OBJECTIVES: This study analyzes the effect of role stress on turnover and examines the mediating effects of organizational, career, and job commitment. METHODS: This study involved a questionnaire survey on socio-demographic characteristics, working environment, role stress, commitment, and turnover. This was administered to 272 clinical dental hygienists from February 1, 2014, to February 28, 2014, and data were analyzed using t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and hierarchical multiple regression. RESULTS: Turnover among dental hygienists increased when their role stress was high and the latter was significantly correlated with organizational, career, and job commitment. In the relationship between role stress and turnover, organizational and career commitment worked as the mediating factors with organizational commitment showing the biggest effect. CONCLUSIONS: In order to reduce role stress, the causes of role conflict and role overload should be systematically monitored. Improvement of the wage and working system along with expansion of specific tasks of dental hygienists to enhance their organizational and career commitment is required.