Consideration on the role of the regional oral care center for persons with disabilities and the appropriate role of specialized dental hygienists / 대한구강보건학회지

ABSTRACT

Objectives@#This study aims to define the role of the local dental clinic for people with disabilities and the appropriate role of the dental hygienist to resolve oral health inequality with people with disabilities. @*Methods@#From September 12, 2022 to November 11, 2022, 16 experts who voluntarily participated in the research, among the experts recommended by the related institutes, were selected through stratification analysis. The results of this study and improvement plans are as follows. @*Results@#First, as a result of measuring the importance of the role of a regional oral care center for people with disabilities in the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) middle category, check-up was found to be the most important (0.364, C.I=0.01). For examination, a facility visit checkup and regular checkups were required. Second, as a result of measuring the importance of the role of a dedicated dental hygienist in the AHP middle category, the institutional-linked activity was found to be the most important (0.417, C.I=0.02). As for institutional-linked activities, linkage with local community organizations, patient management, and public relations activities were required. @*Conclusions@#Considering these results, the role of a regional oral care center for people with disabilities is to perform examinations and preventive treatments, primary treatments (simple), education and counseling, and establish a smooth medical return system to serve as a base for dental treatment for people with disabilities. Education and counseling are provided through professional patient response and the arrangement of a dedicated dental hygienist, and oral health care is provided to people with disabilities through professional treatment assistance for patients and treatment support and screening, linkage with local community institutions, and patient management. Specialized dental hygienists should play a role in supporting the operation of oral health care for people with disabilities.