Korean Dental Hygienists Research Articles

Pre-Treatment Infection Control Practices and Associated Factors among Korean Dental Hygienists in Response to COVID-19

Pre-Treatment Infection Control Practices and Associated Factors among Korean Dental Hygienists in Response to COVID-19

A Literature Review on the Korean Dental Hygienist Licensing Examination and Core Competencies

Objective: This study aimed to suggest methods to improve the korean dental hygienist licensing examination to review related literatures. Methods: This study is a literature review on the national dental hygienist examination and confirmed the dental hygienist national examination and core competencies, focusing on a total of 14 manuscripts and reports. Results: The research task of the national examination institute was conducted in the direction of evaluating the dental hygienist's job or core competency to perform in actual clinical practice. The dental hygienist’s core competencies include oral health education, treatment and clinical areas, occupational ethics, and hospital management support. Conclusions: The national examination continuously analyzed the duties and core competencies of dental hygienists to improve the national examination. In recent studies, the field was specialized according to the professional dental hygienist system.

Factors affecting the infection control behaviours of Korean dental hygienists in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

This study aimed to identify the factors affecting the prevention of cross-infection with coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) among Korean dental hygienists. The level of knowledge about COVID-19 (KNWCO ), level of awareness of infection control (AWRIC ), degree of performance for infection control (PRFIC ), and organizational factors for infection control (OFWIC ) of clinical dental hygienists in Korea to prevent COVID-19 transmission were investigated. A self-written online questionnaire was administered to dental hygienists currently working in dental clinics or hospitals, and the survey results of 263 participants were analysed. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated for relationships between the KNWCO , AWRIC , PRFIC , and OFWIC . Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the factors affecting the PRFIC . Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Knowledge about COVID-19, AWRIC , PRFIC , and OFWIC were significantly correlated with each other. OFWIC (β=0.491, p < 0.001), followed by AWRIC (β=0.428, p < 0.001) and KNWCO (β=0.095, p=0.013), had the greatest impact on PRFIC with regard to the prevention of COVID-19 transmission. Organizational factors for infection control and AWRIC should be strengthened to improve PRFIC and prevent COVID-19 transmission during dental care.

Correlation between Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics (SAVE) and Burnout among Korean Dental Hygienists during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

This study aimed to investigate the correlations among Stress and Anxiety to Viral Epidemics (SAVE), job stress (JS), and burnout among Korean dental hygienists during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify the moderating effect of JS. As a cross-sectional study, a self-reporting questionnaire was used to survey 204 clinical dental hygienists to measure the levels of SAVE, JS, and burnout, along with their demographic characteristics as the control variables. Pearson correlation analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were performed to analyse the correlations among burnout, SAVE, and JS, including the moderating effect of JS. With education level and subjective health controlled, JS (β = 1.05, p < 0.001), SAVE (β = 0.69, p = 0.020) and the interaction between SAVE and JS (β = −0.93, p = 0.050) were identified as significant influencing factors of burnout. The adjusted explanatory power of the model was found to be 52.4%. In summary, both SAVE and JS were significant influencing factors of burnout among dental hygienists, while a moderating effect of JS was also identified. Therefore, it is necessary to create a work environment that can relieve SAVE and JS to reduce burnout among dental hygienists.

