Journal of Korean Society of Dental Hygiene (J Korean Soc Dent Hyg)
Review Article

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of infection control among dental hygienists in South Korea: a systematic review

Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Medical Science, Gachon University

Correspondence to Gyeong-Soon Han, Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Medical Science, Gachon University, 191 Hambakmoero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21936, Korea. Tel: +82-32-820-4372, Fax: +82-32-820-4370, E-mail: gshan@gachon.ac.kr

Volume 26, Number 4, Pages 427–36, August 2026.
J Korean Soc Dent Hyg 2026;26(4):427–36. https://doi.org/10.13065/jksdh.2026.26.4.2
Received on June 19, 2026, Revised on July 29, 2026, Accepted on August 10, 2026, Published on August 30, 2026.
Copyright © 2026 Journal of Korean Society of Dental Hygiene.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0).

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to systematically review the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) regarding infection control among clinical dental hygienists in Korea. Methods: Comprehensive searches were conducted across domestic and international databases (including Public MEDLINE [PubMed] and Regional Information Sharing Systems [RISS]) for studies published up to May 1, 2026. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 36 studies were selected. Study quality was evaluated using a critical review form. To ensure comparability, the extracted scores were standardized using a 5-point Likert scale, and practice domains were categorized based on the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. Results: Knowledge and awareness levels showed an upward trend. Overall practice levels were reported to be relatively higher following the introduction of the dental healthcare accreditation system in 2017. However, significant variations persisted across specific practice domains. Notably, medical waste management yielded the highest mean scores (3.83–4.75). Conversely, practitioner self-protection indicators, including check-up and vaccination scores (2.85–3.00) and apron application rates (1.1–45.1%), showed the lowest levels, revealing a marked imbalance in infection control implementation. Conclusions: Despite high levels of knowledge regarding infection control, self-protection practices among dental hygienists remain inadequate. To overcome the limitations of the current system, motivation-centric education should be coupled with robust institutional and financial support frameworks such as dental infection prevention and control fees.
Keywords

Attitude, Dental hygienist, Infection control, Knowledge, Practice, Systematic review

서론

이하 퍼블리싱 중.

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