Relationship of academic achievement and residency training according to admission factors in dental school

Seungwon Song , Minje Lee , Hoi-Jeong Lim

Abstract : Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between dental school students’ admission scores and their grade point average (GPA) after admission, as well as the relationship between student admission scores at dental school and continuation into the residency program.Methods: This study analyzed data collected from students who entered dental school between 2013 and 2017. The outcome variables were dental school GPA and continuation into residency program. Explanatory variables included admission type (early decision admission/regular admission), academic achievements (undergraduate GPA, Dental Education Eligibility Test [DEET], Test of English Proficiency [TEPS], screening by document review, and in-depth interview score), age, sex, college alma mater, high school alma mater, college major, as well as students’ academic performance in dental school. Regression analysis was performed to determine which factors relating to dental school admissions score had an influence on academic performance in dental school, whereas logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine the students’ decision to pursue a residency.Results: Students who were foreign college graduates, majored in health sciences, accepted on the basis of early decision admission, female, or had a higher college GPA showed higher dental school GPA with statistical significance. Additionally, the likelihood of students pursuing residency was found to be higher in students who were female, of younger age, college graduates in Jeolla Provinces, or who had a higher dental school GPA.Conclusions: To ensure regional equality of dental service quality, it is essential that high quality students pursue residency training. For further improvement of dental school, this study’s results can be used as a reference to make students coming from other regions pursue the residency program and contribute to the regional community.

Antimicrobial effects of green tea extract-containing dentifrice

Eun-Ji You , Ja-Won Cho , Hyun-Jun Yoo , Jae-Seung Yea

Abstract : Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of green tea extract containing dentifrice on oral disease-causing bacteria.Methods: The antibacterial activity of green tea extract containing dentifrice was examined on the gram-positive bacteria Actinomyces israelii, Enterococcus faecalis, Filifactor alocis, Streptococcus mutans, and gram-negative bacteria Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis . A. israelii, E. faecalis, F. alocis, S. mutans, F. nucleatum, and P. gingivalis were cultured with green tea extract containing dentifrice or control dentifrice; they were then incubated at 37°C under anaerobic conditions and cultured. Following incubation, a microplate reader was used to measure the absorbance and observe the number of bacteria. Statistical significance tests were conducted using the Mann-Whitney test and SPSS 24.0.Results: Green tea containing dentifrice has antibacterial activity against A. israelii, E. faecalis, F. alocis, S. mutans, F. nucleatum, and P. gingivalis. Furthermore, green tea containing dentifrice killed more than 99.99% of 4 strains of gram-positive bacteria and 2 strains of gram-negative bacteria.Conclusions: The detergent with green tea extract is significantly reduced the bacteria applied in this experiment; dentifrice has a bactericidal and antibacterial effect against oral bacteria. Therefore, the detergent with green tea extract is thought to be helpful in preventing dental caries and periodontal disease.

The effect of depression on tooth brushing frequency in the elderly in Korea

Seung-Yeon Wi , Gyu-Bin Kim , Gaeun Lee , Jinseub Hwang , Yunsook Jung

Abstract : Objectives: This study aimed to identify the relationship between mental health problems and oral health in older adults.Methods: The participants of this study were older adults aged 65 years or older. The study used the data of 16,489 people who responded to the 7th Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of depression on the frequency of tooth brushing when confounding factors such as income quintile and smoking were considered. Statistical software, SAS 9.4 ver. (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) was used.Results: Depressed older adult participants were 1.3 times more likely to brush their teeth less than three times a day than non-depressed participants, which was statistically significant. In women with depression, the odds of brushing their teeth less than three times a day were 1.5 times higher than those without depression, which was statistically significant.Conclusions: Depression in older adults is correlated with the number of tooth brushes per day. Moreover, depression in women affects their number of tooth brushes.

A study on the bristles of commercial toothbrush in Korea

Do-Won Kim , Ji-Eun Kim , Choong-Ho Choi

Abstract : Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the bristle tip morphology of toothbrushes sold in the Korean market.Methods: Tufts were taken from each of the 69 different toothbrushes that were selected. The bristle specimens thus prepared were observed under a phase-contrast microscope. The images taken by the microscope were then classified as round, tapered, or mixed. The proportion of acceptable rounded-end bristles and tapered bristles was then determined.Results: Of the randomly selected 69 toothbrushes, 42 were domestic and 27 were imported. Of the domestic toothbrushes, the proportion of acceptable toothbrushes was 52.4%, whereas the corresponding proportion was 77.8% for imported products. In terms of classification based on tooth brushing techniques, 55.0% of all manual toothbrushes had round-ended bristles. Moreover, based on classification by age, 67.2% of the toothbrushes for adults were acceptable and 75.0% of tooth brushes for children were termed non-acceptable.Conclusions: The majority of toothbrushes sold in the Korean markets have acceptable bristles. However, not one toothbrush had 100% acceptable bristles. The manufactures should improve their manufacturing processes to produce bristles of the intended quality.

