Access to public oral health care by special needs patients: the dentist’s perspective

Abstract

Objective: To examine, from the dentists’ perspective, the access of special needs patients (SNP) to oral health care in the Unified Health System. Methods: Cross-sectional and quantitative study, performed in 2011 by means of interviews based on semi-structured questionnaires, carried out with dental surgeons at family primary healthcare units of a capital city in Brazil’s northeast region. Study variables included sociodemographic factors, work conditions and data related to the access and utilization of dental care services by SNP. Data was analysed with proper statistics in SPSS 15. Results: Interviews were performed with 44 dentists, 36 (81.8%) of which regularly assisted SNP; 29 (65.9%) conducted only oral examination and oral hygiene instructions; and 5 (11.3%) conducted oral examination and referred the patients to specialties centers. Nine (20.5%) of them reported having attended a discipline, focused on that type of patient. The accessibility, caring and dental assistance offered to SNP were approved by 70% of the dentists. Conclusions: From the dentists’ perspective, special needs patients in the public network have access to oral health care; resolutivity, however, seems to be undermined, being necessary to refer those to other services. doi:10.5020/18061230.2014.p190