• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.285-299
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• 2022

The aim of this study is to investigate the awareness and perception of pediatric dentists regarding dental health insurance (DHI) system in Korea. Online surveys were sent to the members of the Korean Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (KAPD), and the responses were collected. The survey, consisting of 41 questions, was subdivided into 'general background of the respondents', 'the awareness on national health insurance (NHI) and DHI', 'the awareness on DHI pertaining to pediatric dentistry', 'issues that need improvement on DHI pertaining to pediatric dentistry', 'DHI claims', and 'the roles of KAPD in DHI'. In total, 302 responded, with a response rate of 28.9%. Excluding 2 questionnaires with insufficient answers, a total of 300 survey results were analyzed. According to the analysis, pediatric dentists thought that the coverage of DHI was not as sufficient compared to that of NHI, but were expecting its scope to broaden in the future. The satisfaction rate was higher in pit and fissure sealant and composite resin filling than in caries-detecting quantitative light-induced fluorescence. Pediatric dentists considered permanent tooth composite resin filling (65.7%) needed an increase in insurance copayment, while topical fluoride application (74.7%) to require insurance coverage. DHI claims were generally handled by dental hygienists and/or nursing assistants. Approximately half of the respondents answered that they have had experiences on appealing for insurance denials. Lastly, pediatric dentists generally had a positive attitude towards providing information for the DHI. This study is expected to be used as a sound dataset for the DHI policy development concerning pediatric dentistry.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.27 no.6 s.65
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• pp.979-995
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• 1997

The purpose of this study was to identify the preventive and the progressive inhibitory effects of enamel demineralization with fluoride releasing light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants(FluoroBond), in vitro, under the polarizing light microscope and the scanning electon microscope. The polarizing light microscopic group was subdivided into seven groups(Group A-Group G). The scanning electron microscopic group was also subdivided into seven groups(Group A'-Goup G'). For polarizing light microscopic evaluation, longitudinal sections were made longitudinally by Maruto cutter(Maruto Co., Japan) and Maruto grinding machine(Maruto Co., Japan). Sections were examined and photographed by the polarizing light microscope(Olympus Optical Co., Japan) using crossed polars and with the enamel rod longitudinal axis oriented at $45^{\circ}$ to the extinction position. For scanning electron microscopic evaluation, the specimens were coated with a highly conducting layer of gold palladium in a model Hus-4 high-vacuum evaporator and examined in an ISI-100B scanning electron microcope operated at 20kV. The results of this study were as follows : 1. The mean depths of artificial carious lesions under a polarized light microscope were $Group\;A(5.08{\mu}m),\;Group\;B(47.82{\mu}m,\;Group\;C(8.42{\mu}m),\;Group\;D(7.20{\mu}m),\;Group\;E(85.41{\mu}m),\;Group\;F(60.38{\mu}m),\;Group\;G(60.13{\mu}m)$. 2. There were statistically significant differences in Group B compared with Group A, C, and D(p<0.05), and also, in Group I compared with Group F and Group G(p<0.05). 3. Light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants had the preventive effects of enamel demineralization. 4. Light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants had the progressive inhibitory effects of enamel demineralization. 5. The time progress of demineralizing agent had no influence on the samples of light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants under the scanning electron microscope. 6. There was no difference between the specimens of light-and self-cured orthodontic sealants both in the polarized light microscopic group and in the scanning electron microscopic group.