Abstract
The National Oral Health Policy emphasizes the importance of training in Primary Health Care and adapting the work processes to the new health care model. This study seeks to investigate the association between the training of Dental-Surgeons in Family Health and the work process. It involved a cross-sectional and multicentric study, with 18,114 Oral Health Teams that participated on the National Program to Enhance Access and Quality of Primary Health Care. Data were collected through interviews, using a structured questionnaire. Professionals with post-graduate education in Family Health share their schedule with other Primary Care professionals more frequently (PR: 1.04; CI 95%: 1.03 – 1.06), organize their schedule to offer educational activities in Oral Health more frequently (PR:1.03; CI 95%: 1.02 – 1.04), ensure completion of the treatment of patients more frequently (OR: 1.68; CI 95%: 1.19 – 2.38), conduct more home visits (PR: 1.08; CI 95%: 1.07 – 1.09) and use more protocols for prioritizing actions more frequently (PR: 1.06; CI 95%:1.04 – 1.07). Investment in training in Family Health may be important for better performance in Primary Care Dentistry, thereby leading to changes in the model of Comprehensive Oral Health care.
Professional training; Oral health; Primary health care; Health evaluation; Family health