open access
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open access
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ISSN : 0376-4672
Purpose: This study investigated the relationship between private dental insurance enrollment and dental care utilization in South Korea, focusing on how private insurance influences the intensity and frequency of dental service use. By exploring its role in alleviating financial burdens and addressing unmet needs, the findings aimed to inform strategies to enhance accessibility and equity in dental healthcare. Materials and Methods: Data from the second wave of the Korea Health Panel Survey (2019–2021) were analyzed for 11,196 adults aged 19 or older. A two-part model assessed dental care utilization; Part 1 analyzed utilization as a binary variable, and Part 2 examined expenditures and visit frequency. Private dental insurance enrollment was the primary independent variable, with adjustments for demographic, socioeconomic, and health-related factors. Results: Private dental insurance enrollees were more likely to use dental care services than non-enrollees (31.3% vs. 23.5%, P<0.001), with higher odds of utilization (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.18–1.89). Enrollees had higher total ex penditures (β 1.40, 95% CI 1.04–1.89) and costs per visit (β 1.55, 95% CI 1.19–2.01) but similar visit frequencies. Subgroup analyses showed that men, urban residents, and older adults incurred higher expenditures. Conclusion: Private dental insurance is associated with increased dental care utilization and expenditures but not visit frequency. Socioeconomic and demographic factors such as income, gender, and urban residency sig nificantly influence these patterns. These findings underscore private dental insurance’s potential to reduce financial barriers to care while highlighting persistent inequities that warrant targeted policy interventions.
Arterial calcification, which involves calcium deposits in the arterial walls, can be categorized into intimal and medial types. Intimal calcification is often linked to atherosclerotic plaques, while medial calcification is associ ated with aging and hypercalcemia. This case involves a 52-year-old male with severe chronic kidney disease, who is undergoing dialysis treatment. Panoramic radiography revealed arterial calcifications in common carotid, external carotid, internal carotid, lingual, facial, superior labial, and maxillary arteries, bilaterally. Such findings on a panoramic radiograph are rare but quite plausible in patients with severe chronic kidney disease. Panoramic radiographs may not always capture such calcifications, and CT or cone-beam CT might reveal more cases. When detected, the possibility of chronic kidney disease or other hypercalcemia-related conditions should be consid ered.
Dankook University School of Dentistry has established a student cohort system to assess in tooth preparation competency. This system tracks educational outcomes from admission to graduation, consolidating data that was previously scattered. It enables efficient collection and analysis of information across various educational domains. The dataset comprises self-assessment surveys, learning outcome evaluations, academic records, and national dental licensing examination results. This information is utilized for curriculum improvement, student feedback, and patient care strategy development. The cohort system focuses primarily on tooth preparation skills and is used to monitor students' core competencies. Dankook University School of Dentistry aims to improve educational methods and enhance students' clinical abilities through this initiative. This approach represents an implementation of data-driven educational practices in dental education. The information gathered from operat ing the cohort system will be used to refine the educational processes at Dankook University School of Dentistry. The establishment of this tooth preparation competency cohort system demonstrates a structured approach to tracking and improving dental students' skills. It provides a framework for continuous assessment and improve ment of dental education, potentially offering insights for other dental institutions seeking to enhance their educational outcomes and student performance monitoring systems.
Managements of exposed pulp during caries removal are major concerns of dentists. Vital pulp therapy for ex posed pulp is associated with the recognition for the prognosis of pulp preserving procedures. With advance ments in vital pulp therapy, successful results of vital pulp therapy, especially for the teeth with irreversible pulpitis, conflict with treatment guidelines based on the current pulpal diagnosis system. Confusions regarding indications for vital pulp therapy under current pulpal diagnosis system and treatment guidelines attenuate wide spread applications of vital pulp therapy. Analyzing the requirements for improving pulpal diagnosis systems and treatment guidelines, as well as the factors influencing the selection of treatment modalities for exposed pulp, is essential for establishing strategies in studies of vital pulp therapy.
Vital pulp therapy is a treatment procedure that has been applied to immature permanent teeth since pulp cap ping material made of calcium hydroxide was used. However, interest has decreased due to limitations in long term prognosis, but it has recently come into the spotlight again with the use of microscopes, disinfectants, and biocompatible materials. As the high success rate was reported, its application could also be considered for even mature permanent teeth. Immature permanent teeth have good blood flow and healing ability, so the prognosis for vital pulp therapy is good. However, the rapid rate of caries and the partial eruption state bring about various difficulties in the treatment process and can lead to failure. In this article, we will look at the characteristics of immature permanent teeth and share tips for actual clinical practice through clinical cases.