Programa de Salud Bucodental en escolares de la Comunidad del Bajo Boulogne / Oral Health Program in children from Bajo Boulogne Community

Las afecciones bucodentales constituyen un problema de salud pública por su alta prevalencia y su fuerte impacto individual y colectivo en términos de dolor, malestar y discapacidad social y funcional. El Centro de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria San Pantaleón, ubicado en la provincia de Buenos Aires, brinda asistencia sanitaria gratuita a la comunidad. Un relevamiento documentó que el 97% de los concurrentes presentaba caries y no se lavaban los dientes por falta de cepillo y pasta dental. Se decidió llevar adelante un programa de promoción de la salud bucodental. El objetivo fue evaluar su implementación; que incluyó: a) rastreo de caries y problemas odontológicos; b) coordinación interinstitucional; c) entrega de cepillos y pasta dental; d) intervención educativa; e) extensión comunitaria. Participaron en forma irregular 120 niñas, niños y adolescentes entre 5 y 18 años del Centro de Apoyo Escolar Fundación Bajo Boulogne. Se realizaron dos encuentros educativos y entrega de cepillos y pasta dental. En la revisión odontológica inicial sobre 60 participantes se detectaron caries en 43 (71,6%), que fueron derivados para tratamiento odontológico, pero concurrieron solo 26 (60,4%). El conocimiento sobre salud bucodental mostró cambios entre los más pequeños luego de las intervenciones educativas. Se logró implementar el programa, cumplimentando las actividades propuestas. Pero surgieron barreras que dificultaron la cobertura. En cuanto a la eficacia de la intervención educativa, no se logró mostrar cambios en el conocimiento. Se consiguió la detección oportuna, la incorporación de hábitos como el cepillado dentro de la institución educativa, la articulación para mejorar el acceso a la atención y la vinculación entre los diferentes actores comunitarios. (AU)

Oral disorders are a public health problem due to their high prevalence and their strong individual and collective impact in terms of pain, discomfort, and social and functional disability. The San Pantaleón Family and Community Medicine Center, located in the province of Buenos Aires, provides free healthcare to the community. A survey documented that 97% of those present had cavities and did not brush their teeth due to a lack of brush and toothpaste. It was decided to carry out an oral health promotion program. The objective was to evaluate its implementation; which included: a) tracking of caries and dental problems; b) inter-institutional coordination; c) delivery of brushes and toothpaste; d) educational intervention; e) community extension. 120 girls and boys and adolescents between 5 and 18 years of age from the Bajo Boulogne Foundation School Support Center irregularly participated. Two educational meetings were held, handing out brushes and toothpaste. In the initial dental review of 60 participants, caries was detected in 43 (71.6%), who were referred for dental treatment, with only 26 (60.4%) concurring. Oral health knowledge showed changes among the youngest after educational interventions. It was possible to implement the program, completing the proposed activities. Barriers arose that made coverage difficult. Regarding the effectiveness of the educational intervention, it was not possible to show changes in knowledge. Timely detection was achieved, the incorporation of habits such as brushing within the educational institution, articulation to improve access to care and the link between the different community actors. (AU)

Inclusão da Odontologia no Programa Saúde da Família (PSF) / Inclusion of Dentistry in the Family Health Program (PSF)

O Programa Saúde Família (PSF) foi criado em 1994 através do Ministério da Saúde, tendo como objetivoprincipal priorizar as ações de promoção, proteção e recuperação da saúde e alcançar a integridade e auniversalidade da atenção. Para que estes objetivos fossem alcançados e houvesse uma melhora no acesso enas condições de saúde bucal da população brasileira, a Odontologia foi aderida nesse programa em 2000.Passando a ser um novo modelo de atuação sobre os problemas de saúde bucal da população brasileira,proporcionando o acesso, o planejamento e a viabilidade de uma odontologia de qualidade no SUS. O objetivodeste trabalho é relatar sobre a Odontologia no Brasil e a importância da sua inclusão no PSF

The Family Health Program (PSF) was created in 1994 through the Ministry of Health, with the main objectiveto prioritize the promotion, protection and recovery of health and achieve integrity and universality ofattention. For these objectives to be achieved and there was an improvement in access and the oral healthstatus of the population, dentistry has been joined this program in 2000 Going to be a new model ofperformance on the oral health problems of the population, providing access, planning and the feasibility of aquality dentistry in the NHS. The objective of this paper is to report on dentistry in Brazil and the importance oftheir inclusion in the PSF

Dental students' HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, attitudes, and intentions: impact of the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration's community-based dental partnership program.

