A preliminary study of the scope of practice of dental hygienists and oral health providers in Asia.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to gather information to clarify the scope of oral health services in Asia, focusing particularly on the role of dental hygienists, anticipating that international exchange of data on oral health would benefit the establishment of such systems in other countries. Data on oral health providers were obtained from reliable sources, cited reports and professional websites, or from embassies of Asian countries located in Japan. The embassies were contacted by email, telephone, post, or interview. The survey was conducted from February 1, 2015, until June 18, 2019. Twenty-eight countries in Asia were selected according to their classification by the United Nations. Among them, 14 countries were found to recognize the professional status of dental hygienists. Nine of the 28 countries had no working dental hygienists, and their role was taken by other oral hygiene providers. It was unclear whether oral hygiene providers were operating in 5 of those countries. Many countries were found to lack formal oral health systems, and some had limited systems in rural areas. Dental hygienists work to prevent oral diseases in order to protect teeth and gums, as is the case in Japan. However, other oral health providers offer other dental services in other Asian countries, probably depending on individual national circumstances.