This study aimed at comprehending the duty, role, and difficulty of intermediary manager through in-depth investigation of dental hygienist intermediary managers experienced over 10 years working in a dental clinic. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 dental intermediary managers and Giorgi's analysis method was used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that the work experience of the dental hygienist intermediary managers appeared in the range of "becoming an intermediary manager through various processes", "various duties that they experience as an intermediary manager", "difficulty as an intermediary manager", "ability that they perceive as necessary for being a dental intermediary manager", and "worthiness they feel as the intermediary manager". The dental intermediary managers complained of difficulties at work, and appeared to perform various tasks such as human resource management, clinic management support, and patient's management. Accordingly, the researcher considers that research on dental intermediary managers' capacity development necessary.
Dental Clinics ; Dental Hygienists ; Humans ; Methods

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between task performance, job satisfaction, and organizational contribution of dental hygienists, and to analyze the resulting impact on the organizational contribution of the dental hygienists. The study sample included 300 people working in a dental clinic during May 2016; data were collected through a self-questionnaire and an online questionnaire. Subsequently, 285 responses were analyzed. The results showed that a higher monthly income, business support services, and work satisfaction affect organizational contribution. The correlation of organizational contribution was the highest with business management in task performance and with work satisfaction in job satisfaction. In conclusion, a dental hygienist, who may have highest careers and is involved in the management of dental work, affects the organizational contribution of the dental clinic.
Commerce ; Dental Clinics ; Dental Hygienists* ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction* ; Task Performance and Analysis*

This study aimed to design and operate a complementary integrated health management program based on the connection between the hypertension and diabetes management programs and the oral health programs at a public health center. It also proposed to suggest the phased evaluation indicators. In this study, 48 adults registered in the hypertension and diabetes management program were selected from the Gangneung public health center. The clinic-specific programs were led by dental hygienists and operated for visitors twice every two weeks. The programs were designed based on the logical model, and indicators for evaluating the structure, process, and outcome were presented and applied to the input, process, output, and outcome. The evaluation indices consisted of quantitative and qualitative indicators, and the planning and operation, goal achievement, and effect of each program were assessed. The process evaluations were assessed by the appropriateness of the managers and the operating fidelity of the programs. Indicators for evaluating the outcomes were gingival bleeding, oral health knowledge, oral health awareness, and the satisfaction of the participant and the manager. The clinic-specific programs resulted in positive changes in the evaluated outcomes. The integrated health management of visitors to the hypertension and diabetes management program is important as the general and oral health has common risk factors. Furthermore, long-term operation and continuous monitoring of oral health programs are necessary to evaluate the common factors in chronic disease management.
Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Dental Hygienists ; Gangwon-do ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Hypertension* ; Logic* ; Oral Health* ; Public Health ; Risk Factors

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between stress and oral symptoms, and quality of life in university students. This survey was performed on 452 university students in the Daejeon area. The research was conducted during 2 weeks in June 2016 using a self-reported questionnaire. The data were analyzed by PASW Statistics ver. 18.0. According to the findings of the study, higher levels of stress were detected in girls than in boys (p<0.05). Stress had a significant impact on the symptoms of dry mouth, bad breath, and temporomandibular pain (p<0.05). The high-stress group experienced a negative impact on oral impacts on daily performance (OIDP) scores as compared to the group with lower stress. Stress had a significantly positive correlation with dry mouth, bad breath, temporomandibular joint (TMJ). OIDP was a significant positive correlation with dry mouth, bad breath, TMJ and stress. The findings of the study showed that stress exerted a significant influence on the oral symptoms and quality of life in university student.
Female ; Humans ; Mouth ; Oral Health* ; Quality of Life* ; Temporomandibular Joint

