Background: Laser procedures are integral to dermatologic practice, yet safety measures- particularly regarding ocular protection and plume control- are poorly studied in real-world settings. Objective: To evaluate current practices in eye protection, infection control, and occupational risk awareness among Korean dermatologists performing laser treatments. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among board-certified dermatologists at the 2024 Korean Society for Dermatologic Laser Surgery meeting. The questionnaire covered demographics, laser frequency, use of goggles and masks, infection control strategies, ophthalmologic monitoring, and history of warts or cancer. Results: Seventy-nine respondents completed the survey. All reported using protective goggles, but only 26.6% and 22.8% did so for CO 2 and erbium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet lasers, respectively. Only 24.1% underwent regular eye exams, and 13.9% reported eye conditions after starting laser practice. While 89.9% used masks, 40.8% used dental masks, which are inadequate for plume protection. Suction devices were used by 94.9%, though performance specifications were unclear. Warts were reported by 46.8% of respondents; two reported cancer diagnoses after initiating laser work. Conclusion Despite high overall adherence to basic safety practices, critical gaps remain. Our findings highlight the need for standardized guidelines and long-term occupational health monitoring to ensure safe laser practice.

Background: Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder characterized by erythema, papules, ocular symptoms, and heightened sensitivity. Patients with neurogenic symptoms such as burning or stinging remain particularly difficult to manage. Current guidelines often underrepresent energy-based devices (EBDs), pigmentary sequelae, psychosocial burden, and ocular comorbidities. Objective: To examine Korean dermatologists’ expert perspectives on rosacea management, focusing on skin sensitivity, neurogenic symptoms, pigmentary changes, psychosocial impact, ocular involvement, and EBD use. Methods: A web-based, 29-item survey was administered to 25 board-certified Korean dermatologists (May–June 2025). Quantitative and qualitative responses were analyzed. Results: Erythematotelangiectatic and papulopustular phenotypes with sensitivity skin predominated. EBDs (pulsed dye laser, intense pulsed light) were frequently used but limited by cost and sensitivity issues. Neurogenic symptoms were recognized but rarely treated with neuromodulators. Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation was infrequent, yet monitoring was inconsistent.Psychosocial and ocular aspects were acknowledged but seldomly systematically addressed.Respondents expressed interest in emerging adjunctive treatments such as cold plasma, skin boosters, and holistic care approaches. Conclusion Korean dermatologists adopt individualized strategies for rosacea, yet practice gaps remain regarding neurogenic symptoms, pigmentary complications, and psychosocial and ocular comorbidities. Findings support the need for updated multidisciplinary, phenotype-driven guidelines aligned with real-world practice.

Objectives: Korea is one of the fastest-aging societies, and a large proportion of its older population lives alone. This study examined the impact of family interaction frequency on the association between living alone and depressive symptoms among older adults aged ≥80 years using nationally representative survey data. Methods: Among the 229 099 participants of the 2019 Korea Community Health Survey, 15 672 participants aged ≥80 years who either lived with close family or lived alone were included in the analysis. Participants living alone were classified according to the frequency of family interaction, ranging from less than once a month to more than once a week. The outcome variable was moderate to severe depressive symptoms, defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of ≥10. Results: The prevalence of depressive symptoms was higher among older adults living alone (9.4–14.1%, depending on the frequency of family interaction) than among those living with close family (6.5%). Older adults living alone who interacted with family less than once a month were more likely to report depressive symptoms compared with those living with close family (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.71; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36 to 2.15). Weekly family interaction mitigated the impact of living alone on the prevalence of depressive symptoms (aOR 1.10; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.42). The influence of family interaction on the association between living alone and depressive symptoms remained consistent across subgroups of men, women, and those with difficulty in daily activities. Conclusions Encouraging regular interaction among family members could serve as an effective strategy to protect the mental health of older adults.