Access to oral health care for vulnerable populations is one of the concerns addressed by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration HIV/AIDS Bureau's Community-Based Dental Partnership Program (CBDPP). The program introduces dental students and residents at several dental schools to care for vulnerable patients through didactic and clinical work in community-based dental settings. This study of the dental students and residents in this program answered three questions: 1) What are their HIV knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors? 2) How has participation in the CBDPP impacted their knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors? 3) Has the intervention affected their work placement decisions and attitudes after graduation, particularly with respect to treating people living with HIV and other underserved populations? A total of 305 first- through fourth-year dental students and first- and second-year residents at five dental schools across the United States completed surveys before and after a community-based rotation and following graduation. Response rates at each of the five schools ranged from 82.4 to 100 percent. The results showed an increase in the participants' knowledge and positive attitudes regarding treatment for patients with HIV and other vulnerable populations post-rotation compared to pre-rotation. Results after graduation found that most respondents were practicing in private settings or in academic institutions as residents but were willing to treat a diverse patient population. These findings support the role of training programs, such as the CBDPP, for expanding the dental workforce to treating vulnerable populations including people living with HIV/AIDS.

Odontología, Universidad y Sociedad / Dentistry, University and Society

Las reformas en salud en Latinoamérica han fomentado la privatización de los tratamientos en salud, estando asíel acceso a los servicios acorde al poder adquisitivo del individuo. Actualmente, las patologías bucales representan un problema prioritario en salud pública. Comunidades desfavorecidas económicamente tienden a acumular niveles de salud bucal deteriorados. Para reducir las desigualdades en salud bucal, las estrategias y recursos deben considerar las diferencias entre comunidades, promoviendo la odontología preventiva primaria desde una perspectiva comunitaria; teniendo en cuenta aspectos biológicos, contexto social, cultural, económico, ambiental y acceso a los sistemas de atención en salud. Para ello la educación y el cambio de conducta tienen un papel preponderante. La Universidad como componente de la sociedad, tiene como misión participar en la cultura y aportar soluciones a los problemas sociales, articulando la formación en salud bucal comunitaria con la docencia, investigación y extensión, de manera a formar profesionales orientados en la atención de necesidades de la población. La metodología de la investigación científica debe facilitar y contribuir en la generación de nuevos conocimientos que aporten soluciones concretas al mejoramiento en salud bucal comunitaria. Es preciso emprender nuevos esfuerzos en la formación odontológica a nivel nacional. En tal sentido, se presenta una revisión de los aspectos fundamentales que conciernen a la desigualdad en salud, a la educación como punto de partida para la prevención, a la motivación humana y al cambio de conducta del individuo, incluyendo al rol de la Universidad en la propuesta de soluciones a problemas sociales. Palabras clave: Odontología Comunitaria -Educación en Salud Dental - Odontología Preventiva

Health reforms in Latin America have encouraged the privatization of treatments, thus, access to services are dependent of the individual's purchasing power. Oral pathologies currently represent a public health priority. Economically disadvantaged communities tend to present high levels of impaired oral health. In order to reduce inequalities in oral health, both strategies and resources should consider the differences between communities, promoting primary preventive dentistry from a community perspective, while taking into account biological, social, cultural, economic, and environmental aspects, as well as the access to health care systems. In this regard, education and behavioral changes have a major role. The University, as a component of society, has the mission to participate in culture and provide solutions to social problems, articulating community oral health education with teaching, research and extension, in order to form professionals focused on caring for the needs of the population. Scientific research methodology should facilitate and contribute to the generation of new knowledge that provides concrete solutions for the improvement of community oral health. New efforts on dental training nationwide need to be applied. In this regard, fundamental aspects of health inequality, education as a starting point for prevention, human motivation and individual behavioral change, including the role of the University role in the solution of social problems. Keywords: Community Dentistry -Health Education, Dental - Preventive Dentistry

Dentistry students' perceptions about an extramural experience with a Brazilian indigenous community.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate dentistry students' perceptions about an extramural activity designed to deliver dental care to an indigenous community. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a qualitative investigation involving 4 students of dentistry who had just had the experience of delivering treatment to indigenous Brazilian people. These students answered questions about the relevance of the experience to their personal and professional lives. We performed Content Analysis to data treatment and it was analysed by Social Representation Theory. RESULTS: Two social representations were reached: a) Being capable to promote oral health; b) Facing human feeling and respect each other. CONCLUSION: We concluded that participation in an extramural project improves the students' understanding of primary health care in dentistry. Such experiences help students develop a sense of cultural respect, comprehensive care, and to understand patients in their totality as social beings with their own values, beliefs, and attitudes regarding oral health care.

