SoIchiro Hirata

Evaluation of a Japanese “Prevention of Long-term Care” project for the improvement in oral function in the high-risk elderly

Aim:  The purpose of this study was to analyze the improvement in oral function and environment in high‐risk elderly persons participating in a program to improve oral function organized by their local government.

Factor analysis on oral health care for acute hospitalized patients in Japan

Aim:  We conducted a survey to investigate the status regarding the implementation of oral health care for inpatients aged 65 years and older who were in the acute stages of stroke and to examine the factors related to the details of excellent model hospitals.

Targeting Individual Empowerment to Raise Leaders for Local Oral Health Promotion in Japan

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of human resources for health promotion advocacy in a rural community. A 16-item questionnaire was sent to 1000 residents of a rural Japanese town. Items concerned demographics, participation in organizational activities, awareness of volunteer activities, and willingness to participate in community-based oral health activities. Responses were measured on a 5-point scale. The response rate was 57.4%. To reveal potential factors from the distribution of responses, a principal component analysis was performed, and 4 components were extracted. The components were interpreted as “Municipality initiative,” “Personal initiative,” “Worth volunteering,” and “Internal health locus of control (HLC),” respectively. The results of multiple regression analysis using the above components stratified by gender and age- group revealed that potential leaders in oral health activities in Japan are presently participating in social activities of their own accord and highly value volunteer activity. Target groups are senior males and middle-aged females.

Treatment Capabilities of Postgraduate Dental Trainees at okyo Dental College Suidobashi Hospital Based on Dental Services Income

As of fiscal year 2006, it became compulsory for all newly licensed dentists in Japan to undergo a year of practical training at one of the designated training facilities found throughout the country as part of their postgraduate programs. The goal of this training is for the trainees to acquire diagnostic and therapeutic skills. While officially trainees, they are nonetheless regarded as members of staff. Clinical training emphasizes improving both technical skills and theoretical knowledge. However, taking on such trainees is sometimes considered unprofitable, as work productivity is claimed to be low. The purpose of this study was to compare work outcomes and income generated between trainees and part-time dentists working at the Tokyo Dental College Suidobashi Hospital. The part-time dentists comprised clinical instructors and dentists responsible for outpatients. Postgraduate dental trainees also generally conduct dental treatment for outpatients. Therefore, part-time dentists were considered the most suitable for a control group. No significant difference was observed in the total number of patients seen by either group by the final term of clinical training. Furthermore, no significant difference was observed in insurance-based dental treatment unit income (insured care unit income) per patient between the two groups from the mid-term period of training onwards. These results suggest that, although the trainees were less efficient in terms of time taken to provide a diagnosis and treatment, their performance was almost equal when viewed from the viewpoint of insured care provided. Taken together, this suggests that time-related care efficiency must be increased and specific training policies and strategies developed to improve the work productivity of dental trainees.

Geographic distribution of specialist orthodontists and orthodontic providers in Japan

Abstract Objective This study aimed to clarify the geographic distribution of specialist orthodontists and dentists who provide orthodontic services in Japan. Methods We obtained data on the populations of 1750 municipalities in Japan in 2010 by referring to the census. We obtained data on the number of dentists who mainly provide orthodontic services (specialist orthodontists) and the number of dentists, including general dentists, who provide orthodontic services (orthodontic providers), by referring to the Survey of Physicians, Dentists, and Pharmacists. Furthermore, we referred to the directory on the website of the Japanese Orthodontic Society (JOS) to obtain data on JOS-qualified orthodontists. To assess the distribution of specialist orthodontists and orthodontic providers, we used Lorenz curves and Gini coefficients. Results The median value for the number of specialist orthodontists and number of JOS-certified orthodontists per 100,000 persons aged between 5 and 40 years old was 0, while that of orthodontic providers was 27.5. Gini coefficients for specialist orthodontists and JOS-certified orthodontists were 0.523 and 0.615, respectively. On the other hand, the Gini coefficient for orthodontic providers was 0.258. Conclusions Regional inequalities in the availability of specialist orthodontists are high, and medical access to specialist orthodontic services may be limited in areas other than urban districts. In municipalities with a population of fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, the number of specialist orthodontists was very low, but orthodontic providers were relatively evenly distributed. Our research results suggested that studying the distribution of specialist orthodontists and orthodontic providers can provide valuable information for developing dental care policies.