To determine the relationship between job stress and the performance of dental hygienists, the present study conducted a survey to 143 dental hygienists working in the dental clinics and hospitals in Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Inchon area. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSSWIN program. From the results, the following conclusion was drawn
1. The average score of job stress perceived by the subjects was 3.61, which is above the moderate level of stress. The category recording the highest score of job stress was ’inappropriate treatment from others,’ (4.00) The next was ’interpersonal relationship.’(3.78) ’role conflict as a professional,’(3.60) ’work-related conflict with the dentist’ (3.56), ’overwork,’ (3.53)and ’clinic environments?(3.43).
2. The score of the ’devotion to the organization’ was 3.23, and that of ’job satisfaction’ was 3.49, which are relatively high. Among the sub-categories of organizational devotion, the highest one in the subjects’ perception was ’I have a strong sense of belonging to the hospital,’ (3.57) while ’I commit myself to the job most of the time at work?(3.57) among the sub-categories of ’Job satisfaction’.
3. As a result of considering the relationships between job stress and organizational devotion, or job satisfaction, there was no significant interrelationships between them. Therefore, job stress may not have an influence on the subjects’ devotion to their organizations or on their job satisfaction. It means that .most of the studies on the job stress and work performance have been conducted longitudinally rather than cross-sectionally. The results suggest that stress at work is inevitable. and that moderate degree of stress is rather helpful for the performance of dental hygienists and is a motive power of personal development and increased productivity. Therefore, it is recommended that further follow-up studies be conducted on this issue.
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