Effect of Korean Dental Hygienists' Experiences Related to the Elderly on Their Perception of Human Rights Violations of the Elderly: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Korean society has become an elderly society at an unprecedented rate, and the associated social and economic problems are very serious. Maintaining a healthy oral condition is important for older people’s well-being and quality of life, and is essential for healthy ageing. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dental hygienists’ experiences related to the elderly on their perception of human rights violations toward the elderly. Methods: This study was conducted through an IRB review at Silla University in Korea (No. 1041449-202012-HR-001). For about a month after 1 February 2021, the survey questionnaire was distributed to dental hygienists living in South Korea, and 153 people who completed and sent back the questionnaires were selected as the final subjects. The items on the questionnaire consisted of perception of human rights violations for the elderly and experiences related to the elderly. A polyserial correlation analysis was performed to confirm the relevance of each factor, and a multiple regression analysis was performed to identify the factors of elderly-related experiences that affect the perception of human rights violations against the elderly. Results: All three experiences related to the elderly (the experience of receiving education related to the elderly, the experience of volunteer work related to the elderly, and the experience of being interested in issues related to the elderly) were highly related to the perception of violations of financial human rights of the elderly (p < 0.01). In addition, the experience of education related to the elderly showed a high perception of psychological violations of the human rights of the elderly (R = 0.405, p < 0.01), and the experience of volunteer activities related to the elderly showed a high perception of neglectful violations of human rights of the elderly (R = 0.277, p < 0.01). Conclusions: In this study, it was confirmed that there is a relationship between dental hygienists’ experiences related to the elderly and their perception of human rights violations in the elderly. Therefore, dental hygienists should do their best to manage the elderly’s oral health by raising awareness of the human rights violations against the elderly through the elderly professional course based on their experience with the elderly.

Factors Influencing Protective Behaviors for Dental Radiation Exposure among Female Korean Dental Hygienists Using Health Belief Model.

This study aimed to identify the associated factors for protective behaviors for dental radiation exposure (PBDRE) among dental hygienists using the health belief model (HBM). The HBM, which is composed of perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and cues to action, explains preventive behavior. In this study, self-efficacy and modifying factors were additionally applied to the HBM. The subjects of the study were 204 dental hygienists who were working at hospitals or clinics in Korea. An online survey was conducted to measure PBDRE-related factors based on the HBM and self-efficacy. The collected data were analyzed using frequency analysis, t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. Regarding modifying factors, performance was found to be high when protection facilities were sufficient (β = 0.24, p < 0.001) and low when radiation education was not received (β = −0.16, p < 0.05). Among the HBM factors, cues to action for PBDRE (β = 0.28, p < 0.001) was the most influential factor in the performance of PBDRE, and the effect of its perceived benefits on radiation exposure was also high (β = 0.17, p < 0.001). Regarding the performance of PBDRE according to the HBM, providing education programs on protection can stimulate appropriate cues to action to perform PBDRE. In addition, if the benefits of PBDRE are highlighted, the performance of PBDRE by dental hygienists is increased.

Relation between Dental Hygienists’ Participation in Continuing Education and License Registration Awareness

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the relevant factors between the completion of continuing education that is required for license registration and license registration awareness.Methods: The data were conducted an online questionnaire survey on 330 dental hygienists working in dental clinic in Daegu. Data were analyzed using frequency, logistic regression, multiple regression with the SPSS 25.0 program.Results: It was revealed that 83.4% of the subjects of this study completed continuing education. The variables that were statistically significant in multivariate analysis with license registration awareness as a dependent variable were marital status, education level, number of dental hygienists, main duty, annual, monthly leave, route of information, and experience of getting official documents. Finally, when continuing education was completed, license registration awareness was found to have a positive correlation compared to those who did not complete continuing education (p&lt; 0.001).Conclusions: The role and responsibility of the Korean Dental Hygienists Association is more important for practical alternatives and improvements leading to license registration by increasing the completion of continuing education and license registration awareness.

Comparison of Korea, Australia and New Zealand dental hygiene curriculum operation

Objectives: After comparing the operations of the dental hygiene curriculum in Australia, New Zealand, and Korea, this study attempted to find areas for improvement as well as possible complementary aspects in Korea’s curriculum. Methods: To compare the dental hygiene curriculums in Australia, New Zealand, and Korea, four universities in Australia, two universities in New Zealand, and 10 universities in Korea were selected. Results: The curriculums in Australia and New Zealand were operated as integrated education by level, with various subjects that are related to clinical practice. By contrast, in Korea, specific subjects were taught every semester. Conclusions: Through this study, it was confirmed that there is a need to revise the contents of the curriculum to demonstrate the competencies of Korean dental hygienists. It is necessary to conduct an in-depth examination of the direction of dental hygiene education in Korea and discuss the scope of work and competencies.

