Trabalho, Educação e Saúde - TES (Work, Education and Health) is an open access scientific journal, edited by the Joaquim Venâncio Polytechnic School of Health, from Oswaldo Cruz Foundation.

Inclusion of the oral health technician in the Unified Health System: the instability of the employment relationships and the professional devaluation

  • Arinilson Moreira Chaves Lima
  • Cléa Adas Saliba Garbin
  • Artênio José Ísper Garbin
  • Elis Regina Vasconcelos Farias Aragão
  • Betânia Moreira Chaves Lima
  • Ondina Maria Chagas Canuto
  • Suzely Adas Saliba Moimaz
  • Arinilson Moreira Chaves Lima

    Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Faculdade de Odontologia, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brasil.

    Cléa Adas Saliba Garbin

    Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Faculdade de Odontologia, Departamento de Odontologia Infantil e Social, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brasil.

    Artênio José Ísper Garbin

    Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Faculdade de Odontologia, Departamento de Odontologia Infantil e Social, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brasil.

    Elis Regina Vasconcelos Farias Aragão

    Escola de Saúde Pública do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil.

    Betânia Moreira Chaves Lima

    Prefeitura Municipal de Limoeiro do Norte, Limoeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brasil.

    Ondina Maria Chagas Canuto

    Escola de Saúde Pública do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil.

    Suzely Adas Saliba Moimaz

    Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Faculdade de Odontologia, Departamento de Odontologia Infantil e Social, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brasil.



Abstract

The Oral Health National Policy emphasizes the importance of the training of assistant personnel for its consolidation. This study evaluated the inclusion of Oral Health Technicians, trained by Escola de Saúde Pública do Ceará, Brazil, in the Unified Health System. This is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach, developed in two stages. In the first one, the professional profile of 573 oral health technicians was outlined. In the second stage, we used focal groups, as well as the technique of content analysis, thematic modality. The orienting question was: which aspects influence the inclusion of the oral health technician in the Unified Health System? It was found that 73.3% of technicians were in the National Health Facilities Register. Out of these, 20.7% were registered as oral health technician, and 67.9% as oral health assistant. In the focal groups, three thematic categories were identified: manager's interests; type of employment relationship; and professional appreciation. It was concluded that the majority was included in the Unified Health System, but as oral health assistant. From the graduates" point of view, managers lack interest in hiring oral health technicians, and there is lack of more stable employment relationships and of greater professional appreciation.

Keywords

dental hygienists,
dental assistants,
dental helpers,
technical health staff,
focal groups

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Copyright (c) 2022 Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Escola Politécnica de Saúde Joaquim Venâncio

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