Professor Heo Seok-mo of Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) School of Dentistry (Department of Periodontology), who has treated patients with periodontal disease and taught dental students for more than 25 years, has published the academic work Clinical Guide to Plaque Control: Evidence-Based Oral Hygiene Instruction (JBNU Press), which systematically organizes Evidence-Based Oral Hygiene Instruction.

Clinical Guide to Plaque Control is an educational and clinical practice manual for dental students, dentists, dental hygienists, residents, specialists, and faculty. It is characterized by systematically organizing, based on the latest research evidence, everything from the scientific principles of plaque control to patient-tailored oral hygiene instruction and clinical application strategies.

Dental plaque is known as the primary cause of most oral diseases, including periodontal disease and dental caries. However, in actual clinical and educational settings, oral hygiene instruction for plaque control often depends on individual experience or custom, and standardized educational materials reflecting the latest research findings are insufficient.

Professor Heo paid attention to this situation and, based on his long clinical experience and domestic and international research findings, systematically organized the principles of evidence-based oral hygiene instruction. This approach does not simply convey toothbrushing techniques; it advocates delivering oral hygiene instruction by considering the latest research evidence, clinical experience, and patients' individual characteristics together. It thus offers more systematic educational standards for dental education and clinical practice.

The book is organized into five parts and 29 sections: Plaque Control Science; Tooth Surface Plaque Control; Interproximal Plaque Control; Periodontal Plaque Control; and Oral Hygiene and Health. Each section systematically presents core concepts, summaries of supporting articles, exam-style questions, critical commentary, and clinical application guidelines. It is designed so that clinicians can not only understand the latest evidence but also apply it directly in practice and education.

In particular, for each topic the author selected three to four key papers. The book explains not only the study results but also the studies' limitations and clinical implications, and concretely shows how to apply these findings to patient education and clinical decision-making. As a practical academic text that integrates the principles of evidence-based dentistry into oral hygiene instruction, it differentiates itself from existing textbooks.

It is expected to serve as a practical educational guide not only for learners preparing for the National Dental Examination and the Periodontology Specialist Examination, but also for dentists and dental hygienists responsible for patient education in clinical settings.

Professor Heo said, "Plaque control is both the beginning and the end of periodontal treatment. Even excellent treatment cannot be maintained long-term without proper oral hygiene management by the patient. Treatment begins at the dental clinic, but health is completed in the patient's daily life." He added that he hopes this book will be a practical guide for all dental healthcare professionals who wish to practice evidence-based oral hygiene instruction.

The newly published Clinical Guide to Plaque Control is not a general trade book but a professional educational volume (not for sale) produced for use in dental schools, dental hospitals, academic societies, and educational institutions. It will be distributed primarily to educational and clinical settings.

Professor Heo graduated from the School of Dentistry, Seoul National University. He completed the periodontology residency program at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine and earned a Ph.D. in Oral Biology from the same graduate school. He currently serves as a professor in the Department of Periodontology, JBNU School of Dentistry. He has served as head of the Periodontology Department at the JBNU Dental Hospital, an item writer for the National Dental Examination and the Periodontology Specialist Examination, a director of the Korean Academy of Periodontology, and a director of the Korean Association of Geriatric Dentistry, among other roles, and continues his research and education in plaque control, periodontal disease prevention, and evidence-based oral hygiene instruction.