Dental students' perceptions of community-based education: a retrospective study at a dental school in Brazil.

Community-based educational activities have been introduced into health education programs across the world. However, research on students' perceptions of their experiences in these settings has been limited. The objectives of this study were to assess a group of Brazilian dental students' views of their experiences in a service-learning program focusing on pediatric dental care and to explore changes in their perceptions over the course of the program. Data were collected from fifty-five fourth-year dental students, who submitted a total of 185 reports at four points in time. The students spent sixteen of the 128 hours of their pediatric dentistry course in community-based education developing activities linked to pediatric dental care. Two professors rated each report as a positive or negative experience (Kappa 0.7) and recorded whether the students' reports reflected one or more of five types of response. The response types concerned dental treatment practice, multidisciplinary activities, observation of infant/toddler consultations, commitment of the outreach health team, and change of plans due to technical problems. The data showed that the students had a positive first impression after a short stay in a community-service program, but there was a decrease in the students' positive experiences over time (p<0.001). The students' perceptions of the outreach health team as "being not committed" (OR 6.82, 95 percent CI 2.12-21.90) and experiences of a "no change of plans due to technical problems" (OR 0.09, 95 percent CI 0.04-0.20) associated with negative student experiences.

Retention of dental sealants placed on sound teeth and incipient caries lesions as part of a service-learning programme in rural areas in Mexico.

BACKGROUND: Dental sealants are an effective treatment for the prevention and management of caries. OBJECTIVE: To determine the retention of sealants placed in a rural setting in Mexico as part of an international service-learning (ISL) programme and to determine associations between dental sealant's retention and caries diagnosis at the time of sealant placement. METHODS: Children aged 6-15 were examined for dental caries, received sealants by dental students as part of an ISL programme, and were re-examined 4, 2, or 1 years after placement to assess sealant survival. Sealants were placed on permanent sound surfaces and enamel caries lesions [International Caries Assessment and Detection System (ICDAS) criteria]. Sealant survival was explored using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests and multivariate prediction models. RESULTS: 219 (46%) of 478 (mean age = 10.53 SD = 5.11) children who had received sealants returned for a recall examination (mean age = 10.89 SD = 3.11). After 1-4 years, 96.4% to 60.6% of the sealants placed on sound teeth had survived, and for sealants placed on surfaces with enamel caries lesions (ICDAS 1-3), 94.2% to 55.6% had survived. Differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Sealants had survival rates comparable to those previously reported in the literature. Sealants placed on sound and enamel caries lesions had similar survival rates.

Measuring clinical productivity in community-based dental education programs.

Community-based dental education programs (CBDEPs) are an important part of the curriculum in many dental schools. This article describes the redesign of the CBDEP at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. As part of the formative evaluation of this CBDEP, information on clinical productivity was collected in order to educate intramural faculty members about the scope and extent of services provided in extramural sites; develop an understanding of the productivity expected; complement the intramural education by placing dental students in particular settings where they could enhance certain clinical disciplines; and serve as a decision making tool in the selection of sites that provide the richest clinical experiences. A total of 158 students participated in the CBDEP during the three years of our study (2006-08). Productivity per site was calculated based on total, mean, and median number of services provided, billing (utilizing Kentucky's Medicaid fees for 2006), and Relative Value Units (RVUs). A total of 26,202 services, $972,109 in billing, and 43,053 RVUs was generated by the students, with an average of 175 services, $6,481, and 287 RVUs per student. Four categories (restorative, oral surgery, preventive, and diagnostic) accounted for 88 percent of total RVUs for all sites and all years. Productivity measured with RVU was the highest at private practices. Students spent most of their time providing restorative and oral surgery services. Measuring clinical productivity can be an effective tool to establish benchmarks, improve the site selection process, and educate those skeptical about the benefits of extramural education. Such an evaluation will enable faculty and program administrators involved in CBDEP to make continuous improvements.

