• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.557-569
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• 2011

Objectives : Based on the system and control activity for the monitoring system made of components for infection control at dental hospitals and infection rate reporting, and the role of trained infection control staff, this study tried to understand approaches to the effective infection control program by surveying infection control at dental hospitals in Korea. Methods : The survey was conducted from December 14,2010 to January 31,2011 for 121 dental hospitals in Korea. For statistical analysis, PASW Statistic 18 was used. Results : And following conclusions were reached. 1. As for the infection control system at dental hospitals, 54.7% has an infection control committee, 58.7% infection control staff, 78.5% infection control rules, and 39.7% annual infection control plan and record. 2. As for surveillance indexes to report infection rates, 50.4% has the reporting system for staff's exposure to infectious disease and needle pricking. The average number of exposures to infectious disease was $0.28{\pm}2.23$ and that of needle pricking was $1.83{\pm}5.39$. 3. As for infection control indexes, it was reviewed whether infection control rules were implemented according to operation agents, general hospitals were more active in staff infection control, and hospitals annexed to a dental university or special legal entity were more active in microorganism control. As for use of personal protection gear, there was no significant difference among operation agents. More than 71% of operators and their assistants said they did not replace their masks between patients. 4. As for personnel indexes for effective infection control staff, most hospitals designated dental hygienists, which was followed by dental doctors (or doctors). Where their workload was reviewed, the ratio of other work such as treatment was relatively higher than that of infection control (n=71). Conclusions : These results show dental hospitals in Korea have a certain level of infection control system. As infection indexes are managed mainly for staff members, patient monitoring is needed, and trained and effective infection control staff should be designated. This study reviewed surveillance, infection control and personnel indexes. And further studies are needed in the future.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.677-688
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of dental hospital accreditation and the awareness and practice of infection control in dental hygienists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 238 dental hygienists working at dental hospitals in Gwangju Jeonnam and analyzed from October 24, 2016 to September 22, 2017. Data were analyzed with the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, version 21.0. Results: Compared to non-accredited dental hospitals, all three variables were high for accredited dental hospitals. In accredited dental hospitals, healthcare accreditation expectancy effects correlated to awareness (r=0.407) and practice (r=0.533) of infection control, and awareness of infection control correlated to its practice (r=0.725). In non-accredited dental hospitals, healthcare accreditation expectancy effects correlated to awareness of infection control (r=0.239), and awareness of infection control correlated to its practice (r=0.481). Accredited dental hospitals showed healthcare accreditation expectancy effects (${\beta}=0.258$) and awareness of infection control (${\beta}=0.556$), and non-accredited dental hospitals were influenced by the number of employees (${\beta}=0.567$) and awareness of infection control (${\beta}=0.376$). Conclusions: It is necessary to develop efficient and systematic infection control programs to improve the awareness and practice of infection control in dental hygienists and patient's safety in the clinical field.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.993-1003
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• 2011

Objectives : This study is designed to identify the need for an efficient infection control plan in the curriculum of Dept. of Dental Hygiene and encourage dental hygienists to be more attentive to infection control by analyzing their personal protective measures, hand-washing frequency and other factors relating to infection control. Methods : A survey was conducted of 471 dental hygienists in general hospitals, dental clinics and dental hospitals in City of Busan and Gyeongsangnam-do from December 20, 2009 to February 21, 2010. Results : 1. Among those who worked for more than 11 years, personal protection (3.79) and hand-washing frequency (3.90) factors were rated high (p<0.05). 2. When surveyed by workplace, personal protection was high in general hospitals (3.75) while hand-washing frequency was high in dental clinics (3.74). 3. Among those who received infection control education more than three times, personal protection (4.07) and hand-washing frequency (3.80) were high (p<0.05). 4. Personal protection-related factors were general hospital workers, necessity of infection control education and awareness on infectious disease (p<0.05), while factors associated with hand-washing frequency were number of patients per day, whether or not infection control-related class is given at school, necessity of infection control education and awareness on infectious disease (p<0.05). Conclusions : To enhance awareness of infection control, it may be necessary to addan infection control-related class to the school curriculum and provide the necessity of conducting continuous and systematic infection control education through newly entering staff training and education of dental practitioners.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.273-280
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• 2022

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the perception of dental infection-control coordinator (DICC) among dental hygienist and determine whether there is a difference in perception depending on the type of work. Methods: Dental hygienists working at the dentistry were conveniently extracted and distributed to 351 patients, and the data of 320 patients were finally analyzed. The chi-square test was conducted to determine the difference in perception of the DICC according to the type of work, and the one-way ANOVA was performed to determine the difference in the perception of DICC tasks. A p-value of <0.05 was statistically significant. Results: General hospitals and university hospitals (100%), dental hospitals (95.8%), and dental clinics (86.6%) showed the highest awareness of the need for DICC. The dental clinics had the lowest level of awareness regarding the duties of the DICC, and dental hospitals and clinics were in different areas with different levels of awareness regarding infection control-related administrative support areas (3.98-4.21 and 3.79-4.12 of 5). Conclusions: Because of a difference in perception regarding the work of DICC according to the type of work, dental organizations should establish the tasks of DICC and develop an education program for a person in charge based on this.

