• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.1-12
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to identify the current status of use and respective work scopes of dental hygienists and nursing assistants as perceived by dentists, thereby obtaining a model for how to efficiently use oral health assistance personnel. This study was based on a self-reported survey administered to a total of 126 dentists. The following findings were observed. Where competition among neighborhood clinics was relatively high, nursing assistants tended to be used as a resource to assist dental hygienists, whereas where it was relatively low, they were more likely to be considered to work as full substitutes for regular dental hygienists. Looking at the scopes of practice, dental hygienists were allowed to deal with matters of preventive care, oral health education, and health insurance claims. On the other hand, nursing assistants were allowed to be in charge of taking X-ray pictures from the outside and inside of mouth and keeping medical devices clean and safe. This study is expected to contribute to establishing more reasonable oral heath personnel structure design decisions.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.685-693
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• 2021

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify dentists' perception of work performance and scope of work of dental hygienists. Methods: A phenomenological research method was applied for the proper role performance on March 1st, 2021 and June 10th to investigation eight dentists running their own dental clinics located in Gwangju and Daejeon metropolitan city. Results: The legal scope of dental hygienists has not been properly recognized. Conflicts have been experienced due to problems between dental hygienists and staff and their differences in knowledge or proficiency in their work. The performance of dental hygienists has been evaluated based on the size of the dental clinic's profit. Reviews and improvements in dental hygienists' scope of work and new business regulations are required. Conclusions: Consequently, it is recommended that the dental business industry carry out directional discussions and negotiations to review dental hygienists' scope of practice and bring improvements so that their work can be, in the end, be stably performed within the legal system.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.235-243
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• 2023

Objectives: This study compared the number of graduates in each region for the past 6 years and the number of dental hygienists working in dental clinics by region to evaluate the trend of dental hygienists moving to work areas after graduation. Methods: Health care big data open system_medical manpower statistics, resident population and household status data by year, and education statistics service were used to calculate the number of dentists and dental hygienists, admission status by region, number of dental hygienists per 100,000 population, number of dental hygienists per number of dentists, and distribution of dental hygienists by region. Results: Although the number of active dental hygienists increased in the metropolitan area, the ratio of dental hygienists to dentists did not improve significantly. In addition, the number of students enrolled in provincial universities decreased, and there were fewer active dental hygienists than graduates in provincial areas. Conclusions: Although the number of active dental hygienists increased due to increase in the number of dental hygiene departments, it was found that rural areas did not have a significant impact on the availability of dental hygienists as the graduates moved to the metropolitan area.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.267-272
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• 2012

Dental professionals are exposed to various occupational risks, among which the problem of hearing damage has been newly revealed. There have been some researches reporting that noise occurring in a dental office exceeds the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) Standards. Especially, the pediatric dentists are repeatedly exposed to an additional noise source called the crying sound of children in addition to all kinds of noises from dental instruments. Accordingly, this study intended to investigate the noise environment likely to affect pediatric dentists and to examine the possibility of resultant hearing damages. The level of noise was measured respectively, when various dental instruments (ultrasonic scaler, high-speed handpiece, low-speed handpiece) are operated, when children are crying, and when both occasions take place simultaneously (from the distance of 30 cm) with a portable noise meter. And the daily duration of pediatric dentists exposed to the noise environment was surveyed. The results were compared with the standard value of noise threshold of NIOSH, OSHA, and that of hearing damage of CRA News letter respectively. Considering the intensity and exposure time, the noise environment of pediatric dentists exceeds the allowable noise threshold values. Even only one exposure to crying child was likely to lead to permanent hearing damage. Comparatively, pediatric dentists have a higher risk for occupational hearing damages, and some active measures are thought highly desirable to minimize it.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.257-274
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• 2001

To properly prepare teeth, dentists require a direct view of the working area and are often placed in a difficult position, moreover, a high proportion of dentists suffer from headache and back pain. Dentists who make use of the dental mirror and position their patients carefully to gain a proper view report less headache, pain and discomfort in the shoulders. It is recommended that dentists learn the "Home Position(H.P.)" which among the various "Random Position(R.P.)" methods, enables dentists to approach their patients in a stable posture. The purpose of this study was to compare tooth preparation in the H.P. and the R.P., and evaluate the clinical efficacy of the H.P.. Tooth preparation for a full cast crown was performed on the maxillary left 1st molar using the H.P. and the R.P., and the shapes of the prepared tooth surfaces at the two different operating positions were compared. The amount of occlusal reduction, marginal width, height, and axial taper were measured and analyzed. A T-test was performed separately to compare the results of the H.P. and the R.P. with respect to the accuracy of the corresponding tooth reduction. The results were as follows. ; 1. The amount of occlusal reduction was excessive on the mesiobuccal cusp(P<0.05), and deficient on the lingual cusp in the H.P.(P<0.01). In the R.P., this was excessive on the buccal cusp and deficient on the fossa and distolingual cusp(P<0.01). 2. The amounts of marginal width were excessive in all areas except on the lingual and mesial surfaces in the H.P. and lingual surface in the R.P.(P<0.01). 3. The marginal heights were achieved more accurately in the R.P. than the H.P.(P<0.01). 4. Axial surface taper was excessive in all areas in the H.P.(P<0.01). But the axial taper of measured areas was even, and tooth is more like to retain its original axis after reduction. In the R.P., axial surface taper was excessive on the mesial and buccal area, and deficient on the distolingual area(P<0.01), and therefore, the axis of the prepared teeth was tipped in the distolingual direction. 5. The times needed for preparation were 12 minutes and 49 seconds in the H.P., and 11 minutes and 35 seconds in the R.P., and the R.P. was statistically faster(P<0.01). The tooth preparation in the H.P. achieved its goal, in that it enabled the operator to make even tooth reduction. In conclusion, the H.P. system offers an improved method that can be used in clinic after specific training.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.47-64
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• 2023

