A gestão da demanda por atendimento odontológico nas clínicas de ensino em odontologia: o caso da Faculdade de Odontologia da UFJF

Abstract

The creation of the National Oral Health Policy, within the framework of the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde - SUS), in 2003, brought expansion of dental services to the population using SUS, being established the Centres of Dental Specialties and Regional Laboratories of Dental Prothesis. For the implementation of this public policy, states and municipalities must be part of the Health Care Network (Rede de Atenção à Saúde - RAS) where the primary care is the main gateway to specialized services, aiming at the completeness of the care, through the reference and counterreference system. Dental school clinics are also considered as RAS points of attention, though not always in a formalized way. In the light of this, the present work was guided by the following question: What are the challenges in managing the demand for dental care in dental school clinics of the school of dentistry of Federal University of Juiz de Fora (Faculdade de Odontologia - FO / Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora - UFJF)? The present work is a study case, which used two approaches: analysis of the referral material for patients seeking treatment at Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora (FO-UFJF), for verification of health units and municipalities; and interviews with the subjects involved in the process of patient care and in the management of this process, for verification of the main problems and perspectives of those involved in this research problem. It was noticed that in 2016 the FO-UFJF received referrals of patients for dental treatment from various health units and municipalities. However, not always primary care was the gateway to the services provided in the institution, not adopting the reference and counterreference system advocated by RAS. The interviews showed that the process of patient care at FO-UFJF requires standardized protocols, aiming at a clear definition of how patients access dental treatments and a better organisation of the referrals and patient records. The results obtained were confronted with the theoretical reference, which addressed two themes: Information Management and Demand Management in oral health services. Finally, a plan of action was prepared as a proposal for organizing of the demand management and a closer approximation of the process of dental care service at FO-UFJF of SUS.