• 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.9 no.1
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• pp.129-136
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the infection control attitude of dental hygienists and the relationship between their attitude and general characteristics. The subjects in this study were 235 dental hygienists who received local in-service education on April 27, 2008. The survey was conducted by this researcher with questionnaires that included 11 items about general characteristics and 41 about attitude of dental infection. The findings of the study were as follows: 1. The dental hygienists investigated got a mean of 2.96 out of possible three points on hand washing, which was a high score. Those who had never been exposed to the blood of patients scored better than the others who hadn't. As for infection control attitude of protective personal devices, they got 2.01 out of possible three points. Those who were at the age of 26 to 30 and who had ever received infection control education got better scores. 2. Concerning attitude toward surface disinfectant, they got 1.95 out of possible three points. whose age was shorter, whose career was shorter, who were in charge of treatment, who served at general hospitals and who had ever received infection control education got better scores. In regard to attitude to surface disinfection methods, they got 1.83 out of possible three points. Those who had ever received infection control education got better scores. 3. As for equipment disinfection, they got 2.43 out of possible three points. Those who worked at dental hospitals and who had ever received infection control education got better scores. Concerning attitude to disposal of scrapped materials, they got 2.92 out of possible three points, and all the intergroup gaps weren't significant. 4. Overall, the dental hygienists got a mean of 2.08 out of possible three points on dental infection control, and those who worked at dental hospitals and who had ever received infection control education took a better attitude to dental infection control.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.363-373
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate nail hygiene behaviors and to identify the relationship between hand hygiene beliefs and nail hygiene behaviors among dental hygienists, dental's aide and dental coordinator in South Korea. Methods: The subjects were 291 dental workers including dental hygienists, dental assistant and dental coordinator working full-time at dental clinics, dental hospitals, general dental hospitals and dental university hospitals in Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi-do. The questionnaire consisted of a total 35 items, including 4 items on general characteristics, 25 items on hand hygiene, 2 items on "nail art" experience, and 4 items on nail hygiene behaviors. The collected data were analyzed using an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, chi-square test, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis, where ${\alpha}<0.05$ was considered statistically significant. Results: The scores of behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, control beliefs and nail hygiene behaviors were $5.15{\pm}0.58$, $5.26{\pm}0.81$, $3.69{\pm}0.96$ and $5.03{\pm}0.98$, respectively. Statistically significant relationships were detected in terms of participants' clinical experiences with respect to behavioral and normative beliefs (p<0.05 for all three belief categories). Participants working in general dental hospitals and dental university hospitals demonstrated the highest scores for behavioral, normative and control beliefs (p<0.05). Participants working in dental clinics reported the highest "nail art" experience rates in the last two years (45.5%) and at the time of the survey (15.7%; p<0.05). Nail hygiene behaviors were more likely to be observed in individuals with stronger behavioral and stronger normative beliefs (p<0.05). Conclusions: More specific infection control guidelines for "nail art" among dental workers should be established and promoted, so that both patients and dental workers can interact in a safe environment.

• 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 Digital Convergence
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.307-315
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• 2017

This study set out to investigate dental hygiene students' perceptions and performance of dental clinic infection management of clinical training, thus helping to minimize nosocomial infection and providing basic data for infection management and action guidelines in development of curriculums and educational programs. A survey was taken with dental hygiene students that had experiences with clinical training at a four-year university in Gyeongbuk. The findings show that many of the students had experiences with education about the prevention of infection. There were differences in their performance of infection prevention management among the sites of clinical training with university and general hospitals recording a high level of performance. These findings raise a need to make guidelines for infection management, distribute them to sites of clinical training, and manage them through the staff during clinical training. The schools need to run educational program for infection management in relation to clinical training and establish a systematic institution.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2015

This study studied samples taken off surfaces at three sites (Unit chairs, light handles, cuspidors) of 19 dental hospitals and 28 clinics located in Gyeonggi-do and Incheon, South Korea. The bacterial contamination levels of surfaces were $44.82{\times}10^3CFU/mL$ in cuspidors, higher than in unit chairs ($5.47{\times}10^3CFU/mL$) and light handles ($16.28{\times}10^3CFU/mL$). The values were statistically higher at dental hospitals than at dental clinics, the greater number of patients being associated with the higher bacterial cell count in the cuspidors. The results of identifying the strains isolated purely from surfaces at dental clinic showed Gram positive 47.3% and Gram negative 52.7%. Among Gram positive, the most numberous bacteria were Micrococcus luteus (10.9%), Bacillus pumilus (3.6%), and Staphylococcus aureus (3.6%). Among Gram negative, the most numberous bacteria were Acinetobacter ursingii (5.5%), Brevundimonas diminuta (4.5%), Chryseobacterium (Flavo.) indologenes (CDC IIb) (4.5%), and Methylobacterium sp. (4.5%). This study measures the level of bacterial contamination and identifies the strains isolated in dental clinics. It recognizes the importance of infection control, and the results of the study may be considered as the basis for establishing specific plans for prevention of infection.