Korean Dental Hygienists’ Job Description Based on Systematic Review

Background: Korean dental hygienists perform various tasks under the supervision of dentists in addition to the tasks listed in the law. Many meaningful studies have been conducted to determine the actual tasks of dental hygienists, but these studies did not show common results due to the differences in research methods or designs. Hence, this study aimed to review the reported data on the tasks of dental hygienists in Korea and to clarify them based on a systematic literature review. Methods: For the literature search, the COre, Standard, and Ideal model presented by the National Library of Medicine was referenced. Seven databases were searched for literatures published in Korea, including PubMed, and Google Scholar. Of the 352 studies found using key words, titles, and abstracts, 46 were finally extracted based on the first and second exclusion criteria. After confirming the tasks of Korean dental hygienists in 46 literatures, 136 tasks were listed and calculated as appearance rate in the literature. Results: The most common tasks in 46 studies were fluoride application (67.2%), radiography (65.4%), scaling (65.4%), sealant (60.7%), patient management and counseling (56.7%), tooth-brushing education (52.2%), impression taking with alginate (50.1%), and making temporary crowns (47.9%). The most mentioned tasks of dental hygienists in public health centers were fluoride application (100%), sealant (100%), oral health education (71.4%), public oral health program evaluation (71.4%), school fluoride mouth-rinsing program (71.4%), water fluoridation (57.1%), tooth-brushing education (57.1%), school oral health programs (57.1%), and public elderly oral health programs (57.1%). Conclusion: This study showed that Korean dental hygienists had 136 tasks by reviewing 46 related studies and that the main job of Korean dental hygienists was oral disease prevention including scaling, sealant, and fluoride application.

Level of professional ethics awareness and medical ethics competency of dental hygienists and dental hygiene students: the need to add ethics items to the Korean Dental Hygienist Licensing Examination

PurposeThis study aimed to evaluate the level of professional ethics awareness and medical ethics competency in order to assess the potential need for ethics items to be included on the Korean Dental Hygienist Licensing Examination.MethodsIn total, 358 clinical dental hygienists and dental hygiene students completed a structured questionnaire to evaluate their level of ethical awareness and medical ethics competency. The sub-factors of medical ethics were classified into relationships with patients, medical and social relations, and individual specialized fields.ResultsOnly 32.1% of participants indicated that they had taken a course on professional ethics in the university curriculum, but 95.2% of respondents considered professional ethics to be important. The overall score for medical ethics competency was average (3.37 out of 5). The score for relationships with patients was 3.75 points, followed by medical and social relations (3.19 points) and individual specialized fields (3.16 points). The level of professional ethics awareness was higher among participants who had taken a course on professional ethics than among those who had not done so or who did not remember whether they had done so.ConclusionDental hygienists were aware of the importance of professional ethics, but their medical ethics competency was moderate. Therefore, medical ethics should be treated as a required subject in the university curriculum, and medical ethics competency evaluations should be strengthened by adding ethics items to the Korean Dental Hygienist Licensing Examination.

The association between Antonovsky's sense of coherence and job stress among dental hygienists in Korea.

High stress levels experienced by medical professionals are a well-established phenomenon in current literature. However, there are few studies focusing on stress experienced in the field of oral health or on the sense of coherence (SOC) that helps to actively respond to job stress. The purpose of this study was to analyse if there is an association between SOC and job stress among dental hygienists in Korea. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 441 dental hygienists in the Seoul Gyeonggi province, Korea. The independent variable was SOC which had three dimensions: comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness. The dependent variable was job stress, which was evaluated using the Korean Occupational Stress Scale Short Form. Confounding factors were age, marital status, educational background, type of hospital, and work experience. The chi-square test and t test measures were used for bivariate analysis. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to confirm the association between SOC and job stress. The collected data were statistically analysed using SPSS version 22.0. The SOC score showed a significant difference in relation to the job stress score. The SOC score was high when the job stress was low (P<.001). Overall SOC scores showed an inverse correlation with job stress. This study reports that a higher SOC is associated with lower job stress in Korean dental hygienists. Since a higher SOC in dental hygienists indicated that they could cope with job stress more positively, it is important to increase their SOC.

