The Sociological Study on the Professional Oral Care Structure in Postwar Japan

在20世纪，医护人员的数量激增，我们的身体越来越多地得到属于许多专业的各种卫生工作者的照顾，而不仅仅是医生。本研究以战后日本一位牙科保健员的职业生涯为个案，探讨医疗服务提供者之间的职业关系对其职业化的影响。案例研究表明，不仅牙医和相关专业人员之间的等级秩序，而且卫生保健提供者之间的专业间冲突也一直在定义牙科卫生师的专业项目。

The number of healthcare workers has proliferated in the 20th century, and our bodies have been increasingly looked after by various health workers belonging to many specialties, not only doctors. This study explores the influence of the inter-professional relationships between the health-care providers on the professionalization, using the case study of a dental hygienists' professional project in postwar Japan. The case study demonstrates that not only the hierarchical order between dentists and allied professionals but the inter-professional conflicts among health-care providers have been defining the professional project of dental hygienists.