Background: Skin rejuvenation has become an increasingly popular noninvasive approach to address age-related changes such as sagging, wrinkles, and skin laxity. Energy-based devices (EBDs) and injectables are widely used, but their application requires careful customization based on individual patient characteristics to optimize outcomes and minimize potential adverse effects. Objective: This study aimed to explore clinical practice patterns among board-certified dermatologists in South Korea, focusing on their strategies for tailoring skin rejuvenation treatments to individual patients, including the integration of EBDs, injectables, and senotherapeutics. Methods: A structured survey comprising 10 questions was administered to 13 experienced dermatologists specializing in skin rejuvenation. The survey covered treatment strategies for patients with varying facial fat volumes, pain management approaches, and the use of EBDs, injectables and senotherapeutics. Results: High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and radiofrequency (RF) were the most employed EBDs, often combined with injectables for enhanced outcomes. For patients with higher facial fat, HIFU and deoxycholic acid injections were preferred for contouring and tightening. For those with lower facial fat, biostimulatory agents such as poly-D, L-lactic acid and microneedle RF were favored to restore volume and elasticity. Pain management strategies included topical anesthetics and stepwise protocols. Although less commonly used, senotherapeutics were occasionally prescribed for specific conditions, such as melasma and extensive photoaging. Conclusion Dermatologists in South Korea employ a variety of patient-specific strategies for skin rejuvenation, combining various EBDs, injectables, and senotherapeutics. These findings highlight the importance of personalized treatment protocols and the need for further research to optimize treatment efficacy and safety.

The need to implement vegetarian meal plans in school meals to promote sustainable eating among adolescents is increasing. This study examined students’ perceptions of a vegetarian day, and its association with dietary quality. This study surveyed 372 adolescents (230 males, 142 females) in Daejeon, Korea, assessing their perceptions of a vegetarian day and their nutrition quotient for adolescents (NQ-A). The perception of a vegetarian day was 3.21 out of 5, showing no significant gender difference. Among all participants, the item “I think a vegetarian day will help students’ health” received the highest score (3.67). The item “I think a vegetarian day is about respecting the diversity of students” scored significantly higher among females than males, whereas the item “It is better to include meat substitutes as well as mixed grains, beans, vegetables and fruits on a vegetarian day” scored lower among females than males. Correlation analysis showed that the perceptions of a vegetarian day were significantly positively associated with the total NQ-A score and the moderation domain score in all participants. Based on these findings, efforts should be made to enhance the positive perceptions of a vegetarian day among adolescents while exploring various approaches to its effective implementation.

The need to implement vegetarian meal plans in school meals to promote sustainable eating among adolescents is increasing. This study examined students’ perceptions of a vegetarian day, and its association with dietary quality. This study surveyed 372 adolescents (230 males, 142 females) in Daejeon, Korea, assessing their perceptions of a vegetarian day and their nutrition quotient for adolescents (NQ-A). The perception of a vegetarian day was 3.21 out of 5, showing no significant gender difference. Among all participants, the item “I think a vegetarian day will help students’ health” received the highest score (3.67). The item “I think a vegetarian day is about respecting the diversity of students” scored significantly higher among females than males, whereas the item “It is better to include meat substitutes as well as mixed grains, beans, vegetables and fruits on a vegetarian day” scored lower among females than males. Correlation analysis showed that the perceptions of a vegetarian day were significantly positively associated with the total NQ-A score and the moderation domain score in all participants. Based on these findings, efforts should be made to enhance the positive perceptions of a vegetarian day among adolescents while exploring various approaches to its effective implementation.

The need to implement vegetarian meal plans in school meals to promote sustainable eating among adolescents is increasing. This study examined students’ perceptions of a vegetarian day, and its association with dietary quality. This study surveyed 372 adolescents (230 males, 142 females) in Daejeon, Korea, assessing their perceptions of a vegetarian day and their nutrition quotient for adolescents (NQ-A). The perception of a vegetarian day was 3.21 out of 5, showing no significant gender difference. Among all participants, the item “I think a vegetarian day will help students’ health” received the highest score (3.67). The item “I think a vegetarian day is about respecting the diversity of students” scored significantly higher among females than males, whereas the item “It is better to include meat substitutes as well as mixed grains, beans, vegetables and fruits on a vegetarian day” scored lower among females than males. Correlation analysis showed that the perceptions of a vegetarian day were significantly positively associated with the total NQ-A score and the moderation domain score in all participants. Based on these findings, efforts should be made to enhance the positive perceptions of a vegetarian day among adolescents while exploring various approaches to its effective implementation.

