With the objective of assessing the image of dentists, a qualitative study was developed in Belo Horizonte during the year of 1994. Eighty interviews were conducted using open-ended questions: 40 individuals aged 20-30 (10 males and 10 females with up to 4 years of formal education, 10 males and 10 females with at least 13 years of formal education) and 40 individuals aged at least 50 (10 males and 10 females with up to 4 years of formal education, 10 males and 10 females with at least 13 years of formal education). The content analysis technique was applied to the data. Fear and pain were strongly associated to the image of the dentist, being both related to dental instruments and treatment. In some reports of those aged 20-30, the dentist had a rather negative image being described as a tyrant or compared to punishment. On the other hand, some reports of this same age group referred to the dentist with positive comments, considering him/her a health professional. Those interviewees aged 50 and above pointed out the evolution the profession has gone through, relating it to an improvement of technical aspects and dentist-patient relationship. For all groups and variables studied, no difference was observed between gender nor between the number of years of formal education
Dentists; Dentist-patient relations; Dental anxiety; Pain