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Objectives@#This study aimed to investigate the association between food insecurity and periodontitis in Korean adults. @*Methods@#The data used for analysis were obtained from the 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018). Data were analyzed using chi-square test. Additionally, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between food insecurity and periodontitis. Statistical significance level was set at <0.05. @*Results@#In models corrected for social, economic, medical, and health behavioral factors, logistic regression analysis for food anxiety and periodontitis showed a significant correlation with F4 (odds ratio [OR]: 2.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-4.79). @*Conclusions@#There was a significant association between food insecurity and periodontitis in Korean adults. These results show that food insecurity is associated with periodontitis, and that food stability is an essential factor in improving or managing periodontitis.
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Objectives@#This study aimed to determine the relationship between English communication ability and job satisfaction of dental hygienists involved in the process of providing dental health services to foreigners and to analyze factors related to job satisfaction. @*Methods@#Both online and offline surveys were conducted in parallel to measure English communication competency and job satisfaction. Participants were 195 clinical dental hygienists provided dental health services to foreigners. Spearman’s rho analysis was performed on the correlation between English communication ability, and job satisfaction, and a stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed on the factors related to the job satisfaction of the dental hygienist. @*Results@#The job satisfaction of dental hygienists was 2.99 point out of 5 points. There was a strong positive relationship between English communication ability and english communication frequency (r=0.682), and the higher the English communication ability, the higher the job satisfaction (r=0.357).Factors affecting job satisfaction were English communication ability (β=0.378,P<0.001) and foreign medical assistance (β=0.391, P<0.001). The adjusted explanatory power of this model was 34.9%. @*Conclusions@#The job satisfaction of dental hygienists who provided dental health services to foreigners was low. English communication ability and experience in foreign medical assistance were significant influencing factors of job satisfaction. These results suggest that education for improving the English communication skills of dental hygienists should be strengthened.
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Objectives@#This study aimed to determine the relationship between English communication ability and job satisfaction of dental hygienists involved in the process of providing dental health services to foreigners and to analyze factors related to job satisfaction. @*Methods@#Both online and offline surveys were conducted in parallel to measure English communication competency and job satisfaction. Participants were 195 clinical dental hygienists provided dental health services to foreigners. Spearman’s rho analysis was performed on the correlation between English communication ability, and job satisfaction, and a stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed on the factors related to the job satisfaction of the dental hygienist. @*Results@#The job satisfaction of dental hygienists was 2.99 point out of 5 points. There was a strong positive relationship between English communication ability and english communication frequency (r=0.682), and the higher the English communication ability, the higher the job satisfaction (r=0.357).Factors affecting job satisfaction were English communication ability (β=0.378,P<0.001) and foreign medical assistance (β=0.391, P<0.001). The adjusted explanatory power of this model was 34.9%. @*Conclusions@#The job satisfaction of dental hygienists who provided dental health services to foreigners was low. English communication ability and experience in foreign medical assistance were significant influencing factors of job satisfaction. These results suggest that education for improving the English communication skills of dental hygienists should be strengthened.
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Objectives@#This study investigated the contents and structure of chapters on oral health to determine the quality of middle and high school health textbooks. We also comparatively analyzed the learning objectives of these textbooks according to the oral health curriculum proposed by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE). @*Methods@#The structure and educational contents of eight health textbooks (middle school, five; high school, three) published in 2019 were analyzed methodologically. We compared the structure and contents between the middle and high school curricula. We also carried out comparisons among five publishing companies. @*Results@#Of the eight health textbooks examined, five (middle school, four; high school, one) had chapters on oral health. In terms of structure, textbooks published by company A had the lowest percentage (0.96%) of pages on oral health. The highest percentage (1.50%) was found in a middle school textbook published by company D. We noted subject-level differences between the curriculum proposed by VDH, SCDE, and that of the published textbooks. There were more keywords pertaining to the definition and development of oral diseases than those for its prevention and management. @*Conclusions@#It is critically important to impart oral health education to middle and high school students for self-management of oral health during adolescence, a period characterized by both rapid physical and psychological development. Therefore, we recommend that all health textbooks should include chapters on oral health. Further, in the health textbooks that already include oral health information, we propose that the revised curricula should include key learning objectives.