Background: This study aimed to assess the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI) based on oral health-relatedbehaviors and oral health status among older adults in Gangneung-si. Methods: A total of 77 adults aged 65 years or older in Gangneung-si who voluntarily participated in an oral health care programwere included. GOHAI was administered as a self-reported questionnaire to evaluate oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).GOHAI consists of 12 items rated on a six-point Likert scale, with higher scores indicating better oral health and higher QoL.Assessment items included general characteristics, systemic disease, oral health-related behaviors, and tooth and periodontal status. The Shapiro–Wilk test was used to assess normality prior to comparing GOHAI scores across independent variables.Depending on normality results, differences in mean scores were analyzed using the independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance, or the Mann–Whitney U test. Results: The highest-scoring item was “Did your teeth or dentures bother you when you wanted to speak?”, whereas the lowest-scoring item was “Were you pleased or happy looking at your teeth, gums, or dentures?” A significant difference was observed according to the number of remaining teeth; participants with 20 or more teeth had higher GOHAI scores (41.86±5.22) than those with 19 or fewer teeth (38.33±3.83; p=0.046). Conclusion Significant differences in GOHAI scores were found in relation to systemic disease and the number of remaining teeth.These findings can support the development of strategies and policies to improve OHRQoL in older adults in Gangneung-si.

Background: The population of Gangneung City in South Korea has shown a gradual increase in the proportion of individuals aged 65 years and older, and the most frequently reported diseases for several years have consistently been periodontal diseases, including gingivitis and periodontitis. The regional imbalance in the distribution of dental personnel and resources has emerged as a problem of inequality in the use of dental care. It has been advocated to identify areas with disadvantages in dental care and develop public dental policies based on that. This study aimed to develop a customized oral healthcare program for local seniors based on a Public-Private-Academic Partnership, and to evaluate the oral health status of older adults in Gangneung City. Methods: The participants were residents aged 60 years and above in Gangneung City. A questionnaire including general information, systemic health status, and oral health status was administered to the participants. In addition, oral healthcare and education tailored to each individual’s health status were provided once or twice based on their oral health status. The collected data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 25 for descriptive statistical analysis. Results: Among the older adults in Gangneung City, 75% had at least one prosthesis and exhibited symptoms of gingivitis or periodontitis. Additionally, the modified sulcus bleeding index decreased among participants who underwent the program twice.Over 90% of the participants expressed satisfaction with the program. Conclusion The program appeared to contribute positively to the oral health promotion among local seniors. Further oral healthcare programs should focus on seniors in rural and old urban areas to reduce disparities in oral health across regions.

Background: To train dental hygienists to utilize knowledge in practice, an integrated curriculum based on the competencies of dental hygienists is expanding; however, in the field of basic dental hygiene the curriculum is still fragmented and based on segmented knowledge. This study developed an integrated curriculum based on the competencies of dental hygienists in Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Physiology, which are subjects for basic dental hygiene that have high linkage and overlap. Methods: After selecting the learning objectives for the integrated curriculum from those of Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Physiology, the duties of the dental hygienist in relation to the learning objectives were analyzed. Learning objectives were combined with the duties of a dental hygienist to derive competencies for an integrated curriculum. Referring to the syllabus and learning objectives for each subject, the weekly educational content, learning objectives, and credits of the integrated curriculum were derived. After conducting a Delphi survey to validate the competency and content of the derived integrated curriculum, an integrated curriculum was developed. Results: By using the first and second Delphi surveys, four competencies were developed for dental hygienists that can be achieved through an integrated basic dental hygiene curriculum. In addition, an integrated curriculum including the courses Anatomy, Histology & Embryology, Physiology, Structure and Function of the Human Body/Head/Neck, and Structure and Function of the Oral Cavity was established. Conclusion This study presents a specific example for developing a competency-based integrated curriculum that can be used as a framework to derive a competency-based integrated curriculum among subjects that can be integrated according to the linkage of learning contents and the competencies that can be achieved.