Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate soldiers’ oral health practices and trust in military medical serviceswhile proposing strategies to enhance awareness and expand the roles of dental hygienists.
Methods: An online survey using Naver Forms (Naver) was conducted from June 1 to July 14, 2024, targeting soldiers in Army Unit Y. Data from 134 respondents were analyzed.
Results: Soldiers with greater interest in oral health were more likely to undergo regular dental check-ups, scaling, and brushing (p<0.05). Both dental check-ups and scaling increased post-enlistment (p<0.05), but only 15.6% of those highly interested in oral health utilized military dental services (p=0.784). Trust in military medical services declined with longer service, particularly among sergeants (p<0.001). Most soldiers primarily viewed dental hygienists as dental assistants (56.0%), reflecting limited awareness of their broader roles. Among those who used military dental facilities, 42.9% reported neutral satisfaction, whereas 57.1% expressed willingness to reuse the services.
Conclusion: These findings emphasize the need to broaden the roles of dental hygienists in the military, particularly as oral health educators, to support the development of effective education and policy initiatives for oral health promotion.

Keywords: Dental hygienists, Military personnel, Oral health, Patient satisfaction, Trust