Evaluating the organization of dental care demand within the Family Health Strategy in a municipality in Southern Minas Gerais

Abstract

This descriptive, cross-sectional study aimed to analyze how dental demand is organized in the Family Health Strategy (FHS) in a city located in the south of Minas Gerais, using a structured, self-administered, face-to-face questionnaire administered by the dental surgeons who work in the Oral Health teams in this municipality. The questionnaire assessed the demographic data of the participants, as well as how patients are received and referred. Of the eleven dental professionals interviewed, 82% were women with an average age of 33.09 years. It was found that regarding reception, 54.5% of patients were attended jointly by the dental surgeon and the oral health assistant, 27.2% only by the dental surgeon and 18.1% only by the oral health assistant. Concerning action planning, 72.7% was planned jointly with the FHS and 27.3% only by the dental surgeon and oral health assistant. A large proportion (82%) of the units did not classify family and individual risk, nor did they report referrals. Only 45% of the units had time for continuing education and made time available for emergency care, in which an average of 7.09 patients were scheduled. However, all the teams worked according to a pre-defined weekly schedule. It can be concluded that although many of the units have oral health teams working in partnership with the FHS, there is no standardization in dental demand organization among the units evaluated. In addition, dental surgeons actively participate in drawing up strategies to organize demand in this location.