한국치위생학회

Current status and future tasks of visiting oral health care services for elders

Sue-Hyang Lee1   Soo-Myoung Bae1,2   Bo-Mi Shin1,2   Hyo-Jin Lee1,2   Sun-Jung Shin1,2,*   

Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Dentistry, Gangneung-Wonju National University
1Research Institute of Oral Science, Gangneung-Wonju National University

Abstract

Objectives: This study confirms the current status of visiting oral health-care services for the elderly to draw policy implications for revitalization of the visiting oral health care services in the future. Methods: First, a survey was conducted on health centers about the current status of the elderly visiting oral health-care service and how to revitalize it. Next, the number of oral hygiene services provided to the elderly was checked in the long-term care insurance system. Results: Oral health education (100%) was the most common practice in visiting oral health-care service for the elderly, and the most difficult thing in providing services was the lack of dental hygienists (38.9%). The status of oral health-care services in the long-term care insurance system for elderly revealed that the total number of service claims has been confirmed to be zero since the introduction of the system. Conclusions: Despite the existence of a system that provides elderly visiting oral health-care services, to revitalize it, the law must be amended to secure a dental hygienist as the main agent of the activity and to further take responsibility for autonomous authority and performance.

Figures & Tables