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Objectives@#We evaluated the level of oral health status and oral health behavior in the elderly prior to their participation in a visiting oral health care intervention program as part of a community healthcare project in Cheonan city, South Korea. @*Methods@#The oral hygiene conditions, oral health behaviors, and oral senility of 64 elderly people subject to community care were measured during the period January 1 to February 15, 2020 using dental health surveys and questionnaire-based interviews conducted in line with World Health Organization standard criteria. @*Results@#The systematic disease retention rate of the elderly in this study was 90.6%, followed by hypertention (70.7%), and diabetes (51.7%). Scores were 1.69 out of 5 for subjective health evaluation, 1.8 out of 5 for subjective awareness of oral health, and the number of natural teeth was 14.9 per person (average mean for elderly people 18.38-19.34). During the day, 94.9% practiced brushing, after dinner 58.9%, and before bedtime 26.8%, which shows a diminished rate of practice. The percentage of participants dissatisfied with dental treatment was high at 67.2%, and the six measures of oral sensitivity, masticatory discomfort, pronunciation discomfort, and tongue pressure, presented less than average scores. @*Conclusions@#The level of oral health and oral health behavior of the elderly prior to the visiting oral health care community intervention program, was very poor. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that there is a need to develop a more systematic and thorough strategy to activate visiting community oral health care intervention programs.
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Objectives@#The present study examined trends in search keywords related to the oral health of infants and pregnant women using “social media cafés” on the Korean portal site, Naver. @*Methods@#We obtained data from January 2015 to December 2017, collected by searching for common terms related to oral health, such as “dental caries”, “oral health”, “scaling”, “tooth brushing”, and “oral examination”. Search results for these terms were organized by frequency and visualized by increase in the font size with increasing frequency. @*Results@#The ranking of keywords on Naver cafés for pregnant women and women with infants was as follows (in descending order): “oral examination”, “tooth filling”, and “tooth brushing”. The “oral health” network was linked to “dental caries”, “oral health education”, and “tooth brushing”. In addition, the analysis of trends of keyword frequencies according to time periods showed that “dental caries” and “oral examination” were of highest interest to the café users. @*Conclusions@#We found a high interest in keywords related to preventive measures for the oral health of infants and children, but there was a lack of awareness regarding the oral health of pregnant women. These findings suggest that prevention in infants and pregnant women is necessary, and that public awareness regarding education about oral healthcare needs to be raised.
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Purpose@#This 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. @*Methods@#In 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. @*Results@#Only 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. @*Conclusion@#Dental 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.
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Purpose@#This 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. @*Methods@#In 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. @*Results@#Only 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. @*Conclusion@#Dental 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.
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OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between oral health professionals' knowledge, attitude, and practice with regard to infectious waste management and to identify related factors influencing it. METHODS: The study comprised of 219 oral health professionals from select dental clinics and public health centers recruited between August 25, 2016 and September 5, 2016, who agreed to participate in the study with full understanding of the study objectives. A self-reported questionnaire was administered, which consisted of 22 items on knowledge of infectious waste management, 9 items on attitude, and 16 items on practice. Data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and stepwise multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: The age, knowledge, and clinical attitude of oral health professionals significantly correlated with waste management practice. Specifically, infectious waste management practice improved with increasing age, a greater level of knowledge, and a more positive clinical attitude. Additionally, the standardized regression coefficient demonstrated that, of these three factors, clinical attitude more strongly correlated with effective waste management practice, followed by age and level of knowledge. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that oral health professionals had a low level of knowledge regarding infectious waste management, and a more positive clinical attitude resulted in better practices. Therefore, the development of detailed and active education guidelines and strategies are needed to enhance the attitude, knowledge, and practice of oral health professionals with regard to infectious waste management.
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Dental Clinics , Education , Oral Health , Public Health , Waste ManagementABSTRACT
This study was conducted to derive core and detailed competencies of dental hygienists to be utilized as educational targets to be reached by graduation as well as basic data that can be reflected in the development and improvement of dental hygiene curricula. This study analyzed publication reports from the Korean Dental Hygienists Association, the International Federation of Dental Hygienists, the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and the American Dental Education Association. Based on the academic classification system for dental hygiene studies, the components of core and detailed competencies of dental hygiene school at the time of graduation were extracted and developed through expert panel discussions. This study defined competencies at the graduation level of dental hygiene school and derived eight core competencies and their 52 detailed competencies to serve as educational objectives from four areas: professionalism, communication, clinical practice, and community and health promotion. In the future, it will be necessary to conduct self-assessments of competencies based on those developed in this study, at time of the graduation from dental hygiene school, as well as to continuously develop competency-based curricula according to entry level, knowledge level, and graduation level. Thus, it is urgently necessary to develop a system that can evaluate the competencies of dental hygienists after graduation and put this system into practical use.