A Study on the Recognition and Satisfaction of Continuing Education of Some Dental Hygienists in Gyeongnam Province

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to analyze the recognition of and satisfaction with continuing education in dental hygienists to improve the quality of the education program. Methods: A survey was conducted on 384 participants in continuing education during the first half of the 2018 Korean Dental Hygienist Association Gyeongsangnam-do Conference. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 12.0. The characteristics of the service agency by working institutions and the main work by experience were analyzed with the chi-square test. Satisfaction with continuing education according to general characteristics was post-tested using Duncan s multiple comparison after a t-test and ANOVA. The significance level was 0.05. Results: In terms of continuing education, clinical work (latest technology) showed the highest distribution in terms of desired education. The highest scoring reason for attending continuing education was legal certification. The highest scoring reason for not attending was economic burden. On-line education was preferred over off-line education. A significant difference was observed in overall education, educational environment, contents, and methods among dental hygienists with degrees higher than a master s degree, and the work experience satisfaction level was higher in subjects with more than 16 years of education (p<0.01, p<0.001). Conclusions: In order to raise the recognition of the value of continuing education for dental hygienists and to improve the working environment, a plan for future development and operation of a continuing education program should be prepared.

Opinions of Korean dental hygienists on the advanced dental hygienist system in Korea

Opinions of Korean dental hygienists on the advanced dental hygienist system in Korea

The effect of indirect vision skills on head and shoulder posture amongst Korean dental hygienists.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of indirect vision skills on head and shoulder posture in dental hygienists. This cross-sectional study included a total of 100 female clinical dental hygienists. It evaluated musculoskeletal symptoms of the neck, shoulders and back, head and shoulder posture (craniovertebral angle [CVA] and sagittal shoulder posture angle [SSPA]). Indirect vision skills were assessed using the O'Connor tweezer test under indirect vision with a mirror. To analyse factors associated with the CVA and SSPA, an independent t test, one-way ANOVA, and multiple linear regression analysis were conducted, respectively. The body region in which the greatest number of symptoms of work-related musculoskeletal disorders was recognised was the neck (89.0%). In the multiple linear regression model, which adjusted for other factors associated with musculoskeletal disorders, dental hygienists with poor indirect vision skills showed relatively small SSPA value (P<.05). However, indirect vision skills were not associated with the CVA value. Good indirect vision skills contribute to the prevention of rounded shoulders in dental hygienists. Therefore, where possible, dental hygienists should perform clinical procedures using indirect vision with a dental mirror to maintain a balanced posture and reduce flexion of the back or the neck. A dental hygiene curriculum should include training to improve clinical skills, as well as education regarding dental ergonomics and a monitoring system to determine whether ergonomic principles are well observed.

Effects of emotional labor, organizational climate, and job involvement on turnover intention in Korean dental hygienists

Effects of emotional labor, organizational climate, and job involvement on turnover intention in Korean dental hygienists

Moderating Effects of Wage Satisfaction and Social organizational Support on the Relationship between Emotional Dissonance and Turnover Intention among Korean Dental Hygienists

Moderating Effects of Wage Satisfaction and Social organizational Support on the Relationship between Emotional Dissonance and Turnover Intention among Korean Dental Hygienists

Current issues and areas for improvement in the Korean Dental Hygienist National Licensing Examination: an expert Delphi survey among dental hygienists.

