Purpose: This study aimed to propose a revision of the evaluation objectives of the Korean Dentist Clinical Skill Test by analyzing the opinions of those involved in the examination after a review of those objectives. Methods: The clinical skill test objectives were reviewed based on the national-level dental practitioner competencies, dental school educational competencies, and the third dental practitioner job analysis. Current and former examinees were surveyed about their perceptions of the evaluation objectives. The validity of 22 evaluation objectives and overlapping perceptions based on area of specialty were surveyed on a 5-point Likert scale by professors who participated in the clinical skill test and dental school faculty members. Additionally, focus group interviews were conducted with experts on the examination. Results: It was necessary to consider including competency assessments for “emergency rescue skills” and “planning and performing prosthetic treatment.” There were no significant differences between current and former examinees in their perceptions of the clinical skill test’s objectives. The professors who participated in the examination and dental school faculty members recognized that most of the objectives were valid. However, some responses stated that “oromaxillofacial cranial nerve examination,” “temporomandibular disorder palpation test,” and “space management for primary and mixed dentition” were unfeasible evaluation objectives and overlapped with dental specialty areas. Conclusion When revising the Korean Dentist Clinical Skill Test’s objectives, it is advisable to consider incorporating competency assessments related to “emergency rescue skills” and “planning and performing prosthetic treatment.”

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review the condition of young adults’ teeth loss and dental prostheses and obtain the financial estimate which was needed for National Health Insurance Coverage for Korean young adults’ dental implant treatment. Methods: This study analyzed young adults between 20 years and 29 years old using the data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The KNHANES data were used to generate indicators related to teeth loss and dental prostheses. In addition, this study estimated the financial data of dental implants for young adults by using the number of population covered by National Health Insurance, the number of dental implants insurance fee, and the number of dental teeth loss per person. Results: Korean young adults have 20.4% of tooth loss holders and 2.1% of them require a tooth extraction. Also, dental implant holders were 2.3%. The estimated finance of dental implant treatment for the Korean young adults was confirmed from a minimum of 55.9 billion to a maximum of 233.0 billion. Conclusions In order to prevent early deterioration of oral health due to teeth loss held by young adults, attention is needed to the National health insurance coverage of implant for young adults.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the correlation between oral health behaviors and problematic experiences associated with smartphone use in adolescents. METHODS: Raw data from the 13th National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) were used. The data were analyzed using a composite sample-planning file. Statistical analysis was performed using PASW Statistics 21.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. RESULTS: There was a negative correlation between family conflicts due to the use of smartphones and brushing teeth after lunch and twice a day. Additionally, there was a negative correlation between peer conflict experiences due to the use of smartphone and brushing teeth twice a day. Academic difficulties of adolescents due to the use of smartphone were negatively correlated with using supplementary oral hygiene devices and brushing teeth twice a day. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the above results, we confirmed that problematic experiences associated with the use of smartphone are correlated with oral health behaviors. Therefore, it is necessary to plan ways to reduce the excessive use of smart phones in adolescents. In addition, it is necessary to develop an efficient tooth-brushing management system that incorporates the use of smartphones or modern devices.
Adolescent ; Family Conflict ; Humans ; Lunch ; Nutrition Surveys ; Oral Health ; Oral Hygiene ; Smartphone ; Tooth

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of job characteristics and non-regular work on the toothbrushing habit and oral check-up in Korean worker.METHODS: This study was approved for the use of raw data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KAHANES, 2016). The raw data was analyzed by complex sampling analysis using IBM SPSS Statistics 21.0 (Chicago, IL, USA). Statistical significance was determined as P < 0.05.RESULTS: The non-regular workers had lower rate of toothbrushing more than twice a day, toothbrushing after lunch, and oral check-up than regular workers. Compared to non-regular workers, the odds ratio of toothbrushing and oral check-up at regular workers increased by 1,464 and 1,717 times, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to find specific directions to expand the oral check-up program so that all workers, including non-regular workers and part-time workers.
Korea ; Lunch ; Nutrition Surveys ; Odds Ratio ; Toothbrushing

The purpose of this study to review clinicians and educators on required communication education factors of dental hygienists using qualitative research by focus group interview. The participants were dentists, dental hygienists and professors. A questionnaire was developed on communication education to collect data. The collated data derived concepts related to communication education. After transferring the data, were analyzed by open coding and axial coding using computer-aided qualitative data analysis software. Focus group emphasized that higher education on communication should be preceded before they are put into the clinical field. However, the dental hygienist emphasized experiential education in the clinical field, the professor emphasized additional education for continuity of communication education even after graduation. Besides, focus group emphasized role play, and the professor required that the standardization of the dental communication training courses objectives and role play modules and the education environment infrastructure should be established to implement communication education efficiently. The categories of communication education stated in the focus group were time and method for the dental communication training courses, dental communication training courses standardization and educational environment, of evaluation of communication competency, of perception of the dental communication training courses. This study identified the communication education development to conform with the needs of the clinical field strengthen and cultivate communication competency dental hygienists based on factors of communication education emphasized in focus groups.
Clinical Coding ; Dental Hygienists* ; Dentists ; Education* ; Focus Groups* ; Humans ; Methods ; Qualitative Research* ; Statistics as Topic

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the oral antimicrobial effects of seven different mouthwashes available in Korea. METHODS: To examine the antimicrobial effects of the seven mouthwashes, their minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) were determined using broth microdilution methods. Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 4355, Candida albicans KCTC 7270, and Porphyromonas gingivalis ATCC 33277 were used in this experiment. S. mutans and P. gingivalis were examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), after treatment with the mouthwashes containing cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC). RESULTS: Mouthwashes containing CPC had lower MIC and MBC values against the four microorganisms. Their bactericidal effects were concentration-dependent. S. mutans and C. albicans were highly sensitive to the concentration of CPC in the mouthwashes. According to the SEM observation, the treatment of bacteria with mouthwashes containing CPC, changed the cell surface texture of S. mutans and P. gingivalis. CONCLUSIONS: Mouthwashes containing CPC showed relatively lower MIC and MBC values under the same conditions against the four microorganisms used in this study.
Bacteria ; Candida albicans ; Cetylpyridinium ; In Vitro Techniques* ; Korea* ; Lactobacillus acidophilus ; Mouthwashes* ; Porphyromonas gingivalis ; Streptococcus mutans