Water supplied through dental unit waterlines (DUWLs) has been shown to contain high number of bacteria. To reduce the contamination of DUWLs, it is essential to develop effective disinfectants. It is, however, difficulty to obtain proper DUWL samples for studies. The purpose of this study was to establish a simple laboratory model for reproducing DUWL biofilms. The bacteria obtained from DUWLs were cultured in R2A liquid medium for 10 days, and then stored at −70℃. This stock was inoculated into R2A liquid medium and incubated in batch mode. After 5 days of culturing, it was inoculated into the biofilm formation model developed in this study. Our biofilm formation model comprised of a beaker containing R2A liquid medium and five glass rods attached to DUWL polyurethane tubing. Biofilm was allowed to form on the stir plate and the medium was replaced every 2 days. After 4 days of biofilm formation in the laboratory model, biofilm thickness, morphological characteristics and distribution of the composing bacteria were examined by confocal laser microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The mean of biofilm accumulation was 4.68×10⁴ colony forming unit/cm² and its thickness was 10~14 µm. In our laboratory model, thick bacterial lumps were observed in some parts of the tubing. To test the suitability of this biofilm model system, the effectiveness of disinfectants such as sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorhexidine, was examined by their application to the biofilm formed in our model. Lower concentrations of disinfectants were less effective in reducing the count of bacteria constituting the biofilm. These results showed that our DUWL biofilm laboratory model was appropriate for comparison of disinfectant effects. Our laboratory model is expected to be useful for various other purposes in further studies.
Bacteria ; Biofilms ; Chlorhexidine ; Disinfectants ; Glass ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Infection Control, Dental ; Microscopy, Confocal ; Microscopy, Electron, Scanning ; Polyurethanes ; Sodium Hypochlorite ; Water ; Water Microbiology

This study compared and analyzed the occluding effects of fluoride compounds and desensitizers, which are commonly used in dental clinics, on dentinal tubules. This study also evaluated the persistence of the active ingredients over time by performing toothbrushing with an electric toothbrush. Thirty-five molar teeth, which had been extracted within the past 3 months from healthy people without tooth decays, amalgam fillings, or dental crowns, were divided into 4 pieces each. Of these, 135 teeth pieces were used as study specimens. These specimens were divided into a control group, an untreated group, and 5 experimental groups (acidulated fluoride gel, fluoride varnish, Gluma, Super Seal, and SE-Bond). The specimens were then subjected to toothbrushing equivalent to 1 week (140 times), 2 weeks (280 times), and 4 weeks (560 times), and the occluding effects on dentinal tubules in 3 regions of each specimen were examined under a scanning electron microscope. The fluoride varnish treated group showed the highest degree of dentinal tubule occlusion effects during the first, second, and fourth weeks of toothbrushing, with the SE-Bond treated group showing the second highest degree and the Gluma treated group showing the lowest degree. After 4 weeks of toothbrushing, the Gluma treated group and the Super Seal treated group showed the lowest degrees of dentinal tubule occlusion effects. In summary, the fluoride varnish treated group and the SE-Bond treated group displayed higher occlusion effects even after 4 weeks of treatment than did the other experimental groups. Therefore, it is the authors' belief that fluoride varnish and SE-Bond are effective for treating dentinal hyperesthesia.
Crowns ; Dental Clinics ; Dentin Desensitizing Agents ; Dentin Sensitivity ; Dentin* ; Fluorides* ; Hyperesthesia ; Molar ; Paint ; Tooth ; Toothbrushing

The purpose of this study was to assess the correlation between integrated mineral loss (volume % mineral×µm, ΔZ(TMR)) determined using transverse microradiography (TMR) and integrated reflectivity (dB×µm, ΔR(OCT)) determined using optical coherence tomography (OCT) for detecting early dental caries with lesion depth more than 200 µm. Sixty tooth specimens were made from sound bovine teeth. They were immersed in a demineralized solution for 20, 30, and 40 days. The ΔR(OCT) was obtained from the cross-sectional OCT image. The ΔZ(TMR) was obtained from the TMR image. The correlation between ΔR(OCT) and ΔZ(TMR) was examined using Pearson correlation. The Bland-Altman plot was constructed using the ΔR(OCT) and ΔZ(TMR) values. A significant correlation between ΔR(OCT) and ΔZ(TMR) was confirmed (r=0.491, p=0.003). Moreover, most of the difference between ΔR(OCT) and ΔZ(TMR) was included in the error section of the Bland-Altman plot. Therefore, OCT could be used as a substitute for TMR when analyzing mineral loss in early dental caries.
Dental Caries* ; Microradiography ; Miners ; Tomography, Optical Coherence* ; Tooth

