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

Critical review of the radiographic practicum environment in Korean dental hygiene programs and a quantitative framework for controlled intersubject practice: focusing on the dual legal framework and dosimetric analysis

Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Health Science, Dankook University

Correspondence to Seon-Jip Kim, Department of Dental Hygiene, College of Health Science, Dankook University, 119 Dandae-ro, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan 31116, Republic of Korea. Tel: +82-41-550-1497, E-mail: seonjip@dankook.ac.kr

Volume 26, Number 4, Pages 413–25, August 2026.
J Korean Soc Dent Hyg 2026;26(4):413–25. https://doi.org/10.13065/jksdh.2026.26.4.1
Received on May 26, 2026, Revised on June 20, 2026, Accepted on August 09, 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: In this review, the dual legal framework governing the radiographic practicum in Korean dental hygiene education is analyzed, a quantitative safety range is derived for intersubject practice, and policy directions are proposed. Methods: A critical narrative review was performed by integrating an analysis of Korean statutes, the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) dosimetric framework, the 2024 Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) diagnostic reference level guidelines, and international comparisons. Results: Student radiography of human subjects is restricted, not by an explicit statute, but by an administrative interpretation combining the Medical Service Technologists Act and the Nuclear Safety Act. The 2024 Enforcement Rule Appendix 1 widens this regulatory gap by phasing in a mandatory clinical practicum, while practical restrictions on student radiography remain unchanged. Using published dose-area product-to-effective-dose conversion coefficients with the 2024 KDCA diagnostic reference levels, the estimated effective dose for one adult mandibular molar periapical exposure was 3–6 μSv; within an operational reference level of 100 μSv/year (10% of the public limit), approximately 20 exposures per student per year fall within a quantitatively reviewable range. Mannequin and virtual reality simulators retain inherent limitations that intersubject practice may complement. Conclusions: Within the conservative operational benchmark proposed here, quantitative guidelines permitting controlled intersubject practice may support the minimum clinical competency of new dental hygienists, informing future discussion on statutory amendments and curricular integration.
Keywords

Dental education, Dental hygienists, Dental radiography, Radiation dosage, Radiation protection

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