So-Youn An

Purpose: Accurate assessment of skeletal maturation is important for timing pediatric dental and orthodontic interventions. This study compared bone age estimates generated by two AI-based programs, CRESCOM MediAI-BA and VUNO Med-BoneAge^®, in Korean children and adolescents undergoing orthodontic diagnostic evaluation. Methods: This retrospective study compared bone-age estimates generated by CRESCOM MediAI-BA and VUNO Med-BoneAge^® using left hand–wrist radiographs from 200 Korean children and adolescents (100 boys and 100 girls; 6–17 years) undergoing orthodontic diagnostic evaluation. Chronological age and program-derived bone age were compared by sex and age group using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Standardized differences were summarized using Cohen’s d, and Spearman correlations were calculated among chronological age, program-derived bone age, and the CRESCOM skeletal maturity indicator (SMI). Results: The standardized differences between chronological age and CRESCOM-predicted bone age were very small in boys (d = 0.143) and small in girls (d = 0.258). Corresponding differences for VUNO Med-BoneAge^® were small in boys (d = 0.254) and girls (d = 0.216). CRESCOM SMI correlated strongly with chronological age (ρ = 0.852), VUNO-predicted bone age (ρ = 0.910), and CRESCOM-predicted bone age (ρ = 0.932; all p < 0.001). However, statistically significant age- and sex-specific differences were observed between chronological age and AI-predicted bone age and between the two programs. Conclusions: CRESCOM MediAI-BA may provide clinically useful adjunctive information for skeletal-maturity assessment; nevertheless, AI-derived bone-age estimates from different programs should not be considered interchangeable and should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical findings and established skeletal-maturity indicators.

Purpose: This study aimed to implement a dental instrument reprocessing management system based on wireless ICT and RFID technology and evaluate its operational efficiency and applicability in the dental clinical setting. Materials and Methods: For the development of the instrument reprocessing system, hardware components including RFID tags, RFID readers, wireless internet devices, and a central server were integrated with software management programs. Once operational, the system collected information in real-time at each stage of the reprocessing workflow. System performance was evaluated in terms of stability, efficiency, and data accuracy. Results: During pilot operation, the system automatically recorded the reprocessing history of each instrument in chronological order. Functions such as verification of sterilization completion, real-time status monitoring, error detection in sterilization, and validity management were successfully implemented. Compared to traditional paper-based recording, instances of missing records and errors were significantly reduced, and rapid traceability was enabled in case of suspected infection events. Conclusion: The RFID-based dental instrument reprocessing management system can overcome limitations in repetitive and complex reprocessing workflows in dental practice, enhance operational efficiency, and provide tangible support for improving infection control standards.

Background: This study determined the validity and applicability of introducing a healthcare-associated infection surveillance system in dental hospitals using the Delphi technique. Methods: The Delphi questionnaire was developed by conducting a systematic literature review and focus group interview involving five dentists and dental hygienists with experience in performing infection control in dental hospitals and three infection control experts. The Delphi survey was administered to 16 experts, including 6 dentists and 5 dental hygienists with experience in infection control, 2 infection control nurses, and 3 infectious disease physicians. Results: The Delphi survey demonstrated a high level of agreement on the necessity of introducing a healthcare-associated infection surveillance system in dental hospitals and the need for dental hospitals to participate in the “Korean National Healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance System” that is currently operated on a national level. However, the level of agreement on the applicability was low given the lack of employees responsible for infection control. Conclusions: Surveillance criteria and a system for process indicators suitable for dental hospitals should be established. We suggest developing infection surveillance indicators and applying trials of the items with a high priority, as assessed in this study, to support dental hospitals’ participation in the “Korean National Healthcare-associated Infections Surveillance System”.