Projeto Terapêutico Singular no processo ensino-aprendizagem de alunos em estágio supervisionado: relato de uma experiência efetiva / Singular Therapeutic Project in the teachinglearning process of undergraduate students taking a supervised internship: report of an effective experience

O presente estudo é um Relato de Experiência da utilização da metodologia de Projetos Terapêuticos Singulares no processo de ensino aprendizagem de alunos do curso de odontologia. Os alunos do curso de odontologia da Faculdade de odontologia da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul planejaram, estruturaram e criaram um programa de sensibilização da população assistida pelo serviço de odontologia do DMAE para os cuidados preventivos do câncer de boca durante o último semestre do curso em estágio supervisionado extramuros. Tal programa foi e laborado e aplicado durante o décimo semestre do curso no momento de Estágio Supervisionado Curricular no primeiro semestre de 2012. O programa criado pelos alunos, por mostrar-se efetivo, foi instituído pelo serviço em questão e foi dado segmento desde então (AU).

The present study reports an experience using the Singular Therapeutic Project method in the learning process of dentistry students. The students of the dentistry course at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul planned, structured and created a program to arouse oral cancer preventive care awareness of the population assisted by the Municipal Department of Water and Sewage (DMAE) dentistry service. The program was put together in the last semester of the course, in a supervised extramural internship. It was prepared and applied during the tenth semester of the course, during the Supervised Curricular Internship conducted in the first half of 2012. The program created by the students proved effective, was instituted by the DMAE dentistry service and has continued in place ever since (AU).

Atividades extramuros na ótica deegressos do curso de graduação emodontologia / Extramural activities in the view of graduate students of Dentistry Graduation Course

A participação de acadêmicos da área da saúdeem atividades extramuros possibilita o conhecimentoe atuação nas dimensões estruturais dos serviços públicosde saúde e faz parte da proposta das diretrizescurriculares dos cursos de graduação em odontologiae das recomendações da lei 8080 que regulamenta oServiço Único de Saúde. O objetivo deste trabalho foiavaliar o Serviço Extramuro Odontológico (SEMO) e suasatividades correspondentes, sob a ótica dos egressosda FOA-UNESP. Foi realizado um estudo descritivotransversal, de abordagem quali-quantitativa. Foi enviadopor correio um questionário abordando diversosaspectos relacionados ao SEMO, para 76 ex-alunosformados em 2003. Os dados obtidos foram submetidosà análise quantitativa pelo software Epi Info. Parainterpretação das questões abertas, utilizou-se o modeloAnálise de Conteúdo. Retornaram respondidos47 por cento do total enviado, sendo que 100 por cento destes afirmaramque a participação no SEMO foi satisfatória. Váriosfatores foram relacionados à contribuição doSEMO na formação profissional, como conhecimentoda realidade e contexto social (21,2 por cento) capacidadede adaptação de recursos disponíveis (18,2 por cento) e contatocom a realidade (15,2 por cento). Por meio da técnica deassociação de palavras, foram identificadas categoriascomo “Importância do SEMO” (100 por cento), “realidadesocial” (53,1 por cento), e “ensino” (40,6 por cento). Dentre algumasdificuldades encontradas, foram listadas as deficiênciasna infra-estrutura (63,6 por cento). Os objetivos propostospelo SEMO foram plenamente e razoavelmente...

Representação social de acadêmicos de odontologia sobre a área de Odontologia Social / Social representation of dental students about the field of social dentistry

A concepção tradicional do currículo odontológico, dividido em disciplinas, não foi capaz de aproximaro profissional formado da realidade do sistemanacional de saúde. No início da formação, osacadêmicos dos cursos de Odontologia são capazesde construir uma imagem da área de estudo de algumasdisciplinas; porém, quanto à OdontologiaSocial, há desconhecimento da área de atuação. Foiobjetivo do presente trabalho conhecer a percepçãopreviamente formada sobre a Odontologia Social,de alunos do 3º ano do Curso de Odontologia daFaculdade de Odontologia de Araçatuba da UniversidadeEstadual Paulista (FOA-UNESP), que aindanão haviam cursado a referida disciplina. A cada ano,no primeiro dia de aula da disciplina, todos os alunosrespondiam à pergunta aberta: “Odontologia Socialé...”. Ao final de 3 (três) anos, foram apurados 195questionários. Inicialmente, fez-se uma leitura naíntegra de todas as respostas de uma forma rápida;em seguida, novas leituras foram realizadas de formacriteriosa, considerando-se as partes significativas.Posteriormente, foram identificados as palavras-chavese os trechos pré-codificados para cada uma dascategorias. Foram pós-categorizados 05 temas: desconhecimentoda área, integração do profissionalcom a sociedade, atuação meramente preventiva,odontologia voltada para a população carente e políticaspúblicas. Concluiu-se que os acadêmicos desconhecemo objetivo da área e ainda possuem umavisão restrita da Odontologia Social como sendo voltadapara ações de cunho assistencial em populaçõescarentes, com ênfase na prevenção das doenças. Essesdados demonstram a necessidade de uma adequaçãodo currículo da instituição para atender asDiretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para os cursos degraduação em Odontologia

