Oral Health Promotion at the workplace in rural areas: echoes from dental surgeons

Abstract

This study included the work of dentists of the Family Health Strategy, from the perspective of Oral Health Promotion (OHP) in rural territory. This is a cross-sectional and qualitative investigation. Fourteen professionals who worked in rural oral health teams in the state of Paraíba were selected by the snowball technique. Data collection was carried out through semi-structured interviews. For understanding and systematization of data, we adopted the thematic content analysis. The theoretical framework that guided the method considered pillars, values and principles of Health Promotion (HP). Narratives reveal imprecise HP concepts, restricting them to oral disease prevention activities. There are potentialities and weaknesses in the OHP actions in rural areas. There are inequalities regarding support units and there are rural populations without any assistance to specialized oral health services. Professionals' involvement was observed in the campaign practices and in the goals with pregnant women. There are difficulties in group formation, and intersectoral actions are practically resumed to the partnership between health/education. The realities are discrepant in the face of management support. The speeches pointed to OHP actions capable of producing self-esteem and improving quality of life, based on integrality and the values of solidarity and humanization.