In this study, the recognition of child abuse and neglect (CAN) and reporting attitudes of general dentists and pediatric dentists in Korea were estimated. A survey was conducted among dentists working at clinics or university hospitals, including interns and residents at dental hospital training institutions. The questionnaire, consisting of 32 questions and detailed questions, subdivided into 'general characteristics of respondents', 'CAN', 'CAN report', 'laws to CAN', 'countermeasures against CAN'. The survey was conducted using a messenger, and 176 respondents' answers were analyzed. The recognition of CAN showed high scores in the order of physical abuse, neglect, and emotional abuse. The positive attitude toward reporting CAN had a higher score than the negative attitude. Of the total respondents, 19 said they reported child abuse, and 18 said they were suspected of child abuse but hesitated to report it. Among the laws related to CAN, the protection measures for CAN reporters and the protocol for CAN showed low awareness. Since then, they have wanted to know how to find abused children and how to deal with them in education. This study is expected to be used as data to improve dentists' awareness and consciousness of CAN in the future.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.215-230
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• 2005

The study was intended to investigate how dentists in private dental clinic thought on the present claim and review of dental insurance to reflect it in future establishing dental insurance policies. 1,465 dentists who were running own dental clinic in Pusan Metropolitan City and the south part of Kyungsang province were surveyed in February, 2004. A total of 406 copies of finished questionnaire were finally retrieved and analyzed. The findings are as follows. 1. About insurance claim affairs : Most of the subject of insurance claim was by dentist himself or dental hygienist(nurse). Agency claiming was carried under 20% of total insurance claim. 2. The degree of attendance on insurance lecture : The degree of attendance on insurance lecture was relatively low. 3. Filing a protest against insurance claim : Filing a protest against insurance claim was reavealed about half-and-half for "have been" or "have not been". 4. Private clinic dentist,s opinion about the regulations affecting review of dental insurance : Private clinic dentists opinion about current guide for insurance review of dental fee was“the guidance is difficult and unfair cutback of claim fee may be carried”. 5. The affairs about health insurance review agency : About 70% of private clinic dentists have dissatisfaction on health insurance review agency. 6. Standpoint of private clinic dentists about issuance of receipt for dental fee : About 70% of private clinic dentist have an difficulty in issuance of receipt for dental fee. 7. The affairs about change insurance noncoverage treatment to insurance coverage treatment : Most of private clinic dentists hoped that insurance coverage about full mouth scaling, pit and fissure sealant, fluoride application. But they do not hoped that insurance coverage about geriatric denture, prothodontic treatment except precious metal, photopolymerization resin treatment.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.227-233
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors affecting dentists' attitudes and dental hygienists' services on dental anxiety in adults. The subjects were 300 adults older than 20 years of age living in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Daejeon, and Daegu. Data were collected using structured questionnaires. Among the distributed questionnaires, 225 respondents were selected as subjects, excluding 74 people who did not answer and 1 person who was not faithful. Data were analyzed using statistical software with a t-test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple regression. As a result, the gender was slightly higher in women (54.7%) than in men, and the last dental visit was less than one year in 59.6% of respondents. Most of the respondents' educational level was higher than college level (79.1%), and the monthly income was less than 2 million won in 53.8 of respondents. This study showed that distrust of dentists affected dental anxiety and anxiety stimulation. Higher reliability of the dentist was correlated with less dental anxiety in patients. Dental anxiety showed statistically significant results in dentist subcategories of patient slight and dentists' trust (p<0.01). Additionally, the factors affecting dental anxiety and anxiety stimulus were knowledge of dental hygienist and distrust of dentist (p<0.01). According to this study, dentists' and dental hygienists' trust of dental staff show the importance of oral health professionals' role in reducing dental anxiety in patients. It is also suggested that efforts should be made to improve public awareness of oral health experts. It is believed that dentists, and dental hygienists need to promoted to become professionals. In addition, a variety of programs have been developed to reduce dental anxiety, so patients need to be comfortable to receive dental treatment.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.42 no.2 s.417
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• pp.108-137
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• 2004

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Esthetic Dentistry
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.90-101
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• 2001