Escassez de oferta de serviços odontológicos em Ibirité - MG e absenteísmo as consultas agendadas: facetas de uma questão paradoxal

Abstract

Absenteeism of patients scheduled for dental visits is an economic practice and structurally costly to the public health system. In the county of Ibirité - MG, where the total population coverage is still low and unmet demand for treatment is bulky, this phenomenon has manifested itself in the routine work of professionals then emerging as incoherent and highly problematic issue for the service. This paper aims to analyze the structure and organizational model of dental care SUS - Unified Health System – in Ibirité - MG, beyond understand and quantify the phenomenon of absenteeism of patients to scheduled appointments, both in primary and in secondary care in the period of July/2009 and February/2010. Data collection was performed at the Municipal Health Secretariat and Coordination of Oral Health. The data analysis presented enabled the assessment of low dental coverage and reduced ability of oral health care network in the county, with prospects for improvement. The phenomenon of absence for consultations was quantified with an average percentage of 10.3% in primary and 14.4% in secondary care. Such information, at first sight contradictory, suggested the need to investigate the origins problem for global understanding and management. Admitting the existence and relevance of this topic, log its occurrence and quantify it, besides knowing its origins and implications is practice inherent in any public health system whose model is based in an expanded concept of health and popular participation.