 12.0 mg/L; those of iron (Fe) were $31.5{\pm}44.1$ and 6.2 mg/L; those of lead (Pb) were $0.3{\pm}0.3$ and 0.3 mg/L; those of beryllium (Be) were $3.6{\pm}3.6$ and 2.0 mg/L. The hydrogen ion concentration was under pH 2 across all the samples. Conclusions: The findings show that the dental technical laboratories were not doing well with the separation, storage, collection, and treatment of the electrolytes they discarded, and that most of the electrolytes were introduced through the general sewage or aseptic tank. The causes of this include alack of perception among the practitioners at dental technical laboratories and contracted companies avoiding collection for economic reasons. There is a need for education to improve the perceptions of waste water treatment among the practitioners at dental technical laboratories. Environment-related departments should be stricter with legal applications in the central and local governments. It is also required to provide proper management of commissioned treatment.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.370-378
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting infection control practice by dental hygienist students in Jeju during clinical training amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Online survey was conducted on 112 students and the results were statistically analyzed with frequency analysis, Student's T-test, one-way ANOVA, and regression analysis using SPSS 20.0. In the 'awareness and practice of infection control by year in college' section, 2nd year students scored significantly higher in 'cleaning and surface disinfection,' 'medical waste disposal,' and 'COVID-19 preventive measure' compared to 3rd year students. In the 'type of training institution' section, hospital setting scored significantly higher in 'cleaning and surface disinfection,' 'instrument disinfection and sterilization,' 'personal and patient protection,' and 'COVID-19 preventive measure' compared to dental clinic setting. In the 'location of institution' section, Seoul metropolitan region scored higher in 'medical waste disposal' compared to Jeju region. According to regression analysis, year in college (2nd year), type of training institution (hospital setting), location of training institution (Seoul metropolitan region), and difficulty using protective gear (no difficulty) were associated with better COVID-19 preventive measure This first study in Jeju provides an insight on the awareness and practice of infection control measures by dental hygienist students in Jeju during clinical training. Further investigation for improvement of clinical training manual is warranted.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.935-945
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• 2010

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge of dental hygienists on infection control in dental office and their attitude toward that in a bid to provide some information on ways of enhancing the level of infection control in dental office. Methods : The subjects in this study were 220 dental hygienists who worked in dental hospitals and clinics in Busan and South Gyeongsang Province. A survey was conducted from May 17 to June 17, 2010, and the answer sheets from 183 respondents were analyzed with a SPSS WIN 12.0 program. Statistical data on frequency, percentage and mean were obtained, and t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and one-way ANOVA were utilized. Results : They got a mean of $4.59{\pm}.68$ in six categories of infection control knowledge. They had the best knowledge on dental waste disposal, followed by hand washing, post-sterilization management, instrument disinfection and sterilization, surface management of dental equipment and wearing personal protective equipment. They got a mean of $3.99{\pm}.54$ in attitude, and they scored lowest in practice of surface management of dental equipment. Overall, they scored higher in every aspect of knowledge than in attitude(t=11.410, p=.0.000). There was the greatest gap between their knowledge and practice in surface management of dental equipment (t=13.885, p=0.000), and there was the smallest gap between their knowledge and practice in hand washing(t=5.460, p=0.000). And a positive correlation was found between knowledge and attitude, as better knowledge of infection control led to better attitude toward that(p<.001). Finally, concerning infection control knowledge and attitude by general characteristics, the presence or absence of infection control guidelines made differences to infection control knowledge, and infection control attitude was statistically significantly different according to infection control education experiences(t=6.501, p=.012) and the presence or absence of infection control guidelines(t=22.836, p=.000). Conclusions : In order to bolster infection control in dental office, the related system should be improved to legally require dental personnels to implement infection control. Every dental office must be furnished with infection control guidelines, and sustained education should be provided for dental hygienists to carry out infection control.

• Journal of the Korean Society of School Health
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.91-107
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• 1989

This study was designed to evaluate current level of school health practice in Chonbuk province and to analyze the relationship between school health practice and variables. All the subjects in this study were 140 schools themselves in Chonbuk province. Survey data was collected through the interviewed checklists from the widly accepted school health responsibilities of administration and practice and the direct observation by the interviewer. It was conducted from 1st of Nov. to 17 th of Dec, 1988. The major findings of this study are as follows: A. Level of school health practice was relatively low in score (Mean=64.5). $\cdot$ Healthful School Living -76.14 $\cdot$ School Health Service -71.29 $\cdot$ School Health Instruction -47.98 B. Strengths and Weakness field in School Health Practice. 1. Healthful School Living: Strengths: Waste disposal, Seating, Playground. Weakness: School site, Safety control. 2. School Health Service : Strenths : Health Appraisal, Follow up and Counseling. Weakness: Dental Health, Prevention and Control of Communicable Disease, Facilities and Equipment of Health Clinic. 3. School Health Instruction : Strength : None, Weakness : Program Organization, Curriculum Planning and Evaluation, Curriculum Content, Instructional Aids. C. Significance between degree of School Health Practice and Variables. 1. Healthful School Living : (1) Toilet : Area (p<0.001), No.of Class (p<0.001), School Nurse (p<0.05) (2) Water Supply : School Nurse (p<0.05) (3) Safety Control : School Nurse (p<0.05) 2. School Health Service : (1) Health Appraisal : School Nurse (p<0.05) (2) Follow up and Counseling : School Nurse (p<0.001) (3) Dental Health : Area (p<0.05), Level of School (p<0.05) (4) Prevention and Control of Communicable Disease : Level of School (p<0.001), School Nurse (p<0.05) (5) Emergency Care : Area (p<0.001), No. of Class (p<0.001), School Nurse(p<0.001) (6) Facilities and Equipment of Clinic : Level of School (p<0.001), No.of Class (p<0.001), School Nurse (p<0.001) 3. School Health Instruction: (1) Program Organization : No. of Class (p<0.05), School Nurse (p<0.001) (2) Curriculum Planning land Evaluation : School Nurse (p<0.001) (3) Instructional Aids : Level of School (p<0.001), School Nurse (p<0.05) Recommendation for the Improvement of School Health Practice are as follows : A. There should be further study to strengthen the school health practice, especially in the field of school health instruction. B. It is strictly required to employ and utilize school nurse at each school level not only for the school health service but also for the school health in struction. C. There should be much considerations about adequate size and easily accessible distance in school site.