Self-perceived public health competency among recent dental graduates.

The aim of this study was to assess the level of self-perceived competency in dental public health in recent graduates from the Faculty of Stomatology of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia. One hundred and nineteen graduates (28.6 percent males and 71.4 percent females) were asked to rate their self-perception of proficiency on each of the twenty-one dental public health functions identified in a dental practice competency matrix. Students assessed their competence in these dental public health functions using a three-point ordinal scale with 0 indicating "not at all competent," 1 indicating "competent," and 2 indicating "very competent." Males scored themselves higher than females for items concerning "design, develop, and evaluate community restorative interventions," "apply basic maintenance to dental equipment and instruments," and "participate in an epidemiological surveillance system." However, there were no significant differences for any item according to age. A confirmatory factorial analysis provided two factors with Eigenvalues greater than one (13.09 and 1.53, respectively), which explained 62.3 percent and 7.3 percent of the variance in the graduates' responses respectively. However, the fact that all twenty-one dental public health functions loaded higher than 0.55 on the first factor led to the conclusion that the dental public health competency is perceived by students to be a one-dimensional construct. Graduates perceived themselves as very competent for solving dental health needs at the community level. This study also provided further evidence in support of the rationale for the competency-based dental curriculum of the Faculty of Stomatology of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia.

Saúde bucal na web: uma avaliação dos sites brasileiros / Oral health on web: An evaluation of Brazilian sites

Este estudo propõe uma análise descritiva dos sitesbrasileiros oficiais e comerciais que abordam temas educativossobre saúde bucal. Método: Foram selecionados 50 web sitesa partir de uma busca sistematizada na Internet, utilizandopalavras-chaves pré-determinadas. Foi criado um instrumentode avaliação dividido em cinco categorias: apresentação dosite, conteúdo, credibilidade, design e interatividade.Resultados: A cárie dentária foi o conteúdo de maiorfreqüência observada nos sites (82 porcento). Dos 50 sites avaliados,22 apresentavam ilustrações relacionadas à saúde bucal emsuas páginas. Quanto a navegabilidade, imagens e arquiteturadas páginas, 44 porcento 64 porcento dos sites, o conteúdo oscilou entre bom emuito bom. De um modo geral, os sites apresentaram umaqualidade satisfatória quanto à credibilidade, emboramostrassem deficiências na precisão das fontes. Osmecanismos de interação com o usuário foram insuficientes.Conclusão: Apesar da necessidade de adaptação paraaperfeiçoamento de sua qualidade, os web sites brasileiros sãopromissores como importantes instrumentos de educação emsaúde bucal, podendo contribuir na promoção de saúde dopaciente e conseqüentemente na sua qualidade de vida

Objective: This study proposes a descriptive analysis of the official and commercial Brazilian sites that approach educational themes about oral health. Methods: Fifty web sites were selected from a systematized search in Internet, using determined key words. An evaluation instrument was created divided in five categories: site presentation, content, credibility, design and interaction. Results: The dental caries was the content of largest frequency observed in the sites (82%). Among the 50 sites evaluated, 22 presented illustrations related to the oral health in their pages. In relation to the navigability, images and architecture of the pages, 44%, 13.6% and 16% were considered excellent. In 64% of the sites, the content oscillated between good and very good. As a whole, the sites presented a satisfactory quality in credibility, although they showed deficiencies in the sources precision. The interaction mechanisms with the user were insufficient. Conclusion: In spite of the adaptation needs for improvement of their quality, the Brazilian web sites are promising as important educational instruments in oral health, and they could contribute to the promotion of the patient's health and consequently to their life quality.