Background: Dental caries, periodontal disease, and malocclusion are common childhood oral diseases strongly influenced by lifestyle factors, including sleep, exercise, and media use. In Korea, the prevalence of dental caries among elementary school children is approximately 20–25%, periodontal disease 1–2%, and malocclusion 12–18%. Sleep is a key determinant of child health; insufficient sleep is linked to weakened immunity, higher systemic inflammation, and greater susceptibility to cariogenic bacteria, suggesting a potential pathway to poor oral health. This study aimed to analyze the combined effects of sleep duration, exercise frequency, and media use on oral health indicators in Korean elementary school students. Methods: We analyzed Student Health Examination data from the Ministry of Education (2021–2023) for 93,220 children aged 6–12 years. Oral health indicators included dental caries prevalence (DCP), required rate of improved oral hygiene (RRIOH), periodontal disease prevalence (PDP), and malocclusion prevalence (MP). Sleep duration was categorized as short (2 h/day) were assessed as lifestyle factors. Associations were examined using the Rao-Scott χ² test and logistic regression. Results: Short sleep was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of all oral health indicators, with particularly strong associations for DCP and PDP. Low exercise frequency and excessive media use were also linked to increased DCP and RRIOH. These lifestyle factors were closely interrelated with sleep duration. Conclusions: Short sleep, infrequent exercise, and high media use form a lifestyle pattern associated with poor oral health in children. Improving sleep and lifestyle habits should be emphasized as a preventive strategy in pediatric dentistry.

This study aimed to evaluate the current oral health status of Korean children and adolescents and investigate the correlation between fasting plasma glucose levels and oral health in individuals with overweight and obesity. A total of 121,682 participants were selected from the Survey of School Health Examination data provided by the Ministry of Education over the last 5 years to assess recent oral health status and related factors. Among them, 18,105 students with overweight or obesity who had their fasting plasma glucose levels measured were assessed for blood glucose-related analysis. Based on fasting blood glucose levels, the participants were categorized into normal, impaired fasting glucose, and diabetes groups. The associations of these groups with dental caries, oral hygiene, and periodontal diseases were investigated. There were significant associations between demographic factors, health-related behaviors, and blood glucose levels with oral health. Increased fasting blood glucose levels were associated with poor oral health. These results suggest that glycemic management is important in enhancing the oral health of overweight and obese children and adolescents.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated an accelerated shift in education, moving from traditional learning to web-based learning. This transition introduced a notable transactional distance (TD) between the instructors and learners. Although disease control and staff and students’ safety are the top priorities during a pandemic, the successful delivery of education is equally crucial. However, the ramifications of this swift transition are particularly critical in the context of dental education. Dental education is inherently practice oriented, necessitating hands-on training and manual skills development, which poses unique challenges to distance learning approaches. Objective: This study aims to examine dental students’ web-based learning satisfaction and experience of TD, investigate the predictors of web-based learning satisfaction, and explore the perceptions of students about the advantages and disadvantages of web-based learning. Methods: This study explored the factors associated with web-based learning satisfaction using TD theory during the transition to web-based education. Psychological factors that could influence satisfaction were adapted from the health belief model. We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of 345 dental students from 2 institutions in South Korea who were enrolled in the spring semester of 2020. Data were collected between July 8 and September 14, 2020. Qualitative analysis was used to examine responses to open-ended questions concerning perceptions of web-based learning. Results: A multivariate hierarchical linear regression model was used to analyze the effects of student characteristics, TD, and psychological factors (ie, perceived risk of infection and efficacy belief of web-based learning) on web-based learning satisfaction. The average score for web-based learning satisfaction was 3.62 (SD 0.84), just above the midpoint of the possible range (1-5). Self-regulated learning (β=0.08; P=.046), learner-instructor interaction (β=0.08; P=.03), and learner-content interaction (β=0.64; P<.001) were associated with higher levels of satisfaction. Moreover, a significant association was revealed between high efficacy beliefs in web-based learning (β=0.20; P<.001) and satisfaction. Although the learning structure (synchronous vs asynchronous) did not exhibit a significant association with satisfaction, the qualitative analysis results revealed that each structure possesses distinct strengths and weaknesses. The students in synchronous learning (79/345, 22.9%) recognized heightened autonomy in the “learning environment” (19/79, 24%); however, technical issues (28/79, 35%) and reduced concentration (15/79, 19%) were identified as downsides. Conversely, the students in asynchronous settings (266/345, 77.1%) emphasized unlimited access to learning content (74/266, 27.8%) and the flexibility of “learning in preferred time” (69/266, 25.9%). Nevertheless, challenges, such as self-management difficulties (66/266, 24.8%) and limited interactions (55/266, 20.7%), were evident. Conclusions: The findings suggest that efforts to minimize TD, facilitating self-regulated learning and interaction among students and instructors, are critical for achieving web-based learning satisfaction. Moreover, establishing a common understanding among students regarding the necessity and efficacy of web-based learning during epidemics could enhance their satisfaction.

