• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.130-137
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• 2013

Infection control is critical to good dental practice. To this end, it is essential that the practitioner not only understand the concepts involved in the development and applications of antimicrobial(physical and chemical) agents but also know how to use them properly in the dental operatory. Practical applications of infection control are more fully described in several of the suggested references.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.171-179
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• 2023

This study was conducted to evaluate the association between knowledge of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), perception of infection control and practice of infection control among dental hygienists. The questionnaires consisted of 9 demographic questions, 10 questions about COVID-19 knowledge, and 36 questions about perception and practice of infection control. The study analyzed 120 participants' data gathered from May 1 to May 31, 2021. For data analysis, T-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation were used. As a result, COVID-19 knowledge was 6.59 out of 10, the perception of infection control was 3.57 out of 4 and the practice of infection control was 3.55 out of 4. The COVID-19 knowledge(r=0.485) and perception of infection control(r=0.614) were significantly positively related to practice of infection control. To improve the practice of infection control in the dental field, education of infection control should be mandatory for dental hygienists. Also, the practice of infection control following "Dental Infection Control Standard Policy & Procedure" must be mandatory.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.511-519
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of infection control in dental office and the degree of infection control practice of dental hygienists. A self-reported questionnaire was answered by 193 dental hygienists working in dental hospitals or dental clinics in Gyeonggi and Incheon areas. The number of bacteria was measured sample of surface dental unit chair shoulder backrests and light handles from 19 dental hospitals and 28 dental clinics. It was responded that impression or occlusion bodies were routinely disinfected in 52.6% of the dental hospitals and dental prosthesis were routinely disinfected in 46.4% in dental clinics. The dental hospital and clinics disinfect the surface each 26.3%, 25% after the patient treatment. The dental hospital and clinic were detected bacteria $5.02^*10\^3CFU/mL$, $1^*10\^4CFU/mL$, from dental unit chair backrest, respectively and $8.32^*10\^3CFU/mL$, $4.26^*10\^4CFU/mL$ from light handles, respectively. At the conclusion of this investigation, it can be kept from infection source in dental office is to make the right selection and use of the personal protective equipments and to improve the practice level by regular and active education. The same infection control practice should be done by institutionalizing and mandating infection control practice.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.233-242
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• 2021

Background: The importance of infection with COVID-19 is being emphasized in dentistry with high risks such as aerosols. The purpose of this study is to investigate the knowledge and practice of infection control, stress and coping, and turnover of dental hygienists. Methods: Questionnaire was conducted knowledge and practice of infection control, occupational stress and coping, turnover. Survey data was investigated about 149 dental hygienists from February to March 2021 Data were analyzed t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation using statistical programs of PASW Statistics ver. 21.0. Results: Regarding occupational stress, relationship conflict was higher in the group with less than 2 years of experience (p<0.05). Job anxiety, organizational system, inadequate compensation, and workplace culture were highly surveyed in the 3 to 5 year of experience. The group with more than 6 years of experience had the highest perception of lack of job autonomy (p<0.05). The group with higher knowledge of infection control had lower mean inappropriate rewards and stress (p<0.05). The group with high infection control performance had a lower average in items such as job instability, organizational system, inadequate compensation, workplace culture, and stress. And problem-focused coping ability was found to be high (p<0.05). Infection control knowledge and performance were positively correlated (r=0.251, p<0.01), infection control practice and stress were negatively correlated (r=-0.264, p<0.01), and stress and emotional coping were positively correlated (r=0.367, p<0.01). Stress was positively correlated with turnover rate (r=0.549, p<0.01). Conclusion: Infection control training was required to reduce occupational stress. Occupational stress was highly correlated with turnover, a holistic and systemic organizational operation and improvement of the quality of medical care were required to reduce stress.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.67-83
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• 2016

Ebola virus disease is a lethal viral hemorrhagic fever that has been boiling in sub-Saharan Africa since 1970s. Last year, The Ebola virus epidemic that has spread not only mainly in West Africa, but also in locals such as USA, Europe and the Antipodes via infected travelers, was brought up. Human-to-human transmission of Ebola virus disease is known only through direct contact with the blood, secretions, tissues or other bodily fluids, including saliva. Although there has not been reported infection cases in the dental healthcare settings, the fact that the infection of the Ebola virus may be made from human secretions such as saliva suggests that there is a high risk of infection for the Ebola virus of dental healthcare workers. Therefore, it is important dental healthcare workers to identify infection-suspected patients through the oral findings for infection prevention. This article will review the oral signs and symptoms of Ebola virus disease and discuss the pathogenesis, treatment and prevention. Furthermore, Infection control guidelines for oral healthcare workers are also proposed.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to survey the awareness of methicillin -resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA) among dental hygiene students in Yeungnam South Korea. Also the knowledge of infection control and infection diseases was surveyed. Methods : The subjects in this study were 213 dental hygiene students in three different colleges in Yeungnam. This study was conducted by using the self-reported questionnaire. Results : In the first, most of the students(86.9%) did not know about MRSA and 85.7% of them got the information in the college. Secondly, the awareness of infectious disease according to infection control education didn't have statistically significant difference(p>0.05). In the third, the infection control attitude level that the gowns should be changed after the treatment of infectious patients was scored lower than the others questions. on the other hand, the level of 'The use of high vacuum suction', 'The change of wet mask', 'The history taking of infectious disease' was scored higher. Finally, the attitude level according to grade and clinical training had statistically significant difference(p<0.05). But the infection control education had not affected significantly(p>0.05). Conclusions : Despite the infection control education and clinical training, the awareness was found insufficient in infectious diseases and MRSA. Therefore, it should be strengthen that the dental hygiene students were more educated about infection control at college course before clinical training, and especially the danger of MRSA was more.

