Dental Hygienist Job Analysis for Item Development for the Korean Dental Hygienists' Licensing Examination

This study aimed to develop standard items for the Korean Dental Hygienists' Licensing Examination; these items were also earmarked for use in developing the curriculum for dental hygienists, and in writing a job description, based on a job analysis using the Developing A Curriculum Method (DACUM). It also aimed to understand the significance and frequency of task elements that dental hygienists perform. Data were collected by means of a mail survey, in the form of self-entry, from a sample of dental hygienists registered with the Korean Dental Hygienists' Association. In all, 260 responses were analyzed. The tasks of dental hygienists were divided into four categories, 93 tasks, and 494 task elements. There were 281 elements (61%) that scored higher than 3.5 in significance, in the 4-scale items, and 480 elements (98%) that scored higher than 3.0. There were 30 elements (6%) that scored higher than 3.5 in frequency, and 140 elements (29%) that scored higher than 3.0 in frequency. Overall, 130 out of 494 elements (27%) scored higher than 3.0 for both significance and frequency. Therefore, those 130 elements should be included as items in the Korean Dental Hygienists' Licensing Examination. The results can also be used for curriculum development and as the basis of a job description for dental hygienists