Abstract
Objectives : To provide basic data for preparing effective CPR guidelines and educational programs for dental hygiene students. Methods : Second-year dental hygiene students in the classes of 5 colleges in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do from May, 2010 to September, 2010 were enrolled in this study. The subjects comprised of 113 students who had not received CPR education and 134 students who had. Results : 1. The subjective understanding of CPR increased significantly from 52.2% before the education program to 81.4% after the course. 2. The mean level of knowledge of CPR increased significantly from 3.57 before the education program to 6.10 after the course. 3. The attitude to CPR increased significantly from 64.6% before the education program to 86.6% after the program. 4. The appropriate CPR education timing determined by the subjects was high school(36.3%) and college(27.4%) before the education program but elementary school(38.1%) and high school(26.9%) after the course. Conclusions : Continuous CPR education and the development of a CPR educational program in the curriculum of a dental hygiene department are needed. This will help dental hygiene students perform correct CPR when they encounter cardiac arrest patients.