Percepções maternas sobre a saúde bucal de bebês: da informação à ação / Maternal perceptions about the bucal health of babies: from the information to the action

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar as diferentes realidades vivenciadas por um grupo de mães, do período gestacional aos primeiros meses de vida do bebê, e compreender como elas valorizam e dão sentido a saúde bucal de seus filhos. A abordagem metodológica compreendeu a participação de 20 mulheres, que tiveram o acompanhamento pré-natal e parto realizados no Hospital Cel. Pedro Germano, em Natal - RN, e consistiu na aplicação de duas entrevistas semi-abertas, realizadas em momentos distintos: a primeira durante a gravidez, antes da palestra odontológica educativa, e a segunda após o nascimento de seus filhos, durante a visita domiciliar. os dados coletados foram submetidos à técnica qualitativa de análise de conteúdo das entrevistas, com o intuito de analisar a percepção das gestantes sobre a saúde bucal e os cuidados que estas pretendiam ter com seus filhos e, após o nascimento destes, avaliar as ações realizadas, os hábitos presentes e a percepção delas acerca dos métodos educativos empregadas. De acordo com os achados, conclui-se que muitas mães se perdem no percurso entre a intenção e a ação, percebendo-se, assim, a necessidade do acompanhamento da mãe, do bebê e do núcleo familiar também no período pós-parto.

Uso de esquemas en la evaluación en ciencias de la salud / Use of schedules in the evaluation of health sciences

Se presenta una investigación realizada con los estudiantes del III trimestre de la carrera de odontología de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, en la clase de Promoción de la Salud. A dichos estudiantes se les aplicó como examen final una prueba escrita que contenía un punto único, el cual debía desarrollarse por medio de la elaboración de un esquema. Los objetivos del estudio fueron analizar los contenidos aprendidos de la material y la integración de dichos contenidos con las temáticas de las demás actividades académicas (clases teóricas y prácticas) de ese semestre, y describir los elementos utilizados por los alumnos para confeccionar los esquemas, así como las características de los mismos. El universo estuvo compuesto por 76 exámenes de los cuales se estudió una muestra de 50. Los resultados se presentaron por medio de distribuciones de frecuencia y se analizaron cualitativamente. Se encontró que los contenidos aprendidos y su integración con otras temáticas fueron de diversa índole, al igual que los elementos utilizados para realizar los esquemas. Cabe destacar que se pudo evidenciar, por la experiencia académica de los alumnos, que poco contemplan el trabajo interdisciplinario, que su posición ante una comunidad es de observadores-agentes externos y que privilegian el trabajo de campo

Estágio de odontologia em saúde coletiva: diretrizes básicas / The stagium of odontology in colective health: basics guidelines

Sistematiza o estágio em odontologia coletiva do curso de Odontologia Preventica e Saúde Pública, com orientaçöes aos estagiários e supervisores.

Integración docente-asistencial: su validación en el proceso de cambio de la práctica odontológica / Integration educational-assistance: its validation in the process of the change of odontologic practice

El presente trabajo realiza el diseño y comprobación de un modelo para la evaluación del proceso de integración docente-asistencial en el área odontológica, a traves del análisis de los programas desarrollados en el área odontológica. El estudio fue conducido en el Municipio Maracaibo-Venezuela, en los programas entre la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad del Zulia y el Ministerio de Sanidad y Asistencia Social durante el período 1991-1994. El modelo utilizado aborda el funcionamiento de los programas con base en la metodología CIPP (contexto-insumo-proceso-producto) recomendada para la evaluación de programas de carácter social. Los resultados corroboran la hipótesis planteada según la cual la estructura organizacional de las instituciones involucradas explica la tendencia del proceso a perseguir los fines que cada una toma como preferentes: la universidad, un espacio para la formación de recursos humanos, y la institución asistencial, la prestación de servicios de amplia cobertura a bajo costo. Las características encontradas denotan la persistencia de una actividad docente que refuerza el aprendizaje praxiológico de la profesión, aislada de la producción de conocimientos científico y apoyada en un modelo de atención individualizado, curativo mutilador y de baja productividad, lo cual permite deducir que tal como se desarrolla en la actualidad, la integración docente-asistencial no esta contribuyendo realmente a la transformación cuali-cuantitativa de la práctica en salud oral de la región zuliana