The purpose of this study was investigate the relationship between the degree of satisfaction of the clinical practice and the stress factors for dental hygiene students. Dental hygiene students to 232 people from May 21, 2012 to June 22, 2012 and analyzed using by SPSS for Windows ver. 12.0 program. Regarding the stress factors, by the school system, all the factors, including the environmental factor, the role factor, the interpersonal relationships factor, the ideal and value factor, and the Brief Encounter Psychosocial Instrument (BEPSI) were higher in the 3-year system than in the 4-year system (p<0.01). Regarding the stress factors according to the degree of satisfaction regarding the practices, all the factors were high when unsatisfied. Among these, the environmental factor was the highest (p<0.001). According to the practice organization, the environmental factor was the highest among the university dental hospital. The interpersonal relationship factor and the ideal and value factor were the highest among the dental hospitals. The role factor and the BEPSI were the highest among the dental clinics (p<0.01). When the hospital atmosphere was bad, the environmental factor was the highest (p<0.001). As a result of analyzing the correlations between the stress factors of the hospital practices, there were the positive correlations among the environment, the roles, the interpersonal relationship, the ideals and values, and the BEPSI (p<0.01). The stress factor that showed the biggest influence on the BEPSI was interpersonal relationships. In the clinical practice, because of the unfamiliar environment and the insufficiency of the interpersonal relationships, the stress indices of the students can be higher than at ordinary times. I believe that, as such, a systematic management plan for the clinical practice for raising the ability of the students to cope with the stress by themselves must be prepared.
Atmosphere ; Dental Clinics ; Humans ; Oral Hygiene* ; Students, Dental

This study investigated the effect of violent experience on burnout among some dental hygienists. The study subjects were 242 dental hygienists working at dental clinics. Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire including information such as demographics, work-related characteristics, working environment, experience of violence, and burnout. The violence was classified as verbal violence, physical threat, or physical violence committed by dentists, patients, or caregivers. Descriptive analysis, t-test, ANOVA, correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis were performed to examine the factors associated with burnout. The levels of verbal violence, physical threat, and physical violence by dentists were 0.53±1.26, 1.12±2.70, and 0.04±0.42, respectively. The levels of verbal violence, physical threat, and physical violence by patients and caregivers were 1.50±1.89, 1.41±2.24, and 0.24±1.38, respectively. The score of burnout was 3.13±0.43. Total violence, verbal violence, and physical violence by dentists were positively correlated with burnout. Total violence, verbal violence, and physical threat by patients and caregivers were positively correlated with burnout. In multiple linear regression analysis, the level of physical violence by dentists was positively associated with burnout of dental hygienists (β=0.95, p=0.032). The levels of total physical violence (β=0.28, p=0.002), verbal violence (β=0.15, p<0.001), and physical threat (β=0.19, p=0.009) by the patients or caregivers were positively associated with burnout of dental hygienists. This study examined the association between violence and burnout among dental hygienists. The level of violence showed positive correlation with burnout. Environment improvement to protect employees from violence and for management of employees who experienced workplace violence are needed to reduce the burnout.
Caregivers ; Demography ; Dental Clinics ; Dental Hygienists* ; Dentists ; Humans ; Linear Models ; Physical Abuse ; Violence ; Workplace Violence

The purpose of this study was to examine whether a gratitude training program for preservice dental hygienists affects their gratitude disposition, self-esteem, and happiness. Dental hygiene students were recruited from a college in D and administered a pretest. The 76 selected participants were primarily those who had never written a gratitude journal. Participants were then randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group. Three participants failed to complete the program, leaving 73 subjects in the final analysis. Data were analyzed using the χ² test, independent sample t-test, and analysis of covariance. The mean gratitude disposition score improved from 31.11±5.55 in the pretest to 34.41±4.38 in the posttest in the experimental group and from 31.44±4.41 to 32.06±4.63 in the control group. The mean self-esteem score improved from 31.22±4.03 to 33.16±3.44 in the experimental group and from 30.53±4.42 to 30.97±3.80 in the control group. The mean happiness score improved from 19.54±2.64 to 21.78±2.43 in the experimental group and from 19.64±3.32 to 20.08±2.91 in the control group. All of the participants improved their gratitude disposition, self-esteem, and happiness scores while participating in the gratitude training program, and it is expected that if such positive emotions can be sustained, they will naturally acquire the basic requirements of dental hygienists and build a better vocational consciousness and a higher sense of duty, as well as have a further positive effect on the quality of dental medical service. Further studies should be conducted to propose a concrete plan to expand and operate this gratitude training program more effectively.
Consciousness ; Dental Hygienists ; Education* ; Happiness* ; Humans ; Oral Hygiene*