Dental Hygienist-Led Dental Hygiene Process of Care for Self-Support Program Participants in Gangneung / 치위생과학회지

This study aimed to provide basic data for establishing the clinical basis for dental hygienist-led dental hygiene process of care by identifying multiple risk factors for self-support program participants in Gangneung city; we also compared oral health status and behavioral changes through customized oral health care. Four dental hygienists who were evaluated for degree of conformity provided dental hygiene process of care to eight self-support program participants who were selected as having an oral health risk among people in the self-support center. The clinical indicators measured during dental hygiene assessment and evaluation and behavioral changes due to dental hygiene intervention were compared and analyzed. With respect to clinical indicators, at the time of probe, the retention rate of patients with gingival bleeding decreased from 61.4% to 14.7% after intervention (p=0.004). Furthermore, the retention rate of patients with a periodontal pocket >4 mm decreased from 15.6% to 5.8% (p=0.001). The average modified O'Leary index of the patients improved from 23 to 40 (p=0.002). Previously, all eight subjects used the vertical or horizontal method of brushing; after dental hygiene care interventions regarding method and frequency of toothbrushing, use of oral care products, and individual interventions, they started using the rolling or Bass method of toothbrushing. Four of eight subjects reported using interdental toothbrushes after intervention. As a result of applying the change model to the transtheoretical behavior change of the subject, the result of strengthening the health behavior was confirmed. For promotion of oral health by the prevention-centered incremental oral health care system, dental hygienist-led dental hygiene management and maintenance is essential. It is thought that continuous research, such as for feasibility evaluation, cost benefit analysis, and preparation of legal systems, is needed to establish and activate dental hygiene management.

A Study on Oral Health Knowledge, Recognition, Practice and Satisfaction of Patients by Applying a Targeted Program within a Dental Hygiene Process / 치위생과학회지

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a clinical preventative care program, based on a dental hygiene process (accessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, evaluation; ADPIE) in a dental clinic, by analyzing patient recognition, knowledge, practice, and satisfaction with respect to oral health. The collected data (in percentages) were analyzed Fisher's exact test and paired t-test using IBM SPSS ver. 21.0 (IBM Co., USA). This study demonstrated a significant difference in oral health knowledge, recognition, and practice before and after the clinical preventive care program (p<0.05). The results were significant in the individual preventive plan within the planning stage, and in the professional teeth cleaning implementation stage (p<0.05). This result can be attributed to the sympathy of the dental hygienist (p<0.05). There was a positive correlation between recommending dental checkups and regular checking of the (r=0.552, p<0.05), undergoing radiography (r=0.434, p<0.01), following an individual preventive plan (r=0.568, p<0.01), undergoing proximal machine teeth cleaning (r=0.437, p<0.05), following tooth brushing instructions (r=0.552, p<0.05), and the evaluation results (r=1.000, p<0.05). Our results demonstrate, that the clinical preventive care program, based on dental hygiene, is an effective program. Given the positive effect of dental revisits and patient recommendations promoting dental hygienists, it is hoped that this preventative program will be widely used.