• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.621-630
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• 2017

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate awareness and performance of infection control by dental hygienist. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was answered by 239 dental hygienists working in dental clinics from September 7 to 18, 2016 in Gwangju city & Jeonnam region after explaining the purpose of the study and receiving the informed consent. The questionnaire consisted of sociodemographic characteristics and awareness and performance of infection control using Likert 4 point scale. Results: Average of Infection control awareness was $3.33{\pm}0.38$, average of infection control Performance was $3.04{\pm}0.37$ (p<0.05). The awareness and practice of dental equipment management showed the largest difference. The awareness of infection control by general characteristics varied according to position, number of dental units, number of employees, Infection control needs, Received infection control training experience, infection experience, infection control guideline (p<0.05). The relationship between infection control awareness and Infection control performance was r = 0.624 (p<0.001), indicating positive correlation. Conclusions: To improve awareness and performance of dental hygienist's infection control, regular received infection control training experience is needed. It is considered that the dentist's active cooperation is needed in shortening the life span of the dental equipment due to the Infection control performance and securing the quantity.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2023

Objectives: This study analyzed a total of 30 domestic research trends related to dental infection control from 2013 to 2022. Methods: Two researchers analyzed the research question, "What are the research trends on infection control in dental hygiene at dental clinics and dental hygiene education institutions?" The selected literature was classified according to the research subject and the purpose of the study. Results: The study sample comprised 63% dental hygienists, 30% dental hygiene students, and 7% dental workers. The research topics on dental infection control were classified into knowledge, awareness, practice, infection control education, clinic environment, and infection control personnel. The largest proportion of research on dental infection control were about awareness and practice of infection control (69%). Clinic environment, knowledge, infection control education, and infection control personnel appeared in order. Conclusions: It is believed that this can be used as a reference material to present the direction of research design for researchers studying in infection control in the field of dental hygiene in the future.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Dental Administration
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of dental infection control experienced by dental hygiene students in clinical practice institutions to identify problems and improve infection control in dental institutions. This study conducted online surveys targeting 269 dental hygiene students from universities that conducted clinical practice to determine the students' level of awareness regarding dental infection control in dental institutions and the reality of infection control in dental institutions. The results showed that dental hygiene students recognized the need for infection control and education about infection control at a high level. However, only 47% of the students were accurately informed about COVID-19. Basic instruments, periodontal instruments, and implant surgical instruments were sterilized after use for each patient, mostly by the institution, but 3-way syringe tips, preservation instruments and prosthetic instruments were more frequently reused without sterilization immediately after use. For dental infection control to be practiced at dental institutions, it is necessary to establish a systematic and safe infection control system, including infection control education, designation of infection managers, and provision of infection control guidelines.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.547-556
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the infection control education experiences of dental hygienists and the state of their infection control. Methods : The subjects in this study were the dental hygienists who worked in Seoul. The relationship of their infection control education experiences to their gender, marital status, academic credential, workplace, length of service, infection control implementation, experience of being exposed to infection, way of coping with it, hand washing, use of personal protection devices and equipment management was analyzed. Results : It is found that the variable to affect the state of infection control was educational experiences about handpiece water pipe management, ultrasonic scaler water pipe management and three-way syringe water pipe management. Conclusions : Dental hygienists who are one of major dental personnels should receive systematic education on infection control to acquire accurate knowledge to ensure the successful prevention of cross infection.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.769-777
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• 2017

Objectives: The study was to promote patient safety by analyzing the effect of dental hygienist's perception of patient safety culture on infection control activities. Methods: The study is based on a survey of 377 dental hygienists in total working in dental settings. The questionnaire consisted of 119 questions, including 34 questions on perception of patient safety culture, and 85 questions on infection control activities. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the perception of patient safety culture and infection control activities. The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 20.0, and p<0.05 was adopted to decide on significance. Results: The longer dental hygienists have worked n the dental settings, the more active they become in infection control activities. Among the different types of dental care settings, general (university) hospitals had the largest number of infection control activities, followed by dental clinics, and network dental clinics, in descending order. The dental settings possessing a higher number of dental hygienists were found to conduct more infection control activities than other dental settings. In addition, it was found that when a dental setting adopts a patient safety policy across all the units in the hospital, more systems and procedures for patient safety tend to be established, and that stricter management response to error leads to improvement of infection control activities. Conclusions:In order to enhance infection control activities, infection control activity programs should develop and implement periodic reinforcement of infection control education. regular monitoring of infection control activities.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.363-369
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the cognition and practice of infection control in the dental hygienists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 220 dental hygienists in Busan and Gyeongnam from August 1 to 31, 2014. The questionnaire was adapted from Nam. The questionnaire consisted of four questions of the general characteristics of the subjects, two questions of infection control factors, four questions of clinic environment, 50 questions of awareness of infection control, and 50 questions of infection control practice. Cronbach's alpha in the awareness of infection control was 0.958 and that in infection control practice was 0.950. Results: The dental hygienists in the large scale hospitals tended to have higher score of cognition and practice of infection control thatn those in the small scale hospitals(p<0.001). Small scale hospitals tended to have lower infection rate than the large scale hospitals. The education for the infection control guideline reduced the infection prevalence rate. Conclusions: In order to reduce the infection prevalence rate, it is necessary to educate the dental hygienists continuously and to provide the infection control guideline to the dental clinics.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.645-653
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify the difference between the awareness and reuser rate of infection control t for disposable dental care supplies (DDCS) according to general characteristics and infection management-related characteristics. Methods: A questionnaire was used for 277 dental hygienists to check the general characteristics, infection management-related characteristics, awareness of infection control disposable dental care products, syringe needle, prophylaxis cup, prophylaxis brush, plastic saliva ejector, orthodontic bracket, and gloves reuse rate. Results: The awareness of infection control for DDCS differed according to 'hospital type', 'average number of patients per day', 'presence or absence of infection control guidelines', and 'experience in infection management training in the last two years' (p<0.05). Reuser rates of disposable dental care products differed according to 'hospital type', 'average number of patients per day', 'presence or absence of infection control guidelines', and 'experience in infection management training in the last two years' (p<0.05). Conclusions: In order to manage infection of DDCS, the level of infection control system in the workplace is improved and support for related education is needed. In addition, guidelines and regulations on prohibition of reuse and classification criteria for various DDCS should be prepared.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.161-172
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• 2022

