牙科衛生士的角色與功能探討

中文摘要目前台灣雖然沒有牙科衛生士（dental hygienist）的相關規定或條文限制，但是口腔保健和牙科醫療的工作，確實需要有專業人員幫忙牙醫師來推動，才能提昇醫療品質和效率。再加上牙科衛生士如果沒有明確的角色界定，功能難以發揮，勢必造成牙科衛生士的角色壓力。因此引發本研究動機。本研究採用德菲法，旨在探討牙科衛生士具體的角色功能，並排列出角色重要性的優先順序。本研究共進行了兩次問卷調查，第二次問卷後，專家間即產生共識性。第一次問卷寄發產、官、學界105位專家，完成二次問卷的有63位，其中產界24位（70.59 %）、官界22位（70.97 %）、學界17位（62.59 %）。本研究的專家認為牙科衛生士的角色功能應由傳統的臨床醫療輔助擴展至口腔健康促進，來提升醫療服務的深度和廣度。專家認為在「稱謂」上以牙科衛生士和牙科助理最為恰當。在「服務面」最優先重要的角色功能是「親切的接待人員」和「態度熱心的約診人員」；在「行政面」最優先重要的角色功能是「健保申報人員」和「病歷管理人員」；在「技術面」最優先重要的角色功能是「四手或六手操作人員」和「消毒管理人員」；在「口腔衛教面」最優先重要的角色功能是「潔牙器具使用說明人員」和「口腔衛教人員」。在「訓練課程」方面最優先重要的課程是「人際關係」和「口腔衛生推廣教育」。本研究結果促使牙科產、官、學各界對牙科衛生士角色功能的認知達一致性，並可依重要性優先順序擬定牙科衛生士職前、在職訓練，並提供各界參考使用。關鍵語：牙科、牙科衛生士、角色功能、德菲法

關鍵字

牙科；牙科衛生士；角色功能；德菲法

並列摘要

英文摘要 In Taiwan, there is no rule or policy about dental hygienists. But dental hygienists are necessary to assist dentist for oral health promotion and dental treatments. That is the way to improve the quality and efficiency of dental service. Without a definition of the position, dental hygienists had difficulties in developing their function and suffered from role pressure. These issues triggered the motivation of this study. Delphi technique was used in this study to search for substantial role functions of dental hygienists and rank them according to their importance. There were two questionnaires used, a consensus was reached among experts questioned at the second questionnaire. The first one was sent to 105 experts from the industry, government and academies. Of the 63 completed both two questionnaires were 24 dentists (70.59 %), 22 officials (70.97 %), 17 scholars (62.59 %). The experts who had done this Delphi study thought role and function of a dental hygienist should expand from “case treatment” oriented to “oral health promotion” so as to increase the width and depth of dental care. The experts thought the most important role and function of a dental hygienist in “name” includes “dental hygienist” and “dental assistant”. In “service”, the most important role and function are “the nice receptionist” and “the eager appointment man”. In “administration”, the most important role and function are “the applier for health insurance payment” and “the manager of patient record”. In “technology”, the most important role and function is “the four- or six-hander worker” and “the manager of disinfection”. In “oral health”, the most important role and function are “the explainer for oral health” and “the promoter for oral health”. In “courses”, the most important courses are “interpersonal relationships” and “the education of oral health promotion”. The result promotes a conscious among the experts was reached for dental hygienists’ role and function. The rank of the importance can provide a reference for training dental hygienists pre- and in-service.