Dental hygienist ; Education curriculum ; Frequency of task ; Oral health education ; Public oral health service center
Keywords
Dental hygienist ; Education curriculum ; Frequency of task ; Oral health education ; Public oral health service center
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of dental hygiene education curriculum such as oral prophylaxis, preventive dentistry, public oral health, oral health statistics, oral health education in the public oral health service performance. Questionnaire survey was posed to 96 dental hygienists working in health centers and health subcenters. The relativity among frequency of task, usefulness, importance, and reinforcement of the education curriculum in the health centers, and the effect of current dental hygiene education curriculum on public oral health service were studied. The results were follows; 1. Sealant was performed the most frequently in the health centers and health subcenters, and it was also the most useful content in the education curriculum. And the tooth brushing method was considered the most important in the curriculum. Therefore, oral health education was considered as factor which required the most reinforcement. However, the issues of school water fluoridation and water fluoridation in the public oral health were barely brought up as a matter of subject. 2. In the relationship between the frequency of task and the usefulness of curriculum, it showed that the more frequency of task was more useful. In the relationship between importance and reinforcements of curriculum, it showed that the more importance of the education curriculum requires more reinforcement. And more frequently performed task should be more strengthened. 3. According to the education course hours, current education curriculum course hours were 532.4 hours, which is 42.9 hours more spent than the original curriculum guideline. Lecture hours were 205.4 hours, which is 50.6 hours less, and the practice hours were 327 hours, which is 93.5 hours more than the original curriculum guideline. 4. Because of the insufficient course hours of curriculum compared to the frequency of the task, the oral health education, oral prophylaxis, and preventive dentistry should be reinforced more than now. But the oral health statistics and public oral health curriculum were not only emphasized, but also any reinforced compared to other tasks.