• Journal of Korean Dental Hygiene Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 2023

Background: The purpose of the study was to investigate the level of infection control and prevention awareness among dental practitioners in Korea based on the infection control and prevention guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. Methods: A survey was created on 'Standard and Education on CDC Infection Control Standards', 'Matters related to CDC Infection Control Prevention', and 'Characteristics of Research Subjects and Infection Control Characteristics' based on the CDC Dental Infection Control List.' A total of 222 surveys were conducted and used for frequency and cross-tabulation analyses. Results: Most research participants worked at university or general hospitals, and 93.7% had received infection prevention education within the past year. The average awareness of the CDC dental infection control standards and education was 77.2 %, which was higher than previous research results. Preventive awareness was 71.5% on average, and there was a statistically significant difference in preventive awareness between the certified and non-certified evaluation groups (p<0.001). Conclusion: The participants of this study showed a higher awareness of infection control standards, education, and prevention than those in previous studies. However, this was insufficient compared with the CDC dental infection control standard prevention guidelines. Therefore, government agencies and related organizations must establish systematic infection control systems.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.141-149
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• 2019

Objectives: To investigate the real-world re-use of disposable dental supplies (DDS) in dental offices and assess the relationship between general characteristics of dental hygienists and reuse of DDS, with respect to infection control characteristics. Methods: A questionnaire was administered to 277 dental hygienists to assess their general characteristics, awareness of infection control/DDS management, and re-use of DDS. Nine DDS were categorized into the following categories based on their purpose: Critical, Semicritical, Noncritical, and Personal protective equipment (PPE). The association between general characteristics of dental hygienists and re-use of DDS, with respect to infection control characteristics, was assessed using the chi-squared test. Results: All 9 DDS were re-used to different extents. The highest reuse rate of supplies were for masks (64.6%), prophylaxis cups (61.0%) and plastic saliva ejectors (30.0%). Overall, 89.5% of the participants re-used DDS; subgroup analysis showed the following proportions of specific DDS re-use: PPE 66.4%; Semicritical DDS 63.9%; Noncritical DDS 19.5%; and Critical DDS 1.8%. Based on the type of clinic, the rate of re-use was higher in dental clinics than dental hospitals. Thus, the re-use of DDS may be caused by inappropriate or nonexistent guidelines or habitual practice, rather than the awareness or attitude of dental hygienists. Conclusions: In order to ensure a safe environment within the dental clinic, DDS classifications must be clearly outlined in the dental infection control guidelines; moreover, additional studies are needed regarding the regulations for DDS re-use and disposal.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.183-193
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• 2013

The characteristics of dental treatment makes the dental staff frequently contact with patient directly. Also the daily use of high-handpieces, sharp instruments, and needles often causes bleeding on oral cavity. Therefore, the risk of cross transmission grows up. The pathogen from dental practice could spread on not only the practice itself but also the dental laboratory with contaminated impressions and prosthesis. Dental clinic staffs (dentists, dental hygienists and dental technicians) should recognize all the patients have a possibility of cross contamination, and try to prevent the transmission of infection by proper infection control. In this study, we review the articles about disinfection methods and chemical infection agents used for dental impressions, and try to figure out the suitable and effective infection control system of dental impressions.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.213-230
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine the state of infection control provided to members of Korean Dental Hygienists Association. The subjects in this study were dental hygienists who attended a symposium on July 1. 2006. after a survey was conducted, the answer sheets from 489 participants were analyzed, and the findings of the study were as follows: 1. Possession of disinfection room was being(72.7%), and person of infection control was zero(52.9%). Number of sterilizer was one(62.2%). 2. As a repetition choice, type of sterilizer was autoclave(97.9%), UV sterilizer(67.4%) and EO gas sterilizer(21.4%). As a repetition choice, infection materials was ethanol(84.1%). 3. Water tube of unit and chair was using of sterilized water(42.9%). Sterilizing of compressed air was no(69.0%). 4. Re-using of disposal was not using(62.5%), re-using disposal was suction tip(28.2%)(repetition choice) 5. In sterilization of instruments, hand-piece was every using time(28.4%), and reamer-file, bur, mirror, pincette, explorer, hand scaler and ultrasonic scaler were high in every using time. 6. Individual protection was high of using, cleaning of hands before treatment was every treatment(87.0%). Type of soap was liquid type in dental clinic(48.2%), infection soap in dental hospital(41.2%) and solid soap in public health center(50.6%). Answered that they need regular oral health education, and 82.9% respondents answered that they need oral health technicians in school. And 87.8% respondents needed individual oral health education for the benefit of better oral health.