PurposeThis study aimed to investigate current issues and areas for improvement in the Korean Dental Hygienist National Licensing Examination (KDHNLE) through an expert Delphi survey.MethodsA Delphi survey was conducted from May through August 2016 in Korea. This Delphi survey included 20 persons representing the field of dental hygiene (7 groups from various dental hygiene-related organizations). The Delphi survey was administered through e-mail as 3 rounds of questionnaire surveys regarding the issues facing the KDHNLE and potential solutions to those challenges. The primary Delphi survey was an open questionnaire. In each round, subjects’ responses were categorized according to the detailed themes of their responses. The minimum value of the content validity ratio of the survey results was determined by the number of panels participating in the Delphi survey.ResultsIssues facing the KDHNLE were identified from the results of the Delphi survey. The following 4 items had an average importance score of 4.0 or higher and were considered as important by over 85% of the panels: the failure of the practical test to reflect actual clinical settings, the focus of the practical test on dental scaling, the gap between the items evaluated on the national examination and actual practical work, and insufficiency in strengthening the expertise of licensed dental hygienists. The following items were suggested for improvement: more rigorous rater training, adjustment of the difficulty of the licensing examination, the introduction of a specialized dental hygienist system, and more rigorous refresher training for licensed dental hygienists.ConclusionBased on the above results, the KDHNLE should be improved according to the core competencies of dental hygienists, including on-site clinical practice experience.

Association of Emotional Labor, Self-efficacy, and Type A Personality with Burnout in Korean Dental Hygienists.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional labor and burnout, and whether the levels of self-efficacy and type A personality characteristics increase the risk of burnout in a sample of Korean female dental hygienists. Participants were 807 female dental hygienists with experience in performing customer service for one year or more in dental clinics, dental hospitals, or general hospitals in Korea. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. A hierarchical multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the effects of emotional labor on burnout, and to elucidate the additive effects of self-efficacy and type A personality on burnout. The results showed that “overload and conflict in customer service,” “emotional disharmony and hurt,” and “lack of a supportive and protective system in the organization” were positively associated with burnout. With reference to the relationship between personality traits and burnout, we found that personal traits such as self-efficacy and type A personality were significantly related to burnout, which confirmed the additive effects of self-efficacy and type A personality on burnout. These results indicate that engaging in excessive and prolonged emotional work in customer service roles is more likely to increase burnout. Additionally, an insufficient organizational supportive and protective system toward the negative consequences of emotional labor was found to accelerate burnout. The present findings also revealed that personality traits such as self-efficacy and type A personality are also important in understanding the relationship between emotional labor and burnout.

