OBJECTIVE: To understand the significance of the health-disease process and the value assigned to the teeth considering its esthetic and functional impact on the life quality of the university academics. METODOLOGY: It was developed a cross-sectional study, quali-quantitative, using semi-structured questionnaire and a data descriptive analysis. The sample consists on a 70 academic research graduates of courses in Dentistry and Civil Engineering, at the State University of Ponta Grossa - PR. RESULT: The significant differences between the courses for the following variables: factors that motivate the search for a health professional, factors related to the health concept, the influence of a tooth was misplaced in the life quality and the impact against the loss of a tooth later. CONCLUSION: The results show that the education in health seems to have a positive influence on the understanding the determinants of health‑disease process, reserved for health care and dental recovery, with little range in the conceptual approach of health.
Health-disease process; oral health; concept formation; students