Oral malodor prevention effect of toothpaste containing 0.5% zinc citrate and 1,450 ppm fluoride

Sung-Gin Kim , Suk-Bin Jang , Jae-Young Lee , Ja-Won Cho

Abstract : Objectives: This study aims to verify the effect of the use of a toothpaste containing 0.5% zinc citrate and 1,450 ppm fluoride on oral malodor.Methods: In this study, the experimental group using the experimental toothpaste and the control group using the standard toothpaste control toothpaste were allowed to use each toothpaste for 4 weeks and then a clinical test to measure the change in bad breath was conducted. A study was conducted to evaluate the reduction effect. Efficacy was evaluated by conducting BB checker test and Oralchroma test three times in total before the testing 2 weeks and 4 weeks after the test.Results: As a result of measuring the degree of bad breath using the BB checker, before the start of the test, the experimental group was 46.3 and the control group was 47.2. After 2 weeks of the test, the experimental group was 38.5 and the control group was 44.2 and after 4 weeks the experimental group was 29.6 and the control group was 39.2. There was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group after 4 weeks of the test (P

The effects of toothache experience and oral health behavior on Health-Related Quality of Life in Korean adults -using the second edition of the 8th National Health Nutrition Survey (2019-2020)

Sun Rak Jeong , Ji Eon Jang

Abstract : Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between toothache, oral health behaviors, and the quality of health-related life of Korean adults. A national nutrition survey representative of Korea was used. The study presents basic material for developing health improvement and dental health programs to highlight the importance of oral health management and Health-Related Quality of Life improvement.Methods: The second edition of the 8th national health nutrition survey data was used for this study. The subjects were 5,922 Korean adults aged 19 years and above.Results: There was a significant difference in gender, age, marital status, education, income, toothache experience, subjective oral health condition, and the number of daily toothbrushes in participants’ Health-Related Quality of Life. For gender, “male” had an overall higher quality of life which was statistically significant. In toothache experience, Health-Related Quality of Life was significantly higher at 0.027 with “none” (P

Consideration on the role of the regional oral care center for persons with disabilities and the appropriate role of specialized dental hygienists

Tae-Hee Go , Suk-Bin Jang , Jae-Young Lee , Ja-Won Cho

Abstract : Objectives: This study aims to define the role of the local dental clinic for people with disabilities and the appropriate role of the dental hygienist to resolve oral health inequality with people with disabilities.Methods: From September 12, 2022 to November 11, 2022, 16 experts who voluntarily participated in the research, among the experts recommended by the related institutes, were selected through stratification analysis. The results of this study and improvement plans are as follows.Results: First, as a result of measuring the importance of the role of a regional oral care center for people with disabilities in the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) middle category, check-up was found to be the most important (0.364, C.I=0.01). For examination, a facility visit checkup and regular checkups were required. Second, as a result of measuring the importance of the role of a dedicated dental hygienist in the AHP middle category, the institutional-linked activity was found to be the most important (0.417, C.I=0.02). As for institutional-linked activities, linkage with local community organizations, patient management, and public relations activities were required.Conclusions: Considering these results, the role of a regional oral care center for people with disabilities is to perform examinations and preventive treatments, primary treatments (simple), education and counseling, and establish a smooth medical return system to serve as a base for dental treatment for people with disabilities. Education and counseling are provided through professional patient response and the arrangement of a dedicated dental hygienist, and oral health care is provided to people with disabilities through professional treatment assistance for patients and treatment support and screening, linkage with local community institutions, and patient management. Specialized dental hygienists should play a role in supporting the operation of oral health care for people with disabilities.

The effect of quality of life and interpersonal relationship satisfaction on academic achievement in dental hygiene students

Eun-Ji Hwang , Da-Hui Kim

Abstract : Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of quality of life and interpersonal relationship satisfaction on academic achievement among dental hygiene students.Methods: A survey was conducted on 210 dental hygiene students from Chungcheong, Jeolla, and Gyeongsang.Results: The factors affecting the academic achievement of dental hygiene students were interpersonal relationship satisfaction (β=0.489), quality of life (β=0.243), and grade_dum3 (

A time to explore the future of prevention

Exploration of the experience of caregivers for oral health care for the elderly in long-term care facilities: based on the grounded theory

Ji-A Park , Sol Han , Bo-Hyoung Jin

Abstract : Objectives: This study aims to explore the experience of caregivers in oral health care of the elderly in long-term care facilities, identify the problems, and collect opinions, and to seek improvement directions for strengthening competency and improving services of oral health care for the elderly.Methods: Data on the experience in oral health care of the elderly were collected through focus group interviews (FGI) targeting caregivers in long-term care facilities. The grounded theory method was used. The interview content was categorized by open coding, and a paradigm model was presented by identifying the relationship between the categories through axial coding. Selective coding found core categories.Results: As a result of categorizing the caregivers’ oral care experience of the elderly, 15 categories, 40 sub-categories, and 125 concept/phenomena codes were derived. The central phenomenon was the difficulty of implementing sustainable oral health care. The deterioration of the mental and physical functions of the elderly, the work characteristics of caregivers, and the lack of linkage with internal and external resources of the facility acted as causal conditions for the central phenomenon. The caregiver’s oral health education experience acted as an intervening condition. In an effort to improve the problem, an interaction strategy was derived.Conclusions: It is possible to seek delivery of sustainable oral health care services by caregivers by improving the quality of oral health education and establishing an oral health care service system for the elderly.