Purpose : The study was to promote patient safety by analyzing the effect of dental hygienist's perception of patient safety culture on infection control activities. Methods : The study is based on a survey of 210 dental hygienists in total working in dental settings. To find out infection control activities according to patient safety culture awareness, there were 6 general characteristics, 3 teamwork within the department, 2 infection control systems, 4 surface management, 9 equipment washing, disinfection, and laundry management, 4 infectious wastes, and 3 personal protection phrases.The data was analyzed using the SPSS version 20.0, and p<.05 was adopted to decide on significance. Results : The longer dental hygienists have worked n the dental settings, the more active they become in infection control activities. Among the different types of dental care settings, general (university) hospitals had the largest number of infection control activities, followed by dental clinics, and network dental clinics, in descending order. The dental settings possessing a higher number of dental hygienists were found to conduct more infection control activities than other dental settings. In addition, it was found that when a dental setting adopts a patient safety policy across all the units in the hospital, more systems and procedures for patient safety tend to be established, and that stricter management response to error leads to improvement of infection control activities. Conclusion :In order to enhance infection control activities, infection control activity programs should develop and implement periodic reinforcement of infection control education. regular monitoring of infection control activities.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.226-232
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• 2017

This study aims to determine the changes in health beliefs and practices of dental hygienists on infection control after having received special training on that subject. The study population consisted of dental hygienists working at the dental institutions located in Seoul and Gyeonggi areas. The intervention group and the control group each had randomly assigned 26 dental hygienists. The intervention group received training courses on infection control once a week for 3 hours, for a total of 4 training sessions. We used a survey tool to find the changes between the two groups regarding their health beliefs and practices on infection control measures. The survey was conducted prior to the training sessions, 3 months and 2 weeks after the training. The study results revealed statistically significant increases in perceived sensitivity, perceived seriousness, and perceived benefits after the training courses in the intervention group (p<0.05). A statistically significant decrease in perceived barriers was also noted in the intervention group (p<0.05). Additionally, there was a statistically significant increase in the practice of infection control in the intervention group as compared to the control group (p<0.05). Therefore, we conclude that infection control training is crucial in bringing about positive changes to the health beliefs of dental hygienists, and a structured system is necessary for continuous infection management along with training in order to improve infection control practices.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.677-688
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• 2019

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of dental hospital accreditation and the awareness and practice of infection control in dental hygienists. Methods: A self-reported questionnaire was completed by 238 dental hygienists working at dental hospitals in Gwangju Jeonnam and analyzed from October 24, 2016 to September 22, 2017. Data were analyzed with the independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software, version 21.0. Results: Compared to non-accredited dental hospitals, all three variables were high for accredited dental hospitals. In accredited dental hospitals, healthcare accreditation expectancy effects correlated to awareness (r=0.407) and practice (r=0.533) of infection control, and awareness of infection control correlated to its practice (r=0.725). In non-accredited dental hospitals, healthcare accreditation expectancy effects correlated to awareness of infection control (r=0.239), and awareness of infection control correlated to its practice (r=0.481). Accredited dental hospitals showed healthcare accreditation expectancy effects (${\beta}=0.258$) and awareness of infection control (${\beta}=0.556$), and non-accredited dental hospitals were influenced by the number of employees (${\beta}=0.567$) and awareness of infection control (${\beta}=0.376$). Conclusions: It is necessary to develop efficient and systematic infection control programs to improve the awareness and practice of infection control in dental hygienists and patient's safety in the clinical field.