Diagnóstico situacional do serviço de odontologia hospitalar em hospitais públicos da 7ª Região de Saúde do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

Rio Grande do Norte (RN) has 20 SUS hospitals, seven of which are located in the metropolitan region of Natal, where hospital dentistry is one of the services offered. This specialty contributes to improving general health, reducing the risk of opportunistic diseases of the oral cavity and hospital costs, generating savings for the SUS. This study aimed to describe the scenario of hospital dentistry in state hospitals in the 7th health region of the public health care system. This is a descriptive study, with a quantitative and qualitative approach, using secondary data from institutional websites, Ministry of Health systems and on-site visits. The collection followed four stages: identification of hospital dentistry sectors; description of the internal organization and infrastructure; identification of oral health actions carried out; and description of the workforce. Among the hospitals analyzed, only one does not have a dentistry sector. This service is relatively recent, with implementation ranging from six months to 14 years. Actions include preventive procedures, diagnoses and treatments for oral lesions. Some professionals have postgraduate courses. The cost of dentistry in hospitals is not yet well defined. The results can support managers in expanding and qualifying hospital dentistry, optimizing public health care system resources.