Dental Public Health Doctors’ Awareness of Dental Services in Korean Correctional Institutions

Objective: To identify the status of dental services in Korean correctional institutions and suggest improvement measures.Methods: We surveyed 31 out of 32 dental public health doctors working at correctional institutions under the Ministry of Justice, to analyze the status of dental treatment provided in 47 such institutions. We also examined the dental public health doctors' awareness of dental services.Results: Thirty-seven percent of institutions had no radiation devices available for diagnosis, and 80.9% of institutions complained of a lack of radiation diagnostic equipment. In 78.7% of institutions, dental treatment by external doctors was performed regularly, and 93.5% of dental public health doctors thought that they were necessary. On the other hand, the need for a dental officer (including a dental public health doctor) was rated lower (74.2%). Among dental public health doc-tors, 83.9% said that the environment to deal with emergency situations was not sufficient, 64.5% were concerned about the disadvantages caused by medical accidents, and 61.3% thought that relief measures were insufficient. Futher, 66.0% of respondents said it was difficult to receive medical treatment at external hospitals if necessary. Moreover, 74.2% of dental public health doctors said working in correctional institutions was rewarding, and many doctors reasoned that it was notrewarding because they regretted not being able to provide high-quality treatment. As for the most urgent task to improve dental treatment for inmates, increasing the number of dental assistants and changes in the consciousness of medical services and medical officers were suggested, among others, such as establishing a dental hospital for inmates, expanding equipment and materials for dental treatment, and recruiting external (invited) dentists.Conclusion: Dental public health doctors oversee dental services at Korean correctional institutions, and further research is urgently needed to improve these services. Improvements in dental services at correctional institutions should include increas-ing dental staff including assistants and external dentists, and expanding the equipment and materials for dental treatment.