Abstract
Objectives : The purpose of this study is to train talents with high quality in dental hygienists by suggesting problems and proposing basic data available for applying to development in dental hygiene curriculum, through analyzing contents of dental hygiene curriculum. Methods : To analyze curriculum of educational institutions for dental hygienists between America and Korea, it utilized materials that were notified on each university homepage, analyzed documents, analyzed curricular content analysis, comparatively analyzed America's ASDHEP field, and comparatively analyzed Biomedical Science field, dentistry field, prevention and public field, clinical dental hygiene field, integrated curriculum, and teaching course between domestic university and American university. Results : 1. The basic field of ASDHEP was indicated the average credit in 28.6 for 4-year university with establishment and the average credit in 26.9 for 3-year university with establishment. The curricular subject field of ASDHEP except the basic field was indicated the average credit in 29.45 for 4-year university with establishment and the average credit in 30.68 for 3-year university with establishment. The prevention and public field by university was indicated the totally average credit in 27.5 for 4-year university and in 26.2 for 3-year university. The clinical dental hygiene field by university was indicated the totally average credit in 27.5 for 4-year university and in 35.0 for 3-year university. The integrated curriculum was indicated to be established dental hygiene practice(3 universities), dental clinics practice for Dept. of clinical dental hygiene(2 universities), and comprehensive dental hygiene practice(1 university) for 4-year university, and to be established clinical dental hygiene(2 universities), comprehensive dental hygiene practice, dental hygiene practice, and dental clinics practice(1 university, respectively) for 3-year university. Comparing the teaching courses by university, they were established diversely from 8 credits to 2 credits. Conclusions : Seeing the above findings, a plan for dental hygiene curriculum needs to be continuously developed so that dental hygienists can enter upon a professional career. Development in the international standard curriculum proper for global era is considered to be desperately needed.
