Silla University Department of Dental Hygiene Wins Five Awards at Korean Society of Oral Health Science, Proving Research Excellence with Top Prize

Academic Spotlight on Generative AI-Based Educational Innovation and Research Linking Mental Health and Oral Health

The conference hall was filled with the name of Silla University. The achievements of the students and researchers from the Department of Dental Hygiene, who secured the top prize, marked a new chapter in the potential of regional research.

The Department of Dental Hygiene at Silla University (President Heo Namsik) won a total of five awards, including the top prize, at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Korean Society of Oral Health Science, held at the Industry-Academic Cooperation Building of Dong-Eui University on December 7.

The academic conference, held under the theme "The Future of Oral Health through Human Recovery in the Digital Age," brought together graduate students and faculty from dental hygiene departments across the country to present their research achievements.

The Department of Dental Hygiene at Silla University won five awards at the Korean Society of Oral Health Science and is taking a commemorative photo. Provided by Silla University

The Department of Dental Hygiene at Silla University once again demonstrated its research competitiveness by having all five of its submitted studies in both the general and student categories selected as award winners.

The top prize in the general category went to Professors Kang Haemi, Jang Kyungae, and Kang Hyunkyung for their joint research, "Comparison of Learning Patterns in Basic and Clinical Education in Dental Hygiene: Generative AI-Based Process Mining Analysis." The study was highly praised for its application of generative AI to interpret educational data and visualize learning pathways.

In the student category, graduate student Choi Youngji, under the guidance of Professor Kim Yurin, received the excellence award for her research, "The Relationship between Oral Health Indicators and Quality of Life According to Whether Patients with Generalized Anxiety Disorder Receive Dental Treatment." The comprehensive analysis of mental health factors and oral health drew significant academic interest.

Additionally, graduate student Bang Inhye (supervised by Professor Kang Hyunkyung) and graduate students Jang Jiwoon and Kwon Sohyun (supervised by Professor Jang Kyungae) each received encouragement awards.

Kang Hyunkyung, head professor of the Department of Dental Hygiene at Silla University, stated, "These achievements are the result of the continuous research efforts by our faculty and graduate students." She added, "It is especially meaningful that our research on generative AI-based educational analysis and the connection between mental health and oral health received high recognition." She further commented, "We will continue to contribute to the advancement of oral health through creative and practical research."