So-Youn An, Hyeon-Jin Kim, Ho-Uk Lee, Sang-Ho Bak, Hyo-Jin Kang, and Youn-Soo Shim. J Dent Hyg Sci 2023;23:245-54. https://doi.org/10.17135/jdhs.2023.23.4.245

So-Youn An, Eun-Hee Kim, Ho-Uk Lee, Sang-Ho Bak, Hyo-Jin Kang, and Youn-Soo Shim. J Dent Hyg Sci 2023;23:112-22. https://doi.org/10.17135/jdhs.2023.23.2.112

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has precipitated an accelerated shift in education, moving from traditional learning to web-based learning. This transition introduced a notable transactional distance (TD) between the instructors and learners. Although disease control and staff and students’ safety are the top priorities during a pandemic, the successful delivery of education is equally crucial. However, the ramifications of this swift transition are particularly critical in the context of dental education. Dental education is inherently practice oriented, necessitating hands-on training and manual skills development, which poses unique challenges to distance learning approaches. OBJECTIVE This study aims to examine dental students’ web-based learning satisfaction and experience of TD, investigate the predictors of web-based learning satisfaction, and explore the perceptions of students about the advantages and disadvantages of web-based learning. METHODS This study explored the factors associated with web-based learning satisfaction using TD theory during the transition to web-based education. Psychological factors that could influence satisfaction were adapted from the health belief model. We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of 345 dental students from 2 institutions in South Korea who were enrolled in the spring semester of 2020. Data were collected between July 8 and September 14, 2020. Qualitative analysis was used to examine responses to open-ended questions concerning perceptions of web-based learning. RESULTS A multivariate hierarchical linear regression model was used to analyze the effects of student characteristics, TD, and psychological factors (ie, perceived risk of infection and efficacy belief of web-based learning) on web-based learning satisfaction. The average score for web-based learning satisfaction was 3.62 (SD 0.84), just above the midpoint of the possible range (1-5). Self-regulated learning (β=0.08; P=.046), learner-instructor interaction (β=0.08; P=.03), and learner-content interaction (β=0.64; P<.001) were associated with higher levels of satisfaction. Moreover, a significant association was revealed between high efficacy beliefs in web-based learning (β=0.20; P<.001) and satisfaction. Although the learning structure (synchronous vs asynchronous) did not exhibit a significant association with satisfaction, the qualitative analysis results revealed that each structure possesses distinct strengths and weaknesses. The students in synchronous learning (79/345, 22.9%) recognized heightened autonomy in the “learning environment” (19/79, 24%); however, technical issues (28/79, 35%) and reduced concentration (15/79, 19%) were identified as downsides. Conversely, the students in asynchronous settings (266/345, 77.1%) emphasized unlimited access to learning content (74/266, 27.8%) and the flexibility of “learning in preferred time” (69/266, 25.9%). Nevertheless, challenges, such as self-management difficulties (66/266, 24.8%) and limited interactions (55/266, 20.7%), were evident. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that efforts to minimize TD, facilitating self-regulated learning and interaction among students and instructors, are critical for achieving web-based learning satisfaction. Moreover, establishing a common understanding among students regarding the necessity and efficacy of web-based learning during epidemics could enhance their satisfaction. CLINICALTRIAL

So-Youn An, Myung-Jin Lee, Min-Kyung Kang, and Youn-Soo Shim. J Dent Hyg Sci 2023;23:60-7. https://doi.org/10.17135/jdhs.2023.23.1.60