BACKGROUND: Dentist's income is quite variable. We investigate the factors underlying the distribution of dental revenue and dentist income. METHODS: Financial and structural variables of private dental practices(N=13,967) were examined with 2010 Economic Census microdata which include non-insurance revenue. We conducted quantile regression method(QRM) and ordinary least square(OLS) in treating skewness and heteroskedasticity of distributions. The effective estimation for the upper and lower range of distribution becomes possible by QRM. RESULTS: Mid-career dentists are shown to have higher revenue and income. Male dentists achieve the higher revenue and income than female dentists in all quantiles. Group practices show lower income per owner than solo practices significantly. The revenue and income are increased with increasing size of clinics. The high cost in renting the clinic office is found to have a big positive effect on the revenue but a little positive effect on the income. Interestingly the density of dentists shows negative effect on the lowest quantile of the revenue but positive effect on the highest quantile. The lowest quantile of the revenue in the capital areas have the relatively high revenue. The lowest quantile of the income in metropolitan city show higher income than those in other areas significantly. CONCLUSION: The suggested QRM is shown to have more effective and efficient tool in finding out determinants of dentists' revenue and income of our concern. The results of this study are expected to be employed for dentists preparing for the opening practices in their organizational settings and locational selections. The distributional efficiency of dental human resources could be accomplished if policy makers guide dentists with this knowledge.
Administrative Personnel ; Censuses ; Dentists* ; Female ; Group Practice ; Humans ; Male ; Private Practice

Particulate matter (PM) and specifically, Asian dust (or yellow dust), have been identified as critical causes of health problems. Recent increases in the levels of ambient PM are closely associated with adverse health effects in susceptible populations, such as the elderly, children, and patients with asthma or allergic disorders, and this is cause for recent concern in Korea. The establishment of strategies for the reduction of ambient PM by the government and industry, the development of practical guidelines and recommendations to protect susceptible individuals, and an action program for implementation in the general population, will be essential to minimize adverse health impacts of PM and yellow dust. However, guidelines for the proper prevention and management of PM/yellow dust-induced effects on asthma are unclear. In the present study, we aimed to develop evidence-based practice guidelines and recommendations for pediatric or adult patients with asthma and for general physicians who care for asthmatic patients, in order to provide protection from adverse health effects of PM exposure.
Adult ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Asthma* ; Child ; Dust ; Evidence-Based Practice ; Humans ; Korea ; Particulate Matter

BACKGROUND: This anthropometric planning is devised for surgeons who assess the esthetic perspectives in Asian rhinoplasty and to provide an easy clinical method using two dimensional photograph. And specific planning in Asian secondary rhinoplasty are also depicted accordingly. METHOD AND DISCUSSION: In order to use a 2-dimensional digital photograph as a tool for the soft tissue cephalometric analysis (STCA) the surgeon can subjectively rotate the photograph to decide the ideal landmarks. Once this is done, consultation and planning begins. Complicated concepts can be simplified and adaptive ideal points needed in rhinoplasty can be determined according to the Asian concepts of beauty so that it will be used under a clinical setting. Initiation of planning starts by identifying the ideal Sellion and Subnasale, thus, determining the length of the nose. Determination of these two points is the foremost important step in planning. Thereafter, an ideal Tip forms naturally from the nasofrontal angle and the columellar-labial angle. Even with the well performed preoperative planning, the shortcomings in secondary Asian rhinoplasty, such as unexpected scar, may be totally different pitfalls to overcome. CONCLUSIONS: With two-dimensional digital photograph and simplified planning in STCA, planning ideal points will bring clarity to a relatively different planning process from western rhinoplasty for surgeons undertaking primary or secondary Asian rhinoplasty.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Beauty ; Cicatrix ; Humans ; Mortuary Practice ; Nose ; Planning Techniques ; Rhinoplasty*

The majority of patients who present with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are already at an advanced stage, and the tumors are unresectable. Radiotherapy (RT) technology can safely provide focused high-dose irradiation to these patients. A wide spectrum of RT technologiesis currently available, including internal RT consisting of Yttrium-90 (90Y), Iodine-131 (131I) anti-ferritin antibody and Homium-199 (199Ho) and external RT, such as three-dimensional conformal RT, intensity-modulated RT, helical tomotherapy, stereotactic body RT, and image-guided RT. However, it may be difficult for physicians to understand all of the available options and to select the optimal RT treatment. Physicians frequently query radiation oncologists on the practical indications of RT for managing patients with HCC. According to the Korean Liver Cancer Study Group practice guidelines, RT is considered appropriate for unresectable, locally advanced HCC without extrahepatic metastasis, a Child-Pugh class A or B, and tumors that occupy less than two-thirds of the liver with level II evidence. In this review, we discuss the application of various RT modalities based on disease status and the detailed indications for RT according to the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging system.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; Group Practice ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated

The purpose of this study was to develop a motivational interviewing (MI) training program to improve competency in communication and to effect the evaluated changes that would occur in dental students' counseling techniques as result of the training in the program. The study proceeded through the program via role-play practice, which was explained effectively during the MI program training process. A convenience sample of 43 fourth-year dental hygiene students was recruited. Twenty-two students were randomly assigned to the intervention group and 21 to the control group in the order of recruitment. The theoretical lecture was delivered over 3 hours and the practice was done in parallel by applying cases occurring in clinic settings. The practice was technical training, partner practice, and small group practice. The intervention group received three hour MI lecture while the control group received no lecture. Evaluation through role-play practice was separated according to “researcher's viewpoint,” “counselor's role viewpoint,” and “patient's role viewpoint.” The results of the analysis showed that the intervention group had higher MI skills and ability than the control group. Furthermore, program participants showed positive impressions to the MI training program. The use of coaching sessions improved the MI techniques and counseling skills of dental hygiene students learning MI. The effect of the application of the MI training program was that the MI training improved counseling skills and interviewing abilities. Moreover, continuous training and feedback enhanced MI techniques and core skills. Training using lectures in parallel with practice rather than education through theory alone improved students' techniques. Application of role play through the combined method of the MI program was confirmed by an effective training method.
Counseling ; Education ; Group Practice ; Humans ; Learning ; Lectures ; Methods ; Motivational Interviewing ; Oral Hygiene

Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Factor VIII ; Hemophilia A ; therapy ; Hemophilia B ; therapy ; Humans ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

The purpose of this research is to introduce the best practice of the Japanese national dementia strategy and explore implications to the Korean national dementia strategy. Interview was conducted among professions those who is in charge of Kumamoto dementia care practice in Kumamoto province, upon review of related literature and public documents. The Kumamoto model is implemented by the department of neuropsychiatry in public university hospitals, which can offer dementia-specialized medical services. Medical centers for dementia in public university hospitals play a leading role for managing practice and training local dementia centers specialist, coordinating medical services among medical institutions and community welfare facilities. In reference to the Kumamoto model, the Korean national dementia strategy can find implications in the direction of current system, specifically its approaches toward policy governance.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Dementia ; Hospitals, University ; Humans ; Japan ; Neuropsychiatry ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Specialization

The formulation of the guidelines for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in line with China's national conditions and multiple discipline cooperation plays an important role in standardizing prevention measures and improving the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in China. In order to further improve the diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer in China, improve the outcomes of patients, and provide professional evidence-based medicine advice to clinicians at all levels, the Chinese Medical Association organized specialists in departments of pulmonary medicine, oncology medicine, thoracic surgery, radiotherapy, radiology and pathology throughout the country to perform the work. The recent advances in pathology, genetic testing, immuno-molecule testing, and therapeutic approaches were integrated and the guideline was formulated in combination with international guidelines and China's national conditions. The guideline aims to provide evidence-based, guidance for clinicians at all levels. The guideline covers the screening, diagnosis, pathology, treatment and follow-up of lung cancer.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; China ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Practice Guidelines as Topic

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the effect of peer education on postoperative rehabilitation of patients with laryngeal cancer.

METHODSFrom January 2010 to December 2012, 240 cases of primary laryngeal cancer were treated with partial or total laryngectomy as well as tracheotomy in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery in Shandong Provincial Hospital. The patients were randomly divided into experimental group or control group by Stochastic tables law, 120 patients in control group accepted only conventional nursing, 120 patients in experimental group accepted both conventional nursing and peer education. The difference in the treatment nursing cooperation attitude, postoperative recovery, postoperative symptoms and the incidence of complications between two groups were evaluated by postoperative quality of life (UW-QOL), Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ) and coping style questionnaire (CSQ) score. The independent sample T-test and χ² test were used for statistical analysis.

RESULTSThe patients of experimental group showed more positive attitude to treatment and care compared to the patients of control group (χ² = 10.7, P < 0.01). Experimental group had less time in postoperative wound healing time, gastric tube indwelling time and postoperative hospital stay than control group, with statistically significant differences (t = 6.89, t = 6.36, t = 6.42, respectively, P < 0.01); Incidence of postoperative discomfort symptoms in experimental group was less than that in control group (P < 0.05). Total score for quality of life (UW-QOL) in experimental group was higher than that in control group (t = 2.40, P < 0.05). The P and N scores of EPQ in experimental group were lower than those in control group (t = 2.28, t = 2.60, P < 0.05), while the E score of EPQ in experimental group was significantly higher than that in control group (t = 4.50, P < 0.01), with no significant difference in the L score of EPQ between two groups (P > 0.05). scores of factor to solve problem and help factor of CSQ in experimental group were higher than those in control group (t = 7.05, t = 7.73, P < 0.01), and the era factor score of experimental group was lower than that of control group (t = 2.05, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSPeer education can help the patients with laryngectomy to maintain good psychological and mental status, to cooperate actively with treatment, to reduce symptoms and complications, and to shorten the length of hospital stay, improving their postoperative rehabilitation and quality of life.

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; rehabilitation ; surgery ; Laryngectomy ; Peer Group ; Postoperative Period ; Quality of Life ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The Korean translated Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (Korean AGREE II) instrument was distributed into Korean medical societies in 2011. However, inter-rater disagreement issues still exist. The Korean AGREE II scoring guide was therefore developed to reduce inter-rater differences. This study examines the effects of the Korean AGREE II scoring guide to reduce inter-rater differences. Appraisers were randomly assigned to two groups (Scoring Guide group and Non-Scoring Guide group). The Korean AGREE II instrument was provided to both groups. However, the scoring guide was offered to Scoring Guide group only. Total 14 appraisers were participated and each guideline was assessed by 8 appraisers. To evaluate the reliability of the Korean AGREE II scoring guide, correlation of scores among appraisers and domain-specific intra-class correlation (ICC) were compared. Most scores of two groups were comparable. Scoring Guide group showed higher reliability at all guidelines. They showed higher correlation among appraisers and higher ICC values at almost all domains. The scoring guide reduces the inter-rater disagreement and improves the overall reliability of the Korean-AGREE II instrument.
Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Humans ; *Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Reproducibility of Results ; Republic of Korea ; Societies, Medical ; Translating