대한치과위생사협회 및 산하단체에서 제안한 한국 치위생학 연구의제 분포

치위생학이 독립적인 학문으로서 전문성을 가지기 위해서는 연구의 세부영역이 확립되어야 한다. 따라서 본 연구는 국내 치위생학 관련 기관 중 대한치과위생사협회 및 그 산하단체를 대상으로 델파이 조사를 이용하여 연구의제를 수집하여 연구요구를 파악하고자 하였다. 델파이 조사는 대한치과위생사협회 및 산하단체 총 8개 기관의 기관장에게 유선으로 연구 목적을 설명하고 전자우편으로 델파이 설문지를 배포 및 수거하였다. 연구의제는 한국 치위생학 학문 분류와 미국 NDHRA의 분류를 이용하여 분류하였고, IBM SPSS를 이용하여 기관별 분류된 연구의제 수에 차이가 있는지 교차분석을 통해 확인하였다. 그 결과 총 316개의 연구의제가 수집되었다. 한국 치위생학 학문분류로 연구의제를 분류한 결과 '임상치위생(36.7%)'에 관련된 연구의제를 가장 많이 제안하였고, 기관별 유의한 차이가 있었다(p<0.001). 또 제시된 연구의제를 미국 NDHRA 분류로 분류한 결과 기관별 제시한 연구의제 수가 유의한 차이가 없었고(p=0.054), '건강증진 및 질병예방(27.8%)'에 관한 연구의제가 가장 많았다. '기초치위생'에 관련된 연구요구는 대한치위생(학)과교수협의회에서 높았고, '임상치위생'에 관련된 연구요구는 한국치위생학회, 대한치과위생학회, 한국치위생감염관리학회, 대한치과위생사협회 임상회에서 높았으며, '사회치위생'에 관련된 연구요구는 대한치과위생사협회, 한국치위생과학회, 대한치과위생사협회 보건회에서 높았다. 이상의 결과 각 기관에서는 창설 목적과 유사한 연구의제를 제시하였다. 그러나 유사학문과 비교해보았을 때, 국내 치위생학관련 전문기관들은 비교적 기관별로 뚜렷한 특성을 나타내지 못하고 있는 것으로 보인다. 즉, 치위생학 연구의 세부영역이 확립되기 위해서는 각 기관에서 치위생학 학문분류에 따른 특성을 뚜렷이 하고, 그에 맞는 연구의제를 제시해야 할 것이다. 또한 연구자들이 연구결과를 투고 시 본인의 연구영역을 미리 분류하게 하여 세부영역을 확립하게 해야 할 것이다. The objective of this study was to realize research demands by gathering the research agenda from the Korean Dental Hygienists Association and affiliated groups through a Delphi survey. The study subjects were the heads of eight groups. The Delphi survey was conducted by e-mail after a researcher explained the objective of the study to the heads. The research agenda was classified according to the Korean dental hygiene academic classification and the National Dental Hygiene Research Agenda classification. To compare the number of research agendas according to classification among the groups, we conducted a chi-squared test by using IBM SPSS 20.0. In total, 316 agendas were submitted. According to the Korean dental hygiene academic classification, there was a significant difference among the groups, and the agendas associated with clinical dental hygiene (36.7%) were the best. According to the National Dental Hygiene Research Agenda classification, there was no significant difference and the agendas associated with health promotion and disease prevention (27.8%) were the best. In conclusion, the Korean Dental Hygienists Association and affiliated groups demanded similar research agendas, corresponding to the purpose of each establishment. However, the groups did not seem to show unique characteristics according to the purpose of each establishment. In other words, the groups should corroborate such characteristics and suggest a corresponding agenda to establish specific areas of research in dental hygiene. Also, dental hygiene researchers should mark the academic classification of the studies they want to submit.

한국 치위생(학)과의 교육과정 개편 방향에 대한 요구도

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examined the demand for the change in Korean dental hygiene curriculum. This study compared the dental hygiene curriculum of domestic and overseas university and tired to provide the basic data for the development of standard curriculum that meets the education policy changes. Methods: Data were obtained from a cross-sectional survey of 1,192 participants including dental hygiene professors, dental hygienists and students. Data were collected by mail, telephone call from the professors and research assistants, email, and direct visit from June 10 to August 10, 2013. The questionnaire consisted of 4 questions of general characteristics of the subjects and 13 questions of dental hygiene curriculum. Results: The professors answered the development of integrated dental hygiene curriculum as the first priority(48.9%) and dental hygienists(51.6%) and students(42.6%) chose the development of new dental hygiene curriculum(p<0.001). In the analysis of validity of dental hygiene curriculum, the professors gave 3.29 to the validity of evaluation for basic job performance, and the clinical dental hygienists and the students gave 3.05 and 3.26 points, respectively(p<0.001). In relation to the necessity of the change of the dental hygiene curriculums, the professors gave 4.17 points which implied that curriculum change is the most important and necessary thing to do. The clinical dental hygienists and the students gave 3.90 and 3.47 points, respectively(p<0.001). Conclusions: The above-mentioned findings suggest that the revision of the current Korean dental hygiene curriculums is required. Therefore organizations related to dental hygiene including professor association and Korean Dental Hygienists Association should carefully rebuild the curriculum to improve the competency of dental hygienists. They should take